Lasius fuliginosus
| Lasius fuliginosus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lasius fuliginosus worker | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Genus: | Lasius |
| Species: | L. fuliginosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lasius fuliginosus Latreille, 1798 | |
Lasius fuliginosus is a species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae (family Formicidae). Workers have a black shiny color and a length of about 3–5 mm, females are larger (7–9 mm) and small males reach a length of 3–4 mm). The head is heart-shaped.
Distribution
The species is found from Europe to Central Siberia.
Environment
The species builds a "cardboard" nest in old hollow trees, using "board" – a mixture of chewed wood with saliva. They tend populations of aphids for their honeydew. Adults of the family can have multiple queens.
New post-nuptial queens of the species establish nests through social parasitism in other species of its genus. They invade a nest of the other species, kill or oust the existing queen, and lay eggs, which the existing workers tend. Her offspring workers slowly take over the nest.
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lasius fuliginosus. |