Lasius fuliginosus (Jet ant)

Last update: 13 February 2022


Common

SPECIES: Jet ant (Lasius fuliginosus)
GENUS LASIUS (Black garden ant)
FAMILY FORMICIDAE (Ants)



OBSERVATION:
2023-VI-232022-IV-182021-V-302021-III-032019-V-282019-V-24

YEARS:
2019202120222023

MONTHS:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec


Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus)

1. DISTRIBUTION

L. fuliginosusis is a common ant throughout the Netherlands [3]. It is a permanent resident in the garden, in very large numbers.

2. BEHAVIOR

2.1. ACTIVITY

The species is active all year but especially between March and October [3].

They occupy all plants and shrubbery that contain aphids.

2.2. DEVELOPMENT

The nest is often found in hollowed out tress, trunks or dark places in house like the cellar and crawlspaces [2]. They gnaw corridors and spaces in wood [2]. The floor of the spaces is covered with sawdust and seliva to make paper-like constructions like wasps do [2]. The corridors are covered with sugary liquid on which a fungus will grow that helps solidify it turning it into a very hard cover [2].

3. IDENTIFICATION

It is a larger sized small ant 3 – 5 mm [2].

The species characteristics are [2]:

1. Antenna-inplants directly above clypeus
2. Front edge of triangle in face bordered  by a clear groove

Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus), triangle in face bordered by groove

3. Petiole relatively low, does not reach top back thorax

Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus), Petiole relatively low, does not reach top back thorax

4. Head rather swollen when seen from the side
5. Palps do not reach to eye

Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus), palps do not reach eye

6. Head behind back edge clearly curved

Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus), Head behind back edge with clear curvature
Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus), Head behind back edge with clear curvature

7. Worker antenna with 12 segments

Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus), 12 antennae segments

8. Worker glossy black

Jet ant ♀︎ (Lasius fuliginosus)

References

1 Nederlands Soortenregister

2 Boer, P. 2015. Mieren van de Benelux. Jeugdbondsuitgeverij, 's Graveland.

3 Waarneming.nl