The Yellow Meadow Ant (Lasius flavus), is a common ant in Europe. As L. flavus is usually entirely subterranean, it is not as commonly seen as Lasius niger or various Myrmica sp. L. flavus also occurs in Asia, North Africa and North America to a lesser extent.
Colonies are commonly founded by multiple queens (pleometrosis), but once a colony is well established, queens will be killed off until only one is left (monogyny).
This species lives underground in meadows, lawns, moorland and at the edges of woodland. The nests are sometimes constructed as small mounds of earth, although when these do occur, they are often completely overgrown by grass making them difficult to spot.
The Yellow Meadow ant feeds on the honeydew from root aphids, which they breed in their nests. During winter, the aphids themselves are sometimes eaten. In captivity Lasius flavus will readily take sugar or honey solution.
Identification
Worker size in Lasius flavus is very variable, and workers can be anywhere from 2.2 to 4.8 mm. The worker caste are often larger and darker in colour in more mature colonies. Their colour varies from yellow to brown, with queen being slightly darker, males often being closer to black.
Reproduction
Alates (winged reproductives) often take to the skies for their nuptial flights in July and August in Europe.
Larvae (seen below) spin cocoons when they are fully mature, developing into pupae within, before emerging as adult ants. As these photos from a single nest show, the workers will keep similarly developed larvae together stacked in piles.
Nests
The species lives primarily underground in meadows, lawns and on moorland (uncultivated hill land). The nests are often small mounds although are often completely overgrown by grass. They are just as commonly located under stones and rotten wood.
L. flavus nest cross-section found after moving a large stoney outcrop in the Moorland of the Cheviot Hills.
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