Lasius carniolicus

42. Lasius carniolicus (Mayr, 1861)

Figs. 153-155.

Lasius carniolicus Mayr, 1861:51.

Worker. Yellow to reddish yellow. Funiculus segments broad; scape oval in section; maxillary palps with segments 5 and 6 subequal, distinctly shorter than 4. Petiole in profile nodal with both anterior and posterior faces convex; in front view with rounded dorsal surface. Sides of head curving forward into close set mandibles; head cordate with rounded occipital corners, posterior margin slightly concave. Body pubescence long and thick, merging into short suberect hairs on all surfaces. Length: 3.5-3.7 mm.

Queen. Yellowish brown. Petiole as in worker. Pubescence long. Eyes haired. Mandibles with concave masticatory border 5 toothed, with prominent long narrow apical tooth; wings hyaline. Size small - head width: 0.76-0.78 mm, broader than alitrunk. Length: 3.6-3.7 mm.

Male. Blackish brown. Petiole low and convex in lateral view, dorsal margin flat in frontal view. Wings hyaline, vein m-cu missing. Body hairs abundant, scapes and tibiae with decumbent pubescence only. Head as broad as alitrunk, mandibles dentate. Length: 3.3-3.5 mm.

Distribution. Sweden: 01. and Gtl., recently also recorded from Smaland on the mainland (Douwes, 1976). Very rare. - Range: Pyrenees to Siberia, Italy to Poland and South Sweden, also Afghanistan, Karakorum and Himalayas (Faber, 1967).

Biology. This species has a wide but scattered occurrence, rather local but sometimes abundant in the restricted areas where it occurs. Nests are found under stones in sandy soil in open dry woodland or pasture. The queens which are no larger than the worker start colonies by adoption in nests of Lasius alienus or L. flavus. Right period September/October. Faber (1967) records extreme physogastry in the mature egg laying queen of the related species L. reginae Faber.