''Lasius neoniger'', also known as the turfgrass ant, Labour day ant, cornfield ant or nuisance ant, is a species of

ant Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,0 ...

in the genus ''

Lasius ''Lasius'' is a genus of formicine ants. The type species for this genus is the black garden ant, '' Lasius niger''. Other major members, which live in drier heathland, are the cornfield ant, '' L. neoniger'', and '' L. alienus''. Other species ...

''. Found in North America, the species is common in the eastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

, though they can be found all over the continent. They are usually light brown in color, with a slightly darker head.

Biology

''Lasius neoniger'' are relatively small ants who prefer to nest in open habitats, including lawns and sidewalks. Colonies of these ants are monogynous and are unwilling to accept other queens or merge with other colonies of the same species. They are one of the many species of ants who tend

aphids Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

, who provide the ants with a regular source of sugar and occasionally protein. Colonies have a

nuptial flight Nuptial flight is an important phase in the reproduction of most ant, termite, and some bee species. It is also observed in some fly species, such as ''Rhamphomyia longicauda''. During the flight, virgin queens mating, mate with males and then l ...

around the beginning of September, near

labour day Labour Day (''Labor Day'' in the United States) is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours fo ...

. The new queens will dig a claustral chamber and hibernate for the winter before starting their new colony the following spring.

Ecological impact

Due to their preference for open habitats, ''Lasius neoniger'' are one of the first species of ants to move into disturbed areas. The building of their nests triples

soil respiration Soil respiration refers to the production of carbon dioxide when soil organisms respire. This includes respiration of plant roots, the rhizosphere, microbes and fauna. Soil respiration is a key ecosystem process that releases carbon from the so ...

and increases biodiversity in the area by encouraging other insects to move in. This in turn has a trickle down effect as the new insects attract other animals and plants.

References

External links

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Antwiki - ''Lasius neoniger''
neoniger Hymenoptera of North America Insects described in 1893 Insects of the United States {{formicinae-stub