Lasius plumopilosus

Identification
Lasius plumopilosus is readily recognizable by its distally plumose hairs and the small body size of all castes.

Distribution
Known from Iowa and North Carolina.

This taxon was described from the United States.

Biology
The type nest was under a stone on a hillside. Another colony from the type locality was collected from a stage 3 log in a basswood-maple forest. The North Carolina collection was from a rotten stump. Queens and males of the type series were collected on Sept. 13; those from North Carolina were taken sometime during August. Flights may occur during both of these months. Collections of mixed colonies are lacking for plumopilosus, yet the small size and peculiar hairs of the queens strongly suggest that they are parasites. (Wing 1968)

Nomenclature

 *  plumopilosus. Lasius (Acanthomyops) plumopilosus Buren, 1941: 231, fig. 1 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. Combination in Acanthomyops: Creighton, 1950a: 433; in Lasius: Ward, 2005: 13. See also: Wing, 1968: 132.

Worker
Wing (1968) - Standing body hairs fairly numerous, many with moderately plumose tips. Pubescence more or less sparse, body shining. Body and appendages yellow to brownish yellow.

Queen
Wing (1968) - Standing body hairs numerous, mostly with strongly plumose tips. Pubescence moderately sparse, body shining. Body color brown, legs lighter.

Male
Wing (1968) - Standing body hairs moderate to sparse, a few of which have weakly plumose tips and are confined chiefly to occiput and dorsum of alitrunk. Pubescence sparser than in the female castes, cuticle finely sculptured, body surface only moderately shining. Body color very dark brown, almost black.

Type Material
Wing (1968) - Type locality: Backbone State Park, Delaware Co., Iowa. Location of types: Holotype female, : paratypes In several collections including the.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Buren 1941b.pdf|Buren, W. F. 1941b. Lasius (Acanthomyops) plumopilosus, a new ant with plumose hairs from Iowa. Iowa State Coll. J. Sci. 15: 231-235 PDF]]