formerly Lasius flavus
Lasius brevicornis
This record describes Lasius brevicornis (species). Recorded family: Formicidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
At the beginning of the colony there are several queens which groom each other and prevent fungal infections that might kill solitary queens. But when the first workers eclose and start foraging, the extra queens are eliminated; mature colonies generally have a single queen.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Formicoidea
- Family
- Formicidae (Ants)
- Subfamily
- Formicinae
- Tribe
- Lasiini
- Genus
- Lasius (Citronella Ants)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Subterranean ant; nests most often under stones
Geographic Range
Holarctic; common throughout e. US south to the mountains of NC-TN; rare in the Gulf States
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Carlo Emery, 1893
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Lasius brevicornis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of formerly Lasius flavus (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Claude Pilon; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , James C. Trager , v belov , Blocky