Genus Lasius Fabricius ^HNS

These ground-nesting ants also tend to prefer cooler habitats at middle to high elevations. Workers are generalized scavengers and often tend hemipterans. Species in the subgenera Acanthomyops ^HNS and Chthonolasius ^HNS are temporary social parasites on other Lasius ^HNS species. Species of Acanthomyops ^HNS were previously considered to represent a different genus, but are now known to be phylogenetically nested within Lasius ^HNS (see above under “Taxonomic Changes”).

Species identification: keys in Wilson (1955a), Wing (1968) ( Acanthomyops ^HNS), and Mackay and Mackay (2002). Additional references: Agosti and Bolton (1990b), Cole (1956a, 1958a), Hasegawa (1998), Janda et al. (2004), MacKay (1998), Savolainen (2002), Seifert (1988a, 1992b), Umphrey and Danzmann (1998), Wheeler and Wheeler (1986g).