Lasius umbratus

Lasius umbratus is a parasitic ant. The queens of this species seek out a Lasius niger worker ant, to first kill in order to gain the worker ant's scent and then to discreetly sneak inside a Lasius niger nest. Once inside the Lasius umbratus queen finds the Lasius niger queen, and kills her. The worker ants will care for the new queen's larvae and slowly the colony will become one of Lasius umbratus. 'Umbratus' is Latin for the word 'ghost'.

They are sometimes confused with Lasius flavus (yellow meadow ant) but unlike L. flavus they forage for food on the surface.