2467 replies to this topic

[JasonD]

Finding Myrmecocystus founding chambers in the foothills is like finding a needle in a haystack. There are just far fewer Myrmecocystus nests in the hills than there are in the desert. In my experience, I probably see 30 times more Myrmecocystus nests in the desert than I do in the hills... so you can imagine what finding a founding chamber is like. It takes a lot of luck, and JasonD had it that day. I actually did get lucky last year and found one in a founding chamber in a little patch of dirt right in the middle of the creek at Ice House Canyon in Mount Baldy. Unfortunately it died. But yeah... they're waaaay easier to find in the desert when most of them fly after July.

 

I got super lucky. I was walking my dog and she spotted the queen. I went to see why she was sticking her nose in the dirt and the queen was there!

[soulsynapse]

I def can't be bothered driving 4 hours total to find Camponotus queens hopefully they fly within an hour of where I live soon

[PTAntFan]

I def can't be bothered driving 4 hours total to find Camponotus queens hopefully they fly within an hour of where I live soon

 

I will gladly drive 2 there and 2 back for guaranteed Camponotus queens.

[dspdrew]

Went for a hike today through O'Neill Regional Park. It's so weird seeing so much green!

 

 

 

I noticed some alates popping their heads out of one of the dark-colored Myrmecocystus nests while lots of workers swarmed all over the area. By the looks of things, I figured they probably hadn't flown yet.

 

But then, after about 2 miles of walking, FINALLY! I came across a founding chamber in the foothills!

 

 

 

This one was right alongside Monastery Road which borders the park. I knew there was a few of those Myrmecocystus colonies along this road, so I always figured if I was going to find a queen, it would probably be around there somewhere, partly because it was always easy to get to. I have actually seen one or two of what looked like Myrmecocystus founding chambers in the foothills before, but I never got anything out of them. This time however, I had much better luck, and just as I thought, it was the same dark Myrmecocystus species that are all over that area--the one I think is probably M. mimicus.

 

[SoySauce]

Congrats Drew!

[soulsynapse]

ay socal guys any of you having luck on missions lately? We've been dry for a while now 

[dspdrew]

Absolutely nothing going on. No rain, and the same upper 60's, lower 70's temps for the past month now. The forecast doesn't show any changes at all for the next 10 days either.

[SoySauce]

You guys didn't get any rain Friday night?. It rained a bit throughout the night up inLA. I was going to check out the Chaney trail weds night w my new blacklight flashlight ant see if anything glows. It may get up to 80.

Edited by SoySauce, April 9 2017 - 12:23 PM.

[dspdrew]

 .03 inches of rain (drizzle actually) isn't going to do anything. Rain isn't even what's important here. No real flights are going to happen in the mountains until there is a heatwave.

[FSTP]

Great! nice going Drew...

 

I've had no luck lately, I keep finding empty founding chambers, and several times I dug up a few founding chambers with dead queens in them (all were Pogonomyrmex), don't know what that's about.

[SoySauce]

That's actually good news to us Drew. We are pretty much in over our heads. Especially when all theses eggs starts turning into ants!

Edited by SoySauce, April 9 2017 - 6:32 PM.

[dspdrew]

I've already got 15 new colonies with workers.

[SoySauce]

What the...15??! We are still waiting for our first v. pergandei to hatch! Although I made a trip up north and picked up some very coooool camps and a couple other SP. with a few workers from a GAN dude. They're sooooo cool and yes, I'm that crazy!

Edited by SoySauce, April 9 2017 - 6:50 PM.

[SoySauce]

Did you see my pm btw, Drew?

[dspdrew]

Oh yeah, sorry.

[SoySauce]

Ok, no worries. I just wanna be completely prepared if and when.

Edited by SoySauce, April 9 2017 - 6:55 PM.

[PTAntFan]

Big heat wave coming in. Moist yesterday but no rain.

[SoySauce]

Big heat wave coming in. Moist yesterday but no rain.

 

Where's everyone planning on going?

[soulsynapse]

Black star canyon road take 2

[SoySauce]

Yeah? I'm hoping the harvesters will fly, but will look for the velvety tree ants too.