53 replies to this topic

[Tfisupe]

I'm looking for fellow members in Washington State. Trying to get a Formica Obscures colony going and I'm in need of queens and ANY advice. I have one queen pending purchase,so I'm trying to get everything in order.

[Tfisupe]

Anyone?!?

[Fastcbr10]

I’m in Whidbey Island and there is another guy that I talk to here in oak harbor. Where are you located.

[PwnerPie]

I'm from Washington as well, Sammamish area.
As far as advice, formica are fairly hardy. Make sure you have watch alot of the first YouTube videos from ants Canada. They go over alot kn how to capture and initially raise queens.
How big is the colony you are getting?

[TennesseeAnts]

I moved from the Seattle area in June. Formica pacifica are the easiest to raise there. Care is pretty much the same as other Formica, but they grow way quicker. I had a colony get over 2000 workers in 2 years without heating them.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, March 19 2019 - 7:27 AM.

[Tfisupe]

Fastcbr10 I'm in oak harbor

[k4el]

I'm in West Seattle and I've geared up to find my first queen(s) this season. I've been surprised how few resources I've been able to find for info on ant keeping around the immediate Seattle area. So much so I've been considering reaching out to the UW or WSU. I'm especially interested in having an understanding of what species are common and which are rare for this part of the state.

 

I've also been unable to find discussions on if species from the Olympic peninsula or Eastern Washington have ethical considerations for keepers in Western Washington.

 

If anyone has resources to share I'd be interested. 

[PwnerPie]

Hi k4el,
I wouldn't bring anything from the Eastside of the state to the west side.
As far why is common vs rare? No idea. I don't think there any endangered, so I don't believe there are any we should avoid catching. Biggest thing i can say is please don't disturb nests, just grab queens if there are walking around. It's hard for queens to start a successful colony in the wild. If we want our hobby to be sustainable we need to leave them grow and produce alates for us to catch!!

So close to queen hunting time!!!

[TennesseeAnts]

Queen hunting has not started there yet? It has in TN.... I've already got some Prenolepis.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, March 28 2019 - 8:39 AM.

[k4el]

Hi k4el,
I wouldn't bring anything from the Eastside of the state to the west side.
As far why is common vs rare? No idea. I don't think there any endangered, so I don't believe there are any we should avoid catching. Biggest thing i can say is please don't disturb nests, just grab queens if there are walking around. It's hard for queens to start a successful colony in the wild. If we want our hobby to be sustainable we need to leave them grow and produce alates for us to catch!!

So close to queen hunting time!!!

Are you saying you wouldn't bring queens east to west for ethical reasons or for their survival/comfort? It seems to me the ethical line is if you're bringing them across a natural barrier they are unlikely to circumvent under their own propagation. My thought is a mountain range that has two very different climates on either side would be an example of this. 

 

As for disturbing nests, I have no plans to. Queen hunting seems to be part of the fun but I also agree it's the lowest impact method. Long term I've read info that suggests a Stigmatomma Oregonense can be found in western washington which as I understand is very difficult to find queens for without disturbing nests. Like I said though that is a long term thing that I wouldn't dream of trying with out a ton more experience and research.

 

Queen hunting has not started there yet? It has in TN.... I've already got some Prenolepis.

Those are "Winter Ants" right? It seems so strange to me they don't live in the west. Especially given how hardy they must be and no, no queens just yet. Not that I've seen anyone post about any where or seen my self at least. We had a nasty winter (by local standards) that hasn't quite figured out how to end yet. There's been plenty of fluctuations in temperature in the last few weeks.

Edited by k4el, March 28 2019 - 11:12 PM.

[k4el]

I went out for a walk today along some local streams and scouted out a few hunting spots. Didn't even see workers much less queens so looks like everyone is still snoozing in my neck of the woods.

[TennesseeAnts]

My woods are as active as ever! Move to Tennessee!

[PwnerPie]

 

Hi k4el,
I wouldn't bring anything from the Eastside of the state to the west side.
As far why is common vs rare? No idea. I don't think there any endangered, so I don't believe there are any we should avoid catching. Biggest thing i can say is please don't disturb nests, just grab queens if there are walking around. It's hard for queens to start a successful colony in the wild. If we want our hobby to be sustainable we need to leave them grow and produce alates for us to catch!!

So close to queen hunting time!!!

Are you saying you wouldn't bring queens east to west for ethical reasons or for their survival/comfort? It seems to me the ethical line is if you're bringing them across a natural barrier they are unlikely to circumvent under their own propagation. My thought is a mountain range that has two very different climates on either side would be an example of this. 

 

As for disturbing nests, I have no plans to. Queen hunting seems to be part of the fun but I also agree it's the lowest impact method. Long term I've read info that suggests a Stigmatomma Oregonense can be found in western washington which as I understand is very difficult to find queens for without disturbing nests. Like I said though that is a long term thing that I wouldn't dream of trying with out a ton more experience and research.

 

 

 

Ethical reasons, for sure.

 

I have yet to see any queens, not time yet. By the end of the month you should start to see them. I have been seeing ants around though! Not many but they are definitely starting up. Last year they really got going at the end of May. It just needs to turn the corner are start hitting 70 reliably.

 

As far as moving to TN, no! West coast for life....atleast until the wildfires kill us all. haha.,

[TennesseeAnts]

Well, there was a huge Camponotus flight last night here. Camponotus chromaiodes, pennslyvanicus, subbarbatus and americanus were found. Today I found some chromaiodes, pennslyvanicus, subbarbatus and caryea.

[k4el]

Ethical reasons, for sure.

 

Yeah that's what I've resigned my self too as a WA resident. There are a few species on the east side of the state that caught my interest but a mountain range that splits the state in two is just too large a natural barrier for me to feel ok transporting across. I'm feeling ok about species from the peninsula though. As far as I've been able to tell from my research there aren't any species which aren't found on both sides of the water.

[Fastcbr10]

I have seen Myrmica queens in Oak Harbor post flight this last weekend. I have four queens together now. Have you all seen anything this year?

[TennesseeAnts]

I have seen Myrmica queens in Oak Harbor post flight this last weekend. I have four queens together now. Have you all seen anything this year?

Myrmica are one of the bigger flights this time of year in Washington. Temnothorax will be flying shortly, as well as Formica obscuripes, and other parasitic Formica.

[k4el]

Glad to hear some one is seeing Queens. I've not seen any yet in my neck of the woods. Maybe I need to plan some trips outside the city. Parks and green belts may just not provide enough habitat near me =/

[TennesseeAnts]

Glad to hear some one is seeing Queens. I've not seen any yet in my neck of the woods. Maybe I need to plan some trips outside the city. Parks and green belts may just not provide enough habitat near me =/

Well, I'm just going off of past experience that I have from when I lived there.

[k4el]

Glad to hear some one is seeing Queens. I've not seen any yet in my neck of the woods. Maybe I need to plan some trips outside the city. Parks and green belts may just not provide enough habitat near me =/

Well, I'm just going off of past experience that I have from when I lived there.

Oh I know. You've been helpful.

Fastcbr10's report of a myrmica flight out in Oak harbor has me wondering why I've seen 0 flights of any species near by. It has me thinking I may need to expand my hunting grounds.