53 replies to this topic

[TennesseeAnts]

Bigger is better.

[Fastcbr10]

I have an old tennis court that is in the middle of a field I like to check after a good rain. I’m checking today I’ll let you m ow what I find.

[k4el]

I have an old tennis court that is in the middle of a field I like to check after a good rain. I’m checking today I’ll let you m ow what I find.

 

OOoooo... abandoned flat tops aren't a hunting spot I had considered.

I don't know about the rest of you but when I'm killing time I'll pop open google maps satellite view and scout for hunting spots near work/home.

[Fastcbr10]

I have never jumped on google maps but I do a lot of hiking and am always looking for new spots.

[PwnerPie]

I found a Myrmica queen yesterday in Snoqualmie.

I just go for walks on side walks. Queens land and end up running around on them, easy to see. It is definitely not 100% catch rate by any means, id say about 15% of the time I go for walks during queen hunting time I find them. Which is more than enough as I go for walks anyway at work.

Still a little too cold for the other flights. It needs to be consistently hitting mid to high 60s for the other flights, looks like it'll be hitting highs of mid 50s for the next couple weeks. Hopefully we get that hot weather soon.

[TennesseeAnts]

If you look in Marysville (where I used to live) there is a trail in Soundview, (a suburban neighborhood) that has TONS of Formica obscuripes, neogagates, pacifica and some Lasius flying along that trail in April to September. Some Camponotus modoc were found there as well. Myrmica occasionally fly there in September. If I move back there I can probably help some of you guys and gals too. I will be selling Formica, Camponotus, Lasius, ect.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, April 17 2019 - 8:18 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

I found a Myrmica queen yesterday in Snoqualmie.
I just go for walks on side walks. Queens land and end up running around on them, easy to see. It is definitely not 100% catch rate by any means, id say about 15% of the time I go for walks during queen hunting time I find them. Which is more than enough as I go for walks anyway at work.
Still a little too cold for the other flights. It needs to be consistently hitting mid to high 60s for the other flights, looks like it'll be hitting highs of mid 50s for the next couple weeks. Hopefully we get that hot weather soon.

Do you have a journal on here for your Formica?

[k4el]

I found a Myrmica queen yesterday in Snoqualmie.

I just go for walks on side walks. Queens land and end up running around on them, easy to see. It is definitely not 100% catch rate by any means, id say about 15% of the time I go for walks during queen hunting time I find them. Which is more than enough as I go for walks anyway at work.

Still a little too cold for the other flights. It needs to be consistently hitting mid to high 60s for the other flights, looks like it'll be hitting highs of mid 50s for the next couple weeks. Hopefully we get that hot weather soon.

 

Here are the sorts of places I've been hunting:

 

Gravel travel in a green belt that runs along a stream. Nestled in some residential areas. I've only ever spotted Tetramorium workers along here so far.

https://goo.gl/maps/n65JuJJRFzhLAwHq5

 

Large park with lots of tree cover and paths

https://goo.gl/maps/ZHA4GfwjcJyYHZyW7

 

This weekend I'm planning to hit up the UW arboretum

https://goo.gl/maps/PM7nveDuVGGeYvg37

 

My suspicion is that the primary factor for me so far has been the weather, specifically the mid 50 to low 60s that you mention. However its tough to tell until the weather shifts and I can compare results. I can't tell if I'm selecting hunting grounds well.

 

Oh, Pwner btw... you had mentioned spotting some prenolepis over on Ants Canada. I'm curious what you can tell me about their range in WA. They are amongst the genus I'm most interested in.

Edited by k4el, April 17 2019 - 7:36 PM.

[PwnerPie]

 

I found a Myrmica queen yesterday in Snoqualmie.
I just go for walks on side walks. Queens land and end up running around on them, easy to see. It is definitely not 100% catch rate by any means, id say about 15% of the time I go for walks during queen hunting time I find them. Which is more than enough as I go for walks anyway at work.
Still a little too cold for the other flights. It needs to be consistently hitting mid to high 60s for the other flights, looks like it'll be hitting highs of mid 50s for the next couple weeks. Hopefully we get that hot weather soon.

Do you have a journal on here for your Formica?

 

Hi Ant Dude,

No, I havent done any journals. I have thought about it, but hasnt happened yet. 

[PwnerPie]

 

I found a Myrmica queen yesterday in Snoqualmie.

I just go for walks on side walks. Queens land and end up running around on them, easy to see. It is definitely not 100% catch rate by any means, id say about 15% of the time I go for walks during queen hunting time I find them. Which is more than enough as I go for walks anyway at work.

Still a little too cold for the other flights. It needs to be consistently hitting mid to high 60s for the other flights, looks like it'll be hitting highs of mid 50s for the next couple weeks. Hopefully we get that hot weather soon.

 

Here are the sorts of places I've been hunting:

 

Gravel travel in a green belt that runs along a stream. Nestled in some residential areas. I've only ever spotted Tetramorium workers along here so far.

https://goo.gl/maps/n65JuJJRFzhLAwHq5

 

Large park with lots of tree cover and paths

https://goo.gl/maps/ZHA4GfwjcJyYHZyW7

 

This weekend I'm planning to hit up the UW arboretum

https://goo.gl/maps/PM7nveDuVGGeYvg37

 

My suspicion is that the primary factor for me so far has been the weather, specifically the mid 50 to low 60s that you mention. However its tough to tell until the weather shifts and I can compare results. I can't tell if I'm selecting hunting grounds well.

 

Oh, Pwner btw... you had mentioned spotting some prenolepis over on Ants Canada. I'm curious what you can tell me about their range in WA. They are amongst the genus I'm most interested in.

 

 

Sadly, I cannot verify this. Both of them that I caught that looked like winter ants were killed by the orange fly pupae deal. I did not get confirmation on their identity though. I caught one in Sammamish and one in Snoqualmie. Possibly could have been a different type of Formica, just not one I recognized. I really want one as well, but I am losing hope.

 

As far as hunting grounds, I wouldn't worry about it yet. Walking within a mile of a water source and/or a forest area is fine (which is pretty much everywhere around here). It is just too cold. In captivity ants don't really get moving until ~60, since it hasnt really been hitting 60 I can't expect flights. The heat wave we had in Feb/March was too early for them to fly. Hopefully we get some decent weather after this coming 2 weeks of rain. At this point, May would be the time to really start looking.

[TennesseeAnts]

So I am almost certainly moving back to Washington. Any one with small to medium sized Formica colonies for sale, please let me know. I would really be interested in some F. obscuripes or other parasitic Formica with 1-10 biological workers. The serviformica I will be looking to buy would include: F. neogagates, pacifica, neorufibarbis, argentea, etc.

Thanks!

[PwnerPie]

So I am almost certainly moving back to Washington. Any one with small to medium sized Formica colonies for sale, please let me know. I would really be interested in some F. obscuripes or other parasitic Formica with 1-10 biological workers. The serviformica I will be looking to buy would include: F. neogagates, pacifica, neorufibarbis, argentea, etc.

Thanks!

GAN is fairly active up here. I have a bunch of lasius (i think) with little ones, and a couple black formica (i think) with pupae that I will be adding on there once I feel comfortable they are solid.

[TennesseeAnts]

The black Formica are most likely F. neogagates. Pics? I can ID them.

[ANTdrew]

So I am almost certainly moving back to Washington. Any one with small to medium sized Formica colonies for sale, please let me know. I would really be interested in some F. obscuripes or other parasitic Formica with 1-10 biological workers. The serviformica I will be looking to buy would include: F. neogagates, pacifica, neorufibarbis, argentea, etc.
Thanks!

Woah! Another plot twist... what will you do with your TN ants?

Edited by ANTdrew, April 18 2019 - 12:16 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

I dunno yet. I just got word though that I may not need to move!

[k4el]

 

 

I found a Myrmica queen yesterday in Snoqualmie.

I just go for walks on side walks. Queens land and end up running around on them, easy to see. It is definitely not 100% catch rate by any means, id say about 15% of the time I go for walks during queen hunting time I find them. Which is more than enough as I go for walks anyway at work.

Still a little too cold for the other flights. It needs to be consistently hitting mid to high 60s for the other flights, looks like it'll be hitting highs of mid 50s for the next couple weeks. Hopefully we get that hot weather soon.

 

Here are the sorts of places I've been hunting:

 

Gravel travel in a green belt that runs along a stream. Nestled in some residential areas. I've only ever spotted Tetramorium workers along here so far.

https://goo.gl/maps/n65JuJJRFzhLAwHq5

 

Large park with lots of tree cover and paths

https://goo.gl/maps/ZHA4GfwjcJyYHZyW7

 

This weekend I'm planning to hit up the UW arboretum

https://goo.gl/maps/PM7nveDuVGGeYvg37

 

My suspicion is that the primary factor for me so far has been the weather, specifically the mid 50 to low 60s that you mention. However its tough to tell until the weather shifts and I can compare results. I can't tell if I'm selecting hunting grounds well.

 

Oh, Pwner btw... you had mentioned spotting some prenolepis over on Ants Canada. I'm curious what you can tell me about their range in WA. They are amongst the genus I'm most interested in.

 

 

Sadly, I cannot verify this. Both of them that I caught that looked like winter ants were killed by the orange fly pupae deal. I did not get confirmation on their identity though. I caught one in Sammamish and one in Snoqualmie. Possibly could have been a different type of Formica, just not one I recognized. I really want one as well, but I am losing hope.

 

As far as hunting grounds, I wouldn't worry about it yet. Walking within a mile of a water source and/or a forest area is fine (which is pretty much everywhere around here). It is just too cold. In captivity ants don't really get moving until ~60, since it hasnt really been hitting 60 I can't expect flights. The heat wave we had in Feb/March was too early for them to fly. Hopefully we get some decent weather after this coming 2 weeks of rain. At this point, May would be the time to really start looking.

 

 

Glad to know the temperature is what others expect is the biggest factor too. It seemed likely to me but I don't have enough experience to be sure.

 

I've been passing the time testing my heating setup and figuring out how I want to keep my test tube setups well isolated. I've got things staying stable +/- 1 degree of my target and the setup should provide a gradient as well. That and researching the local species on AntWeb. Speaking of which why don't I see much discussion of the Stenamma Genus? Washington seems to have quite a few species.

 

I did see this post today on Ants Canada claiming a Camponotus flight had been spotted... but it seems like a single isolated report.
https://forum.antsca...?p=57369#p57369

I dunno yet. I just got word though that I may not need to move!

 

Did you figure out a verdict? Sounds like something is jerking you around on the move some what.

Edited by k4el, April 22 2019 - 6:16 PM.

[PwnerPie]

I severely doubt Camponotus actually flew, it is very early and it has been far too cold. 

As far as heat, I heat the entrance of the test tubes (if you buy test tubes from AntsCanada they have a test tube holder that has a spot for the heating cable, it works great. Gives a good gradient and the ants will move the larvae back and forth. I keep my room at ~70 degrees, then the cable gets it up to ~80 where it contacts the tube.

 

Ant hunting season needs to hurry up!

[k4el]

I severely doubt Camponotus actually flew, it is very early and it has been far too cold. 

As far as heat, I heat the entrance of the test tubes (if you buy test tubes from AntsCanada they have a test tube holder that has a spot for the heating cable, it works great. Gives a good gradient and the ants will move the larvae back and forth. I keep my room at ~70 degrees, then the cable gets it up to ~80 where it contacts the tube.

 

Ant hunting season needs to hurry up!

 

Yeah... as much as I wanted to believe it seemed unlikely to me as well given what I've been reading.

This is the gear I'm using for my heat setup currently:

 

Heat Source: Seedling starting mat I've used for seed starting and know well, it's reliable and consistent. I cover this with a bit of ceramic tile to spread the heat 
https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Heat Control: Thermo stat power controller, I have a "dumby" control test tube this runs into. Dumby tube has water and cotton in the same configuration as I'd set up for a queen. 
https://www.amazon.c...Z5WNFBYMYY2JQG4

 

Tube: I went with some normal old test tubes for now. I knew they'd be easy to sterilize and maintain. Though I admit the AC test tube (and gear in general) seems like the way I may go longer term.

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I've got some red acetate coming today to wrap the tubes in for darkness. I'm going to test how much that changes the heating as well. I do have some concern that the "ants can't see red light" idea may be a bit of an internet myth or at least not something that is true for every species. I've seen plenty of experiment footage on YouTube though that does seem to support this. I haven't really figured out a plan for alternative light control yet. 

 

I'm also considering options for damping vibration in my setup. The best place I have to locate everything is near some stairs and isn't too far from a washer/drier so there's a good chance vibrations could reach the shelving a queen might not like. I may put everything up on a wooden board with that sits on some cheap rubber feet to dampen things. I'm still debating if that is over kill or not.

Edited by k4el, April 23 2019 - 11:22 AM.

[PwnerPie]

As far as heat pads, they can work but I have had issues giving a proper gradient, and they generally end up heating the water as well causing condensation. Heating cables give you alot more control of where the heat is being applied.

Anything you can do to dampen vibrations, the ants will appreciate it. Biggest this is to ensure it is stable so the nest will not fall. Ants can handle vibrations and they will be used to it, but they by no means like it.

[TennesseeAnts]

Moving back in a few months to a year. Anyone with colonies for sale? Looking for Formica species.