2467 replies to this topic

[ANTdrew]

That’s really cool.

[100lols]

We saw one this year driving through the mountains. Huge male just stood facing us on the road. They are beautiful creatures!

Edited by 100lols, December 22 2023 - 4:25 PM.

[dspdrew]

Oh wow good pictures. Was that the 74?

[100lols]

Oh wow good pictures. Was that the 74?

We were off of Montezuma Valley Rd(the S22). It’s a fun drive!

Edited by 100lols, December 23 2023 - 10:46 AM.

[michiganantsinmyyard]

I'm going to in LA this week, Is anything flying in california at this time?

[dspdrew]

Not this time of the year.

[michiganantsinmyyard]

Not this time of the year.

Makes sense, thanks!

[CAantz]

I purchased a black light around September of last year and even though I used it late in the season, I still was able to attracts a lot of solenopsis males and females. However they just seemed to walk and fly around the light withought actually mating. I caught a couple of the females and put them in test tubes. A few shedded wings, but none ended up laying eggs. Does anyone know why none of the queens were mating, or if I was somehow using the light wrong?

[AsdinAnts]

What if there were different types of males/females?

[dspdrew]

I purchased a black light around September of last year and even though I used it late in the season, I still was able to attracts a lot of solenopsis males and females. However they just seemed to walk and fly around the light withought actually mating. I caught a couple of the females and put them in test tubes. A few shedded wings, but none ended up laying eggs. Does anyone know why none of the queens were mating, or if I was somehow using the light wrong?

 

The light doesn't make them mate. It just attracts them.

[CAantz]

What if there were different types of males/females?

Definitely saw males and females of the same species

I purchased a black light around September of last year and even though I used it late in the season, I still was able to attracts a lot of solenopsis males and females. However they just seemed to walk and fly around the light withought actually mating. I caught a couple of the females and put them in test tubes. A few shedded wings, but none ended up laying eggs. Does anyone know why none of the queens were mating, or if I was somehow using the light wrong?

 
The light doesn't make them mate. It just attracts them.

I know that, but based on what I saw online they were attracted to the light and because they were in close proximity they mated. Kinda like a synthetic nuptial flight.

[ReignofRage]

I'm interested in how you confirmed that both the gynes and males were of the same species. In my area, there's three different S. molesta-group species and it's not uncommon to get gynes of one and males of another at the same time. 

[CAantz]

To be honest, I just looked up pictures of S. molesta and saw that the males and females at my black light looked exactly like the species online, however you could be totally correct.
In addition to molesta there were also males and females of Tapinoma sessile at the light. I am sure that they were of the same species because I saw multiple colonies in my yard that were having nuptial flights and were being attracted to the light. They also just grouped around the light and didn’t end up mating like the molesta.

[ReignofRage]

It's worth noting that S. molesta-group males can be nearly indistinguishable from each other, especially accounting for how many undescribed "Diplorhoptrum" Solenopsis occur here.

[dspdrew]

Here's a little trip through a Joshua tree forest out near Nipton, California last season after a storm went through earlier.

 

 

 

Same road at night, many miles out, passing some of the biggest Joshua trees I've seen.

 

 

 

Nipton Road at dusk in the same area.

 

[AsdinAnts]

any queens?

Edited by AsdinAnts, February 11 2024 - 5:05 PM.

[dspdrew]

any queens?

 

Got plenty of them that year.

[AntsCali098]

Anyone know the conditions spring Camponotus need to fly? Caught lots last year in San Diego in April (vicinus, ca-02, etc). Wish I recorded the weather...

[dspdrew]

Warm.

[AntsCali098]

So they first 75-80+ day of the spring?