2472 replies to this topic

[Tanks]

 

I want to catch some Pogonomyrmex rugosus this year. When do they fly? What month? At what time in the day? And do they need rain to trigger their nuptial flights? Thanks in advance.

They fly with the summer honeypots like mexicanus and navajo. If you arrive around sunset following the desert rain in July/August you should be able to get some. They are extremely easy to dig up even if you arrive a day or so late. 

 

Alright thanks.

[AsdinAnts]

P. californicus are probably gonna start flying soon, I found a very shallow nest with a bunch of winged females and males, I also saw some alate pupae.

[AntsCali098]

Anyone catch a lot this summer? There hasn't been much rain this year from what I've seen.

[AntsCali098]

Do you guys think stuff is still flying in twentynine palms? It got down rain today it seems.

[eea]

Brachymyrmex flew a few days ago.

[mbullock42086]

things are flying right now go to the desert by chiriaco summit, joshua tree etc.  

[AntsCali098]

I'm out in twentynine palms today, it definitely got rain but seeing no queens. It's kind of weird because the ground is definitely wet underneath

[mbullock42086]

I'm out in twentynine palms today, it definitely got rain but seeing no queens. It's kind of weird because the ground is definitely wet underneath

 did you go last night or this morning? 

[jabasson]

So we got some half decent rain today and it looks like it should warm up to about 70 degrees later this week, anyone think there is a chance of flights? This may be kind of a dumb question to experienced ant keepers but this will be my first season going anting. In the past I just turned on an LED in my backyard during summer and caught some S. xyloni and molesta, but this year I'm hoping to catch at least one of as many honeypot species as I possibly can and some carpenter and harvester species as well. Fire ants are cool, but a little scary with their insane growth and stingers. After some research it seems that around now and for the next few months V. pergandai and M. testaceus and M. wheeleri are my targets. Aside from that March is really when the massive multi-species flights begin. Correct me if I'm wrong. 

[jabasson]

Well I went to Hulda Crooks park today to bike, it wasn't super warm so I didn't expect to see flights but the ground was still moist and I saw a few Veromessor (I think), which was cool. I thought only Pogonomyrmex were in that area. It would be really cool if M. testaceus lived there too (one of my top species to catch this year), but it seems I would have to go at night to find out for sure, and I usually mountain bike in a group that probably wouldn't be to happy staying till the sun set as its impossible to ride at that time. We go biking around 1 a week or every two weeks so I might need to take a shovel and some tubes in the future just in case. Thankfully the best mountain biking conditions is rain the day before so our riding should hopefully line up with a flight at least once this year. I kind of want to drive up lytle creek one of these days to look for M. testaceus foraging in the wild (they are probably the closest ones to me), but I don't want to get caught doing it  . Idk how you guys are secure enough to just look for ants in public. If anyone knows where specifically to look for their nests I would really appreciate the info. I have one spot marked on a map from a few years ago so I will try that first. I also might just take a motorcycle ride down some dirt trails and look, but I don't really like riding after dark. Cars already can't seem to see me in broad daylight. 

[jabasson]

A day or two ago someone posted on iNaturalist a picture of M. testaceus alates gathering, so I went out to look for M. testaceus colonies, even just workers, but found nothing. I also didn't find founding chambers so either they didn't fly or I just was not looking in the right spots, or I don't know what a founding chamber looks like. What I did find was a colony of that formica species under a rock. No winged alates from what I could see, but they could have just been deeper in the nest. What I didn't expect was when hiking alone I would be constantly fighting the fear to run  . I guess I never really realized how scary it is to be in the middle of nowhere by yourself at night. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. 

[mbullock42086]

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...

It strongly varies by species even within a species complex.  

 Take C. ocreatus and C. sansabeanus, for example- they are extremely close relatives, with ocreatus being in the sansabeanus complex itself-  often sharing habitat, with sansabeanus being a springtime flier- most active around Apr..  

  Ocreatus, on the other hand doesnt fly til around June-July, they are triggered by a sudden heatwave and strong soaking downpour, care of monsoonal waves.  neither are strictly nocturnal fliers.

   
Fragilis and kin (festinatus complex) are strinctly triggered by rainfall after a lengthy drought. so long as its not too cold they can fly pretty much any time as long as conditions are right.


  

[AntsCali098]

Anyone know if it's time for Veromessor flights yet? It's been pretty rainy. Also what time of day do they fly?