2467 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

Right back out to Pinon Hills.

[PTAntFan]

Off the 138 or up in the hills off Big Pines Hwy?

[dspdrew]

Along Hwy 18 just east of the 138. It's called Pinon Hills, but it's the desert; there's no hills.

[PTAntFan]

Out here now. Total bust so far. Right along 18 or off the road a bit?

[dspdrew]

I usually pull into any of the dirt roads and park there. For some reason, you will find more queens right along the side of the road. I'm not sure if it's a matter of being able to see them easier, or if there is something about those areas that makes the queens decide to land there. I looked around for about six hours total, and only found about 10 founding chambers, so you might have to look for a while.

[PTAntFan]

Typical dirt displacement or anything characteristic? Found a couple occupied nests.

[PTAntFan]

I keep digging up those "earth Devils" or something. Disturbing.
I keep digging up those "earth Devils" or something. Disturbing.

[dspdrew]

[PTAntFan]

Definitely got some rain today on verdugo mountains and looked like Angeles Crest also. Now if it would just heat up.

Pinon was indeed a bust. Multiple nests of Messors but no founding chambers or wanderers.

[dspdrew]

Yeah, there wouldn't have been anything wondering. Founding chambers were tricky to find, and it took me quite a while. The temperatures are supposed to jump up 25 degrees by Saturday in some places. Even Angelus Oaks should reach 75 degrees Saturday. It's a little early, but there's a chance Camponotus could start flying in the mountains soon.

[PTAntFan]

Hahahaha, what misfortune! I'm out here now! 9:29pm and nothing. Actually I found about 7 open Messor nests. Plenty going on, just no queens to be found. Blanco Rd and Hwy 18 for future reference.

[dspdrew]

Hahahaha, what misfortune! I'm out here now! 9:29pm and nothing. Actually I found about 7 open Messor nests. Plenty going on, just no queens to be found. Blanco Rd and Hwy 18 for future reference.

 
Qué lástima! I'm not too surprised though.

It should be pretty warm up in the mountains Tuesday and Wednesday. If that actually ends up happening, I'll probably go up to Angelus Oaks after dark Tuesday. With those temps, I think there's a good chance Camponotus could fly. I'm specifically looking for more C. laevigatus and C. quercicola. Also Myrmecocystus testaceus might have flown.
 
I stopped off Ortega Hwy up in the Santa Ana Mountains yesterday while driving back from my parent's house. For the first time in this area, I actually located a founding chamber of a larger species, but never found the queen. I think it was most likely Myrmecocystus testaceus. Lots of Veromessor andrei were out trailing around. I tried my black light after dark but never found anything. It was about 65 degrees, which is usually a bit too cold. The magic numbers seem to be 70+ degrees and 40+ relative humidity.

[klawfran3]

I was just up in Thousand oaks last week, Westlake villiage to be exact after a minor storm my friend who lives there told me about. Many many many Pogonomyrmex colonies and argentines, but I didn't see many other species. There were also a few recently dug claustral chambers but I wasn't able to dig up any queens from them. A few were being raided by argentines so I know there was something in them at least.
I'm hitting Griffith park tomorrow and I'll see if there's anything good I can dig up or catch.

Also, on a related note, velvet ants are out and about now and I caught a couple up in Thousand oaks. They're pretty easy to keep and fun to watch. I think the ones I got were pogonomyrmex parasites since those were the main ants in the area.

__________
If anyone has already been to Griffith park could they let me know what species are there? that would be awesome

_______

I went and found no ants at all, granted I did not search hyper intensively. I found many butterflies and dipterids though, so if anyone is interested in collecting those you should definitely go there soon. Lots of pristine Adelpha californica are flying around there and a bunch of other  insect species. I'll probably return next week or so to catch a few more, as I was with friends who were not as willing to traverse the canyons to find them.

Edited by klawfran3, April 4 2016 - 6:23 PM.

[Andrengo]

Whereabouts in Thousand Oaks? I'm back in California after a very long time away and I'd love to get some good photos of our native ant queens. (I'm also exceptionally partial to Pogonomyrmex)

[dspdrew]

Apparently wunderground.com has more problems than I thought. I'm not really even sure if they are showing the correct forecast for the weather station that is selected. It's either that, or they are off by 10 degrees, which is actually pretty common for them. I'm pretty sure this time it is showing the wrong data. It didn't get warm enough at all for me to waste any time driving up to Angelus Oaks. I think I might go to Trabuco Canyon and try the black light though.

[klawfran3]

Whereabouts in Thousand Oaks? I'm back in California after a very long time away and I'd love to get some good photos of our native ant queens. (I'm also exceptionally partial to Pogonomyrmex)

Westlake village is a small town surrounded by all sorts of goodies in regard to hiking. Palo Comado Canyons is the area I went around in, it's absolutely beautiful there. I'll be returning in a month or so if a big rain hits then. Or even if not. It's not just ants there!

[PTAntFan]

Apparently wunderground.com has more problems than I thought. I'm not really even sure if they are showing the correct forecast for the weather station that is selected. It's either that, or they are off by 10 degrees, which is actually pretty common for them. I'm pretty sure this time it is showing the wrong data. It didn't get warm enough at all for me to waste any time driving up to Angelus Oaks. I think I might go to Trabuco Canyon and try the black light though.

It was warm up at Mt. Baldy but nothing was flying at all.  I made two stops at Ice House Cyn and San Antonio Falls.  I came across what I think is a c. vicinus major.  WOW that's a big ant.  I snatched her up thinking she was a queen but upon closer inspection I am pretty sure she's just a soldier.

 

[dspdrew]

Yeah that's a major, and they get pretty big. Nothing compared to the ones I think are C. ocreatus, found at lower elevations. Wait 'till you see one of them.

 

I didn't see a single ant on my black light tonight in Trabuco Canyon. It's weird... as it was 70 degrees and about 45% humidity. I guess it's just too early still.

[Vendayn]

Yeah, been waiting for Solenopsis invicta to fly. I saw one winged female alate, and I should have just grabbed her, as I think she was actually fertile. Oh well. But, nothing since then.

 

There is supposed to be showers/rain later this week into next week, so maybe stuff will fly afterwards.

[PTAntFan]

Solenopsis MUST have flown today in San Fernando valley.  It was HOT and %55 humidity in the afternoon. I booked a cabin in Los Padres and was all fired up to do some anting this weekend only to be now be rained out.