2467 replies to this topic

[StopSpazzing]

So are you saying today would be better with a high of 78?

[dspdrew]

Looks like the area reached about 78 degrees today, so I'll be going.

[StopSpazzing]

Did you end up finding anything? I didn't end up going.

 

This friday, forcast for Altadena is 80F - also going to be hot elsewhere; ex. 83F in yorba linda on those trails I frequent, esp with a recent rain... maybe some more flights?

[dspdrew]

No I wasn't going Friday. I'm going today.

[StopSpazzing]

Going to be 89F in Whitewater on Friday.

 

Was thinking about this... and I'm thinking of making a simple script to pull 10 day forecasts from select SoCal area's, check for rain, and then notify me if the conditions after the rain are hot. Seems pretty easy actually.

Edited by StopSpazzing, March 24 2018 - 12:12 PM.

[dspdrew]

Well the conditions were probably perfect out there, except the wind ruined it. It was so windy I could hardly stay standing. I ended up finding 3 Veromessor pergandei queens and that's it.

[gcsnelling]

But when isn't it windy at Whitewater?

[dspdrew]

But when isn't it windy at Whitewater?

 

Yeah.. that's true, but I know it was a lot windier than usual by the way street signs were ripped halfway off their poles and dangling by just one screw.

[dspdrew]

My shovel and I spent the day in the desert and Chromerust was there to document it.

 

See the windmills? They've been in a number of movies and music videos.

 

 

 

Me and my shovel

 

 

 

 

No, I'm not burying a body.

 

[nurbs]

My shovel and I spent the day in the desert and Chromerust was there to document it.

 

See the windmills? They've been in a number of movies and music videos.

 

 

 

Me and my shovel

 

 

 

 

No, I'm not burying a body.

 

 

 

Did you guys makeout? Not with Chromerust. Meant the shovel.

[dspdrew]

Did you guys makeout? Not with Chromerust. Meant the shovel.

 

No, we're just friends.

[gcsnelling]

I was about to lose all respect for you when I thought I saw anti snake leggings.

[dspdrew]

I do have snake boots on.

[T.C.]

[anttics]

Drew. that sucks man. I have a worst experience. I wish I had a longer legs. so I could kick my own [censored].

So I decided to look at chambers here on the site. found this. please people if you are new this is a must read

http://www.formicult...unding-chamber/

so I have a nice spot in Simi valley. it's like a small valley inside Simi valley. temps there are higher than any where in Simi. so I found many many chambers all were mature I was like wtf. I saw many disturbed dirt and closed up mounts. i thought they were nothing. look exactly as the pics in the link. Drew made a game to spot the chambers. so there were lots of chambers. I just did not realize those were founding chambers. left home with nothing. I might go back today. on my way home. I doubt I'll be able to dig them out dirt isms dry by now.

Edited by anttics, March 26 2018 - 2:05 PM.

[dspdrew]

Drew. that sucks man. I have a worst experience. I wish I had a longer legs. so I could kick my own ass.

So I decided to look at chambers here on the site. found this. please people if you are new this is a must read

http://www.formicult...unding-chamber/

so I have a nice spot in Simi valley. it's like a small valley inside Simi valley. temps there are higher than any where in Simi. so I found many many chambers all were mature I was like wtf. I saw many disturbed dirt and closed up mounts. i thought they were nothing. look exactly as the pics in the link. Drew made a game to spot the chambers. so there were lots of chambers. I just did not realize those were founding chambers. left home with nothing. I might go back today. on my way home. I doubt I'll be able to dig them out dirt isms dry by now.

 

You have to get good at differentiating between mature nests of small species and founding chambers of larger species.

[anttics]

I can see that. I think after that spot game. I think I'll be able to get some queens. so far I have found. Veromessor andrei, a few Pogonomyrmex species. honey pot ants, native fire ants, camp sansabeanus. who probably were the ones with all those chambers. since they are already flying. all in a small space of a 4 square miles max. I hope to get all these species by the end of the year. also after having novomessor cockerelli for a few days. I hope to trade my local species for a novo. they are so far the most fun ants I have seen.

Edited by anttics, March 26 2018 - 4:35 PM.

[anttics]

Simi went back. I found this.


a Pogonomyrmex mature nest. I'll try to ID the species later.


not too sure if it's a chamber


Not sure.


seems to be an old chamber


seem mature


from what I have learn this is a mature nest


seems to be a chamber.


chamber under rock


sealed chamber. soil too hard to dig


seal chamber too hard to dig


found nothing queen must be really deep


???? does not apply. I wonder who lives in there


seems mature


mature has dual holes


found nothing but dirt


old chamber


small chamber. too hard to dig


these were close to the Pogonomyrmex nest. there are hundreds of them in the lower part of the park


young Pogonomyrmex nest


found docen of these close to a water pond

Hey Drew check this out tell me what you think. thx for all the help bud.

[nurbs]

Been watching the weather around the high desert all month, and it looks like things will start warming Thursday to Saturday. There have been rains within the past 7 days up there, with some up to an inch of rainfall.

 

Will most likely go on Friday and hit up a number of spots, not sure what the route will be yet. Some possible spots will be Auga Dulce/Vasquez Rocks, Victorville, Phelan, Lancaster, and Palmdale.

 

If any of you reading this lives near those areas, please go check them out and report back. I can't possibly hit up everything. The heat will come in on Thursday and last til Saturday. It is wet enough in those areas to trigger something to fly.

[anttics]

I live 30 min. from agua dulce. I can check it on Thursday. I'll would like To join you anting. to learn a bit more. I have great spots around here with good diversity. and yet I have not gotten a single queen.