120 replies to this topic

[CatsnAnts]

Are you positive she’s dead? I’ve had this happen before, and I just set the queen on a tissue so it absorbs the water. An hour later she’s alive and well. I assume you know this though because you collect queens out of your pool.

[NickAnter]

I check for slight antennal movement.  Due to the fact that I can only use the heat cable during the day, as soon as the container cools, it drops below the dew point, causing condensation, every night.

[NickAnter]

I found another one in my pool this evening. I will blacklight to see if I can find some more of this genus. This one is different than any other I have seen. She is extremely thin, and has madibles like Stigmatomma. Of course, she is only 2.5 mm. I will, after dinner, get a test tube full of springtails, and put like 30 in with her. Hopefully, she will eventually lay some eggs. She is already trying to take off her wings.

Edited by NickAnter, September 1 2019 - 4:33 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Pics? Can't be Hypoponera if she has Stigmatomma like mandibles.

[NickAnter]

I took a closer look and it just looked like that with her odd body shape. Pics will come soon.

Edited by NickAnter, September 2 2019 - 5:55 AM.

[ponerinecat]

not hypoponera, you may have indeed found stigma as they are flying

Also hypos are in my experience part time scavengers. They do not seem to thrive off of springtails alone

[NickAnter]

Will they accept mealworm pieces, and drink from them? Oh and this is definetly not Stigmatomma, it is 2.5 mm, and the mandibles just looked that way from the side, and at a quick glance.

[ponerinecat]

yes

[NickAnter]

Dead.

[NickAnter]

Found one of the larger species in my pool just minutes ago! She has slightly reddish legs, and is the largest species of Hypo we have here. I believe she is opacior. Sadly no pics due to my phone being out of storage space. I have her in a hydrostone formicarium, similar to the setup M_Ants has. It has a 3d printed hydration chamber filled with cotton though. I will hopefully soon get her some substrate, at least some sand to work with. I know where I can find booklice, so I will soon give her some of those. She is quite calm, which I always find to be a good sign. Will this be the time I succeed with these?

[M_Ants]

That's great! Good Luck! Can't believe stuff is still flying!

[NickAnter]

It got to a whopping 72 degrees today, and was calm, so I guess they decided it was a good time to fly, despite the relatively low humidity.

[M_Ants]

Any hope for black lighting since I don't have a pool?

[NickAnter]

Not sure. I've always found mine in the morning, or during the early evening.

 

What is the night time temp there? If its 50s or lower I wouldn't bother.

Edited by NickAnter, December 4 2020 - 4:21 PM.

[M_Ants]

It will be 61 at 6 pm.

By 8 it will be 53

[M_Ants]

Is there such thing as blacklighting during the day?

[NickAnter]

Not really. Go outside with a thin mesh butterfly net and see if you see any, then, if you do, snatch them out of the air. Low chance of finding something fertile, but it is something. This is what I do in the sierras, and occasionally here.

[ponerinecat]

Is there such thing as blacklighting during the day?

Yes, actually. Yellow pan traps. That kills the insects, but you could adjust it/remove the killing agent and just watch it like with a blacklight.

[NickAnter]

Yellow pan traps? Pictures? Would these be what is commonly referenced in literature as malaise traps?

 

Nevermind. I googled it. Its literally just a yellow pan with liquid in it. I suppose you could put water in it instead of a killing agent.

Edited by NickAnter, December 5 2020 - 8:46 AM.

[M_Ants]

I doubt a small pan of water would catch anything.