11 replies to this topic

[Solenoqueen]

I'm on the hunt for P. Apache! Not sure what to look for in twigs though. Dead ones, thin ones, visual representations possibly? Signs to look for? Thanks for responding!

[Martialis]

Thin, hollow ones. Maybe with some tiny holes in them? You can try blowing down some of the twigs. (It's called "puttering" and is used by myrmecologists to collect twig-nesting species.) 

 

Keep in mind how small Pseudomyrmex are.

[gcsnelling]

My experience with this genus is that you usually find them by accident, but get into their turf and try putting out some baits.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I often look for dead twigs and crack them open. It really depends on what species you're after though. I tend to find P. ejectus higher up in trees, while I find P. pallidus in all sorts of habitats, from dead grass culms to hollowed out weed stems, branches in trees, especially taken over nests of Colobopsis mississippiensis (but to be fair, P. ejectus does that too), dead vines, and even in dead twigs on the forest floor. In any case, the twigs are always dead. I have seen P. apache in the wild, and they are far bigger than the aforementioned species, around 8-10 millimeters in length, so like the size of P. gracilis. I saw only a single worker foraging on the trunk of a Live Oak tree about 5 feet or so above the ground. I've heard that several species nest in oak trees, earning them the nickname of "oak ants," especially for P. gracilis and P. ejectus. Like gcsnelling said, try baiting. It often works. They like sweets like honey, but also insects. I've even seen them tending to aphids on low vegetation such as young Groundsel Trees. Good luck!

[Solenoqueen]

I often look for dead twigs and crack them open. It really depends on what species you're after though. I tend to find P. ejectus higher up in trees, while I find P. pallidus in all sorts of habitats, from dead grass culms to hollowed out weed stems, branches in trees, especially taken over nests of Colobopsis mississippiensis (but to be fair, P. ejectus does that too), dead vines, and even in dead twigs on the forest floor. In any case, the twigs are always dead. I have seen P. apache in the wild, and they are far bigger than the aforementioned species, around 8-10 millimeters in length, so like the size of P. gracilis. I saw only a single worker foraging on the trunk of a Live Oak tree about 5 feet or so above the ground. I've heard that several species nest in oak trees, earning them the nickname of "oak ants," especially for P. gracilis and P. ejectus. Like gcsnelling said, try baiting. It often works. They like sweets like honey, but also insects. I've even seen them tending to aphids on low vegetation such as young Groundsel Trees. Good luck!

 

So always dead twigs. How would I bait them? Any method? Like a simple pitfall trap or... thanks for the insight though, I never even considered weed stems and dead grass. How small are the twigs usually?

 

 

My experience with this genus is that you usually find them by accident, but get into their turf and try putting out some baits.

 

Do you know the time in which they usually come out? Thanks for the insight, I will invade their privacy now   
 

Thin, hollow ones. Maybe with some tiny holes in them? You can try blowing down some of the twigs. (It's called "puttering" and is used by myrmecologists to collect twig-nesting species.) 

 

Keep in mind how small Pseudomyrmex are.

Ooooh, never heard this one before? My IQ is below room temperature right now, would you mind telling me how to putter? Just blow them and if they're weak enough they fall? Tiny holes will be put into consideration   . How thick in diameter should the twigs be? I'd assume really thin as you said, but just so I can get a general sense. Thanks, all of you!

[Ferox_Formicae]

 

I often look for dead twigs and crack them open. It really depends on what species you're after though. I tend to find P. ejectus higher up in trees, while I find P. pallidus in all sorts of habitats, from dead grass culms to hollowed out weed stems, branches in trees, especially taken over nests of Colobopsis mississippiensis (but to be fair, P. ejectus does that too), dead vines, and even in dead twigs on the forest floor. In any case, the twigs are always dead. I have seen P. apache in the wild, and they are far bigger than the aforementioned species, around 8-10 millimeters in length, so like the size of P. gracilis. I saw only a single worker foraging on the trunk of a Live Oak tree about 5 feet or so above the ground. I've heard that several species nest in oak trees, earning them the nickname of "oak ants," especially for P. gracilis and P. ejectus. Like gcsnelling said, try baiting. It often works. They like sweets like honey, but also insects. I've even seen them tending to aphids on low vegetation such as young Groundsel Trees. Good luck!

 

So always dead twigs. How would I bait them? Any method? Like a simple pitfall trap or... thanks for the insight though, I never even considered weed stems and dead grass. How small are the twigs usually? 

 

 

Smearing some honey on a tree trunk or something similar usually works. I've put some honey on leaves and fences also with success. The size of the twig depends on the species. If you're looking for P. apache, which is a larger species, I'd say the twigs would be around 3 cm, but it varies.

[Zeiss]

My experience with this genus is that you usually find them by accident, but get into their turf and try putting out some baits.

Just as you said, I found my first colony on accident today on campus.  Need to go back and collect them before ground services decide to throw away dead plant material.

[ponerinecat]

I found some! location is shingle springs, CA, found on manzanita bushes.

and use baits, syrups are best

[gcsnelling]

They are fairly common in the Shingle springs area.

[ponerinecat]

I found a nest!

[EthanNgo678]

I found some! location is shingle springs, CA, found on manzanita bushes.

and use baits, syrups are best

Very useful information 

[ponerinecat]

like nesting in living wood, spread throghout branches and not twigs. Polydomous, so hard to find queens. Like nesting in beetle holes.