14 replies to this topic

[rcbuggy88]

My ideas are Tetramorium, monomorium, and argentines

1. Palo Alto, CA, USA

2. Today 1/30/20 ~4:30 pm

3. Side walk next to someones front lawn

4. ~3.5 mm

5. Entirely black

6. didn't see a petiole but i don't have a microscope. 2 pokey thingys at the end of the gaster (see in photo)

7. taps its middle legs, probably the same species that live in my backyard which have many queens. pretty small, nest under pavement and under buildings. Sometimes see big clumps of ants during the summer (with no cover on the sidewalk). 

8. N/A

9. N/A

10. 

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 

Edited by rcbuggy88, January 30 2020 - 5:13 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

Looks like a male, probably Prenolepis imparis.

[TheMicroPlanet]

does look like a male to me

[rcbuggy88]

Oh, you're probably right, it looks exactly like the Prenolepis imparis male (googled it). Does this mean that I should be able to find a Prenolepis imparis queen closeby? After they mate, do queens just hang out wherever or do they immediately start digging their founding chambers. Would I find a queen on the sidewalk, or would I want to go find some oak trees. Weather was light rain yesterday, and warm today maybe low 70s

[YsTheAnt]

You would probably want to go to the edge of a forest. They typically have huge mating swarms and you can find queens wandering around on the ground underneath them.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Stanford's Jasper Ridge is home to some well-studied Prenolepis....

[ponerinecat]

If you don't catch nuptials, that's generally the end of the road. Check out nearby areas with pools of water and workers.

[YsTheAnt]

Prenolepis in the bay fly until april, so don’t give up! I haven’t seen a sizeable flight yet either...

[rcbuggy88]

I found 4 but two died and the others haven't layed eggs yet and one of them still has its wings

Attached Images

• 

Edited by rcbuggy88, February 9 2020 - 5:41 PM.

[rcbuggy88]

@YsTheAnt what do you mean by forests? (I'm a kid) and you can see the mating swarms? How many times do you have to go out in ordered to find these mating swarms? Do you have any specific anting spots? (coordinates)

Edited by rcbuggy88, February 9 2020 - 5:50 PM.

[JenC]

Forests, like areas with a lot of trees. Like sometimes if you're at a place during the right time you can see a bunch of little fly like things together in a swarm. How many times u look depends on if you're lucky or not.

Edited by JenC, February 9 2020 - 5:54 PM.

[rcbuggy88]

How high up will they be? When I found mine, I saw only a couple walking around on the side of a trail, and the trees would block a view of a swarm. Could you give a more exact location? like a point on a map?

[YsTheAnt]

How high up will they be? When I found mine, I saw only a couple walking around on the side of a trail, and the trees would block a view of a swarm. Could you give a more exact location? like a point on a map?

Part of the fun of anting is going out and finding your own special anting spots. Explore, have fun!

The swarms are pretty obvious. You will see the males flying anywhere between just inches off the ground to around 15ft high in my experience. They look almost like large gnats. The swarms are present around tall objects, which is why I look in parking lots near forests as the swarms often congregate around large trees in the lot or light poles.

[RushmoreAnts]

one of them still has its wings

That is not an indicator of infertility. Lots of winged queens found successful colonies. And just be patient. This species can be sensitive and needs lots of time in the dark.

[ponerinecat]

imparis are honestly a really hard ant to keep.