6 replies to this topic

[reptar1025]

Found outside today at dusk walking on the sidewalk outside my apartment. Not sure if it's a queen or just male alate. Sorry for the poor quality, best I could get from my phone at the moment.

 

[M_Ants]

Crematogaster sp. Been flying all over San Diego lately. It's a queen so give her a test tube setup and hope she's fertile.

[reptar1025]

Awesome, thanks for the help! Crematogaster is what I suspected after I saw the shape of the petiole in the picture. She's already in a test tube now, so hopefully she lays some eggs.

[M_Ants]

If you have a heating cable I'm sure she'd appreciate that at the end of her test tube.

[reptar1025]

I do actually have a spare heating cable, I'm afraid of over heating her with how hot it has been though. Do you usually just put the cable under the tube near the water end or the other end?

[M_Ants]

Make sure it's not a crazy hot heating cable. Something like a Zoomed 15 watt is good. Never put it by the water. Always put it on the dry end by the other cotton ball. You want her to have a heat gradient so she can get way from the heat. As far as the weather, I personally have a thermostat thing that turns off the heating cable if its super hot out. Your probably fine if the temp around the test tube is 85 or lower. If it gets any higher I'd shut it off. She'll probably do okay without the heating cable if that makes you feel safer. I caught a bunch of these and have eggs with and without heat. Overheating is a valid concern though so use your best judgment. 

Edited by M_Ants, September 15 2020 - 8:04 PM.

[reptar1025]

Cool, thanks again for the help. Hopefully soon she lays a couple of eggs and lets me know she's fertile.