168 replies to this topic

[Izzy]

That's incredible! I was thinking of heading out that way after those storms as well but things came up. I was wondering if that heat wave would trigger anything, and it looks like it has. Great finds! I'm glad to hear you say that you think it was more of a local flight. Hopefully I'll get another chance. That species of Formica looks different than the one's found out there last year, right? I'll be interested to hear what they are.

[UtahAnts]

You'll definitely have more chances in the next few weeks, these were all smaller flights.

 

These formica are different! I was really surprised to see yet another Formica species out in the desert, let alone queens. The queens are just slightly smaller and less prevalent than the Formica from last year but their coloration is really nice. We'll see if they are successful.

[UtahAnts]

More desert flights recently in Carbon and Emery counties. Found Pogonomyrmex rugosus, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, Pheidole cf. ceres, and yet another mystery Formica species (the third species of Formica I've seen in the desert without ID) all flying. I'm thinking maybe a desert variety of Formica neorufibarbis?

 

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis queen.

 

 

 

 

Formica queen during nuptial flight.

 

 

 

Formica queen in a tube - F. neorufibarbis?

 

 

 

Pogonomyrmex rugosus colony foraging with alates coming out for a flight.

[UtahAnts]

More flights this weekend. I saw many parasitic Formica queens in the Uintas during the morning hours, along with a Formica neogagates group queen at 12,000 ft elevation! The highest queen I've ever found. Also saw a parasitic Acanthomyops Lasius queen.

 

Edit: Also saw Solenopsis molesta flying that evening.

Edited by UtahAnts, July 23 2024 - 8:10 AM.

[UtahAnts]

With the monsoon rains I've been seeing Solenopsis molesta in the evenings, along with Tetramorium and Pogonomyrmex rugosus and occidentalis queens around. May have a some storms after this weekend which could trigger some of the last major desert flights. Still no Crematogaster in Utah valley but we should have alates soon enough.

 

[UtahAnts]

Solenopsis molesta, Liometopum sp., various Lasius sp., Pheidole ceres, and Pogonomyrmex occidentalis have all been flying in the last week. I'll be going down to central Utah this week to look for some last flights before the desert season ends with all the thunderstorms of late. 

[UtahAnts]

More flights in Utah county after a large storm system came through for a few days. Was not able to go to the desert but I did find 6 species of Lasius flying at the same time. These queens all flew 1-2 days after the heaviest rain.

 

Lasius cf. americanus

Lasius neoniger

Lasius in the acanthomyops group

Lasius latipes

Lasius cf. claviger

Very small Lasius sp.

Monomorium minimum

Solenopsis molesta group

Formica fusca group

Tetramorium immigrans

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[UtahAnts]

More Pogonomyrmex flights in the Provo area, now around 2 days after heavy rain. The rain keeps coming every few days, making it difficult to locate harvester flights.

 

[UtahAnts]

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, Crematogaster sp., various Lasius, Ahaenogaster occidentalis, Solenopsis molesta group, and Pheidole queens have all been flying out here. Interestingly in Rock canyon (Provo, Utah county) I found a mature colony of Camponotus vicinus with two queens. As far as I know this is not common for the variants in the area.