1666 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

As anyone in northen Canada likely knows if they went outside, Camponotus herculeanus flew by the thousands.  Sunday they were falling out of the sky like rain between 4:30-6pm.

At one point we looked at the white deck and in a 10 foot by 10 foot section there were at least 50 queens.  Inside the tin shed, it sounded like a light hail. 

Saw a few flying today as well.

 

Species: Camponotus herculeanus

Location: Athabasca, AB, Canada

Date: May 1, 2016 & May 2, 2016

Time: 3-8pm

Temperature: 27-29° C (80F)

Humidity: 25% 

Wind: occasional light breeze

Rain: No rain for past 4 weeks

 

Haha man, you guys have some crazy flights up there.

[noebl1]

We're going to have about 7 days straight of rain here in the North East US by the time it stops...  and I haven't seen the Camponotus swarm here yet (usually I'm removing them off the house by the dozens...)  The first day without rain is supposed to be sunny and in the 70s, so I am guessing things may get interesting next week

[Vendayn]

Pogonomyrmex californicus colonies all have alates and alate brood in their nests. One nest I dug up (to move them from being bulldozed) had lots of both males and females. And, other colonies around I've seen have alates poking out and then going right back underground.

 

That is pretty much on target for a July/June flight.

[noebl1]

Species: camponotus pennsylvanicus

Location: N. Massachusetts near Nashua, NH

Date: 5/12/2016

Time: 5:30pm

Temperature: 77F

Humidity: 25%

Wind: None

Rain: None since last week

 

Several queens in flight bumping into things.

 

 

Lasius Umbratus queens all over the place as well running around.

 

Spotted another queen of *something*... looked like a Lasius Niger or Formica.  Noticeably smaller than the camponotus with her wings, and super fast when she dropped off the side of the shed before I could grab her.

Edited by noebl1, May 13 2016 - 5:46 AM.

[Kwitzats]

seems to be missing Camponotus Texanus, and C. Sayi.

[noebl1]

Looks like one of the one I missed earlier was a Formica species of some sort as caught two more this evening:

http://www.formicult...sachusetts-usa/

 

Leaning on Camponotus nearcticus or Camponotus caryae is what I saw last night as well.

Edited by noebl1, May 13 2016 - 4:56 AM.

[dspdrew]

Species: Myrmecocystus testaceus

Location: Angelus Oaks, California

Date: 5-12-2016

Time: 8:00 PM

Temperature: 73F

Humidity:

Wind:  No wind

Rain: Recent rain

 

Species: Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus laevigatus

Location: Angelus Oaks, California

Date: 5-12-2016

Time:

Temperature:

Humidity:

Wind:

Rain: Recent rain.

 

I actually saw the Myrmecocystus testaceus have their mating flight.

[dspdrew]

Georgia Solenopsis invicta flight

1-4 PM Today
 
Mostly cloudy
80 F, 60% humidity
Wind 3 mph

Edited by dspdrew, May 18 2016 - 3:58 PM.

[kellakk]

 

1-4 PM Today

 

Mostly cloudy

80 F, 60% humidity

Wind 3 mph

 

What flew?

[dspdrew]

 

 

1-4 PM Today

 

Mostly cloudy

80 F, 60% humidity

Wind 3 mph

 

What flew?

 

 

Haha woops. I'm in too much of a hurry now. I just wish people would post this information in this thread, instead of all over the place. This way I don't have to scour the internet when adding the data to the database.

 

Fixed.

[LC3]

Found a Leptothoax cf. muscorum alate today. I'm not bothering to find more since they are so tiny.

 

I'm not sure when they flew or if they fly en masse.

 

Species: Single L. cf. muscorum alate.

Location: Richmond, BC

Date: 21/05/2016

Time: Found around 11:45 AM

Temperature: 15°C

Humidity: 72%

Wind:  10km/h

Rain: Recent rain

[Vendayn]

I haven't seen Solenopsis invicta fly in California yet, but the mound in the complex has a ton of alates. 

 

But, this week is forecast to be pretty cool (68 degrees), so I doubt they will fly. I doubt much will actually fly around here in the next week, since at least today, was cold and windy. The sun was warm, but the wind is cold.

 

But, with alates in their nests, I imagine the next warm day they'll finally fly. Been waiting for ages for them to fly here.

[Vendayn]

Brachymyrmex patagonicus however flew not too long ago, early last week. They fly here pretty much all Spring into Summer, on any warm day. In the peak of Summer, I find many dozens of queens in the pools and them having their mating flights all over, at night.

[dspdrew]

Here in Southern California, it seems to be getting colder and colder as we get closer to Summer.

[Vendayn]

My dad said he remembers when we were in San Diego, a few years ago, we didn't even have a real Summer. It was foggy and cold almost every day where we lived (15 minutes from the coast) and we skipped Summer entirely. Then one year, we didn't even have a Winter and it was hot every day. He thinks this year might end up being a cold Summer like before. Guess we'll see though.

 

That would kinda suck, as far as anting goes.

[dspdrew]

We've had a few years recently where I can remember not even having to turn the AC on until halfway through July, but by August it was a furnace.

[Roachant]

Today, may 24 at 5:15 pm est, I saw quite a few C.americanus males but no queens, I'm guessing they will be out when it gets darker. I'm in The suburbs of Montreal, Quebec.
Don

[noebl1]

Species: camponotus pennsylvanicus

Location: N. Massachusetts near Nashua, NH

Date: 5/25/2016

Time: 5:30pm (about the same time of day as 2 weeks ago) 

Temperature: 81F

Humidity: 37%

Wind: Light wind, guesting a bit occasionally

Rain: 1.4" of rain yesterday morning

[noebl1]

Species: camponotus pennsylvanicus (vast majority), Camponotus novaeboracensis, Camponotus chromaiodes, and Camponotus nearcticus

Location: N. Massachusetts near Nashua, NH

Date: 5/26/2016

Time: Saw first queen around 1:30pm, most of the nuptial flights began around 3:30pm around my house.  Still flying around 10pm that night.

Temperature: 80F

Humidity: 55%

Wind: Light wind, but mostly no wind

Rain: 1.4" of rain 2 days ago

 

Yesterday was definitely just a taste of it... today must be the day for the main flights this season. Within 5 mins I nabbed 8 males alone running across the driveway.  Dozens and dozens and dozens of queens along the house, lawn, driveway, in/under/around things outside.  Still flying and running around the ground as of 5pm.

Edited by noebl1, May 27 2016 - 4:18 AM.

[ahale]

What appears to be Pogonomyrmix californicus (after going through the key on antwiki), had a mating flight around May 19th in UCR's agricultural fields (southern California). They preferred the cloudy mornings, before 11am.