56 replies to this topic

[Alabama Anter]

I need Odantomachus....

[CrazyLegs]

Ever had a giant Australian blow fly bother you while trying to take a picture of a bull ant nest?

I have.

I don't think he's going to make it.

Moving on.

 

 

 

[Leo]

I need Odantomachus....

have those at my school, found queen 

[CrazyLegs]

I love trap jaw ants. I would have to move further north if I wanted to find one here.

[Alabama Anter]

I need Odantomachus....

have those at my school, found queen

STOP BRAGGING

I love trap jaw ants. I would have to move further north if I wanted to find one here.

Good thing Alabama and Florida has invasive Trap Jaws

[Leo]

 

 

I need Odantomachus....

have those at my school, found queen

STOP BRAGGING

I love trap jaw ants. I would have to move further north if I wanted to find one here.

Good thing Alabama and Florida has invasive Trap Jaws

 

sorrrrry 

[Alabama Anter]

I need Odantomachus....

have those at my school, found queen

STOP BRAGGING

I love trap jaw ants. I would have to move further north if I wanted to find one here.

Good thing Alabama and Florida has invasive Trap Jaws

sorrrrry

No it was a joke

[CrazyLegs]

Have a look at this Myrmecia nigrocincta nest defying gravity.

The pine needles that were laid across the entrance during construction has strengthened the mound allowing this nest to reach dizzying heights. ( For an ant )

Lots of guards on duty here.

 

[Alabama Anter]

Lol, there like Crazy Legs get out before we make those legs run!

[CrazyLegs]

Hahaha, I've had to make a run for it before, but not this time.

It's a good thing ants don't fly all the time or getting this close would be near impossible.

 

No guesses for who dwells in this nest.

Iridomyrmex purpureus

The most obvious ant nests in Australia. almost always seen off to the side of lesser used roads.

Doesn't matter where they are, they always seem to be able to find these same little colored rocks to decorate the mound.

I would like to raise a queen of this species one day.

I like the purple coloring.

[Martialis]

You've got me imagining little I. purpureus rock quarries.

[CrazyLegs]

Another colorful Myrmecia nigrocincta nest.

Quite the decorators these girls. This nest was at the edge of a one meter drop down.

The colors so closely resemble the ants themselves, I'm thinking maybe this is an attempt to camouflage themselves from the birds who also nest in the side of these drop offs.

 

Edited by CrazyLegs, January 24 2017 - 9:55 PM.

[CrazyLegs]

This Myrmecia brevinoda nest looks fairly small.

My train of thought is the smaller the mound of dirt the smaller the nest right?

I did the old stick poke in the hole trick and only one smallish worker would come out.

Highly unusual for this species.

Shame this nest is right beside a bike track, it may have been a good candidate for excavation.

I've already had a family of nosy parkers stop and give me the "whatcha doin'?"

 

What, you've never seen a guy in the woods prospecting for ants before?

Edited by CrazyLegs, January 24 2017 - 10:17 PM.

[Leo]

who fiipin cares about the bike track DIG IT 

Edited by Leo, January 24 2017 - 10:33 PM.

[CrazyLegs]

If the nest crosses the path, I'll just build a mound so the riders can jump over me.

[Leo]

good, now get a power drill AND START DIGGIN!

[CrazyLegs]

When looking for bull ant nests, landmarks like this rarely disappoint.

This stand out tree had two large Camponotus mounds as well as this Myrmecia nigrocincta nest.

Put your finger in there, I dare you.

 

[Leo]

k pay me and ill do it

[Martialis]

I'll do you one up Leo, I'll do it for free.

[CrazyLegs]

You can see they way these Iridomyrmex have modified this old termite mound to their liking.

There's a queen there.