240 replies to this topic

[DJoseph98]

Exactly how fast do colonies of this species grow? Is there a relative increase in polygynous colonies? I have a queen with her first pupae and two others with larvae, so I want to make sure I'm prepared.

[YsTheAnt]

They grow relatively slow. Your looking at maybe 5-20 workers per queen in the first year.

Edited by YsTheAnt, May 10 2019 - 7:11 PM.

[Unfrozen]

should i put them into hibernation now? they have no more brood and havnt for like 2 weeks

[noebl1]

should i put them into hibernation now? they have no more brood and havnt for like 2 weeks

 

They typically only lay once a season, so no brood at this point is not unusual.  You're up North like me, you can probably hold off diapause until Nov, and they pull then out in early Feb.  If you have them in a tub/tubes setup with a bit of substrate, you'll be able to tell when ready.  Usually many of the workers will be fat with reserves, and fairly motionless.  If you have a small opening (like with a straw or cap with a small hole on the test tube), they will often block it with substrate when ready.

[Unfrozen]

 

should i put them into hibernation now? they have no more brood and havnt for like 2 weeks

 

They typically only lay once a season, so no brood at this point is not unusual.  You're up North like me, you can probably hold off diapause until Nov, and they pull then out in early Feb.  If you have them in a tub/tubes setup with a bit of substrate, you'll be able to tell when ready.  Usually many of the workers will be fat with reserves, and fairly motionless.  If you have a small opening (like with a straw or cap with a small hole on the test tube), they will often block it with substrate when ready.

 

my colony is two queens i had a queen and i bought a colony of two but one of them died next year as a experiment i want to catch and buy as many queens and introduce them i just hope it doesn't go wrong

their test tube flooded so a few workers died and larvae died they have around 15 workers but they would be around 25 if none of the queens died and no workers and brood

[DRpepper]

Can somone bring this thread back? 

I just found this thread today. I've been reading it and seeing as how its about preno seaon again I would like to see this thread come back. due to lack of intellegence or unluck on my part I've missed preno flights the past three years but this year I'm finally going to get them. 

Edited by DRpepper, March 1 2022 - 9:50 AM.

[NancyZamora4991]

Funny you say this, as Prenolepsis are flying right now.

[DRpepper]

Funny you say this, as Prenolepsis are flying right now.

not where I am dude. I still have to wait a couple weeks they havent come to the surface yet but they will this week the ground is unthawing and its been getting warmer it was 64 today 

[Kaelwizard]

Funny you say this, as Prenolepsis are flying right now.

not where I am dude. I still have to wait a couple weeks they havent come to the surface yet but they will this week the ground is unthawing and its been getting warmer it was 64 today

When I lived in Michigan they always flew in the high sixties. Last year I found some everyday that it was 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

[DRpepper]

 

 

Funny you say this, as Prenolepsis are flying right now.

not where I am dude. I still have to wait a couple weeks they havent come to the surface yet but they will this week the ground is unthawing and its been getting warmer it was 64 today

When I lived in Michigan they always flew in the high sixties. Last year I found some everyday that it was 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

 

It reached 71 and their wasnt even activity above the surface. the next warm front that runs through will probably be the one that triggers flights. the forcast for the next few days is 50s thu the high of 60 for the next 10 days they will prob fly late late march earliest. 

[NicholasP]

 

 

Funny you say this, as Prenolepsis are flying right now.

not where I am dude. I still have to wait a couple weeks they havent come to the surface yet but they will this week the ground is unthawing and its been getting warmer it was 64 today

When I lived in Michigan they always flew in the high sixties. Last year I found some everyday that it was 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

A few days ago if I'm not mistaken it was 68 in Grand Rapids. I'm not so sure about the rest of MI though.

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Waiting for these to fly here in Oregon. Likely won't get the right temps for another few weeks however. 

[ColAnt735]

I am waiting for Prenolepis imparis flights where I live as well although it is just getting above freezing so they won't fly until April as that is when temperature starts to get warm enough for them to fly.

[DRpepper]

I am in illinois and today its up to 65 degrees and i was thinking there might be a minor flight. (but doubtful because it was really really cold the day before). its also going to be 70 tmm and 71 f after that. so is it worth going out today i know its possible for them to fly today but would they really have their main flight today?

[NancyZamora4991]

What I have noticed is that only will fly above 70 degrees. 

[NicholasP]

Usually 68 is the bare minimum temperature they'll fly in.

[DRpepper]

Its 70f in my area today and tmm its 72 so I'm thinking they will fly but if they don't ill have to wait another week or so for warmer weather. Ill report if i get any queens. 

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Flights in Oregon today. Caught 14 queens.

[NicholasP]

Flights in Grand Rapids today! Unfortunately, I was late to the party of beautiful red variant Prenolepis and only got 1 queen. More should be flying tomorrow though.

[bmb1bee]

Flights in Grand Rapids today! Unfortunately, I was late to the party of beautiful red variant Prenolepis and only got 1 queen. More should be flying tomorrow though.

Can you post a pic of the red variant of Prenos? Here in the Bay Area I've only seen medium brown to nearly black varieties, I'm curious about the mentioned reddish ones.