57 replies to this topic

[thosaka]

Just witnessed my first nuptial flight!

I didn't see this one, it is amazing. I saw the yellow one, and only saw about 3 with wings outside the nest.

[dspdrew]

Those look like M. mimicus.

[SoySauce]

Pics of the head

[dspdrew]

Yeah that definitely looks like the dark-colored species that I think is M. mimicus.

[SoySauce]

So I went back after lunch and decided to try the right trail where it forked off. There was a grounds keeper there and he said the right trail actually loops around to the left trail if you keep on taking the couple of left forks on the trail. The right trail is definitely more on the arid side. There's isn't any tree cover at all either and under the 90 degree sun, the ground is rock hard. I only went down the trail a couple of miles and decided to turn back. Hiking in the 90 degree sun after 3 large beers isn't a good idea. There were also cows grazing everywhere. Very large ones. I'm sure they seemed a lot larger and foreboding because of my dehydrated, beer buzzed, delusional state too.

So for anyone who decides to go, I'd definitely go early in the morning and go on the left trail. The ground is still very moist and relatively easier to dig. Once the sun comes up, the ground gets very hard. I hiked on the left trail for at least 2-3 hours and it goes straight through to a highway in the mountain pass. It's a beautiful hike and the trail follows a large creek below. Bring lots of water too! I didn't

I found the yellow and black honeypots as well as this guy. I'm still waiting for an ID on it.

Edited by SoySauce, March 15 2017 - 9:59 AM.

[CallMeCraven]

I use to go shooting just up the road there when I was a kid with my dad. Wish I was into anting back then, looks like I was in prime country for some cool species. Congrats on your new queens!

[SoySauce]

A few pics I took of the day.

Edited by SoySauce, March 15 2017 - 7:44 AM.

[thosaka]

You hiked 2 to 3 hrs down?! Amazing. I stopped about half a mile going to the left off the fork. I'll try the right next time. Great find!

Edited by Tagassi, March 15 2017 - 9:57 AM.

[dspdrew]

So I went back after lunch and decided to try the right trail where it forked off. There was a grounds keeper there and he said the right trail actually loops around to the left trail if you keep on taking the couple of left forks on the trail. The right trail is definitely more on the arid side. There's isn't any tree cover at all either and under the 90 degree sun, the ground is rock hard. I only went down the trail a couple of miles and decided to turn back. Hiking in the 90 degree sun after 3 large beers isn't a good idea. There were also cows grazing everywhere. Very large ones. I'm sure they seemed a lot larger and foreboding because of my dehydrated, beer buzzed, delusional state too.

So for anyone who decides to go, I'd definitely go early in the morning and go on the left trail. The ground is still very moist and relatively easier to dig. Once the sun comes up, the ground gets very hard. I hiked on the left trail for at least 2-3 hours and it goes straight through to a highway in the mountain pass. It's a beautiful hike and the trail follows a large creek below. Bring lots of water too! I didn't

I found the yellow and black honeypots as well as this guy. I'm still waiting for an ID on it.

 

Definitely M. testaceus.

[VoidElecent]

"Cleveland National Park in California." So misleading..

[SoySauce]

I'm planning to check this place out again on Wednesday. I have a couple of days off so I was planning a mini road trip. I figured I'd start south and work my way up northeast. Temps are going to be over 80 starting Tuesday so I thought it'd be a good time to go. Hopefully some different ants will start to fly. Wished me luck!

[dspdrew]

I'll be waiting for the report.

[SoySauce]

Will do

[thosaka]

I went 2 days ago. I traveled about 7 miles down the left fork and found 0 queen. There were about 120 holes on the trail with the red ants 7 miles down, but the holes were not fresh. The only holes with little dirt around it that had ants were too small in size. Other holes I dug out came out empty, maybe another insect dug through it and abandoned it. I went past the 2nd gate and for another 2 or 3 miles down past it, and then started to hit back home at 6:20 p.m. You will probably see my dig marks far out. I hope you get luckier than me.

Edited by Tagassi, March 26 2017 - 11:14 AM.

[T.C.]

A few pics I took of the day.

Man, when I was in California, I was clearly in the wrong spot because I don't remember it looking like that.

[soulsynapse]

we got a lot of rain recently, most of the time we're in drought

[dspdrew]

we got a lot of rain recently, most of the time we're in drought

 

I wouldn't call .1 inches of rain a lot.

[Antking117]

You Socal-ians are bathing yourself in ants...

 

 

 

 

 

 

While us New Englanders sit around in the snow... no ant to be seen.

 

 

Still cold here in Nebraska, not a single ant in sight. We just got the birds back. Otherwise no life.