2124 replies to this topic

[Nathant2131]

Tetra are flying

[Nathant2131]

4:55 AM: I went outside at this time, and immediatly on my driveway I found 1 male and and 1 dealate.

 

5:07 AM: I find the first colony that was sending alates during my walk. There were only about 5 alates outside the entrance, but there were hundreds of workers. It almost looked like a Tetramorium war but the workers are more spread out, and pbviously nothing was fighting.

 

In between 5:07 and 5:30 I find many more flight-active colonies however as time went on there were less and less alates, and eventually the entrances were just very active workers. This seemed to be a small flight, and only found 1 dealate.

 

When I first went outside was when the alates seemed most active throughout my walk, so I might have gotten up just in time for the peak of the flight, or a bit late. either way I think this was a small flight. I am seeing some alates here and there. In all I saw about  2-3 dozen, most of which were found at nest entrances. Didn't see any flying but the one dealate makes me think otherwise, and becuase I saw a few wandering far from any nest.

 

temperature + humidity throughout my walk was  74 F, and around 85-95% humidity.

Edited by Nathant2131, June 24 2017 - 7:00 AM.

[Nathant2131]

I realized the "dealate" has a small part of her wing still there- so easily could have ended up that way after a bird's failed attempt at grabbing it.

[ctantkeeper]

Tetra are flying

Told ya

[noebl1]

I slept in today as fighting a cold so didn't see anything by the time I went out.  Hoping to go outside tonight in a bit to keep an eye out for Temnothorax.  I saw an L. umbratus today pretty actively hunting, surprised to see one so late in the season.  Also L. alienus workers are EVERYWHERE outside.  If I pick up a pot, or even a shovel placed down a week or so ago, there are quite a few L. alienus and some pupae/larvae with them.  I've also noticed something interesting I need to get more data on.  I've noticed that in the masses of Tetramorium hills out there, I'll often find L. flavus or L. claviger or similar bright orange Lasius mixed in very very close proximity.  I noticed this last year as well.  There will be a 2'x3' area of Tetramorium hills densely packed together, and I'll sometimes uncover the bright orange Lasius will mowing in the middle of it.

 

My Lasius seem to be about a week behind @nathant2131 as 3 of the 4 finally queens with pupae eclosed now.  The first one the workers are quite brown, and she's had several more eclose already.  1 of the 3 has looks fairly light in coloration, so curious to see if she darkens up or is an L. flavus or similar.  The one with several workers I gave a cotton ball soaked in Sunburst, and interesting to see them going crazy with excitement with swollen gasters with their very first taste of "foraged" sugars.  First meal this queen has had in about 10 mos.  The test tubes from last Sept are getting pretty dry, so going to be time to convince them to move soon.

 

@zkublin The Lasius I gave you should have eclosed as well, curious with what you ended up with.

 

@Cindy the P. imparis larvae/pupae I transferred on your suggestion seem to be doing well.  After watching @nathant2131's journal, they are getting close to the of couple workers eclosing as well.   Not sure why one queen was so far ahead larvae/pupae wise compared to the others.  Hopefully not a fertility issue, but won't know for awhile...

 

Dying to go out tonight and go anting, just need to convince my toddler he's tired...

[Nathant2131]

  I've also noticed something interesting I need to get more data on.  I've noticed that in the masses of Tetramorium hills out there, I'll often find L. flavus or L. claviger or similar bright orange Lasius mixed in very very close proximity.  I noticed this last year as well.  There will be a 2'x3' area of Tetramorium hills densely packed together, and I'll sometimes uncover the bright orange Lasius will mowing in the middle of it.

I saw something very similar this morning. I found a pretty big trail of bright yellow Lasius (which was a surprise to begin with as all/most bright yellow Lasius to begin with live underground) that were carrying larvae. Eventually the trail led from the side of the sidewalk and into the forest so couldn't expect any further. But there was a small mass of Tetramorium workers that seemed to be interfering with the trail. They too were carrying larvae. Not sure if they were stealing the larvae from the Lasius or something (or just a coincedence and they too were carrying their own larvae, but it was only a short glance so I couldn't register if they were battling it out or what. Very weird indeed.

 

I think they might have been L. interjectus becuase of that "scrawny" look if you know what I mean, but would need magnification to know.

 

Anyways I think I'm in for the night. You're not exactly wide awake when you were early up enough that day to witness a Tetramorium flight.

Edited by Nathant2131, June 24 2017 - 5:52 PM.

[noebl1]

Not missing much anyways (at least for here), I didn't see any Temnothorax tonight

[noebl1]

Not much going on today, wondering if the dryer/cooler temps have subdued things a bit.

 

Amazing how similar queens of Lasius look...  I kept 4 queens from last season that just to look at them look identical.  Now that all of them have eclosed, pretty certain I have two L. neoniger, and two L. flavus, L. nearcticus or L. claviger or similar.   Finally got some macro shots of the recent Lasius that eclosed that are very light in color, and based on the tiny size of their eyes, mostly like not L. neoniger or similar. 

[zkublin]

I slept in today as fighting a cold so didn't see anything by the time I went out.  Hoping to go outside tonight in a bit to keep an eye out for Temnothorax.  I saw an L. umbratus today pretty actively hunting, surprised to see one so late in the season.  Also L. alienus workers are EVERYWHERE outside.  If I pick up a pot, or even a shovel placed down a week or so ago, there are quite a few L. alienus and some pupae/larvae with them.  I've also noticed something interesting I need to get more data on.  I've noticed that in the masses of Tetramorium hills out there, I'll often find L. flavus or L. claviger or similar bright orange Lasius mixed in very very close proximity.  I noticed this last year as well.  There will be a 2'x3' area of Tetramorium hills densely packed together, and I'll sometimes uncover the bright orange Lasius will mowing in the middle of it.

 

My Lasius seem to be about a week behind @nathant2131 as 3 of the 4 finally queens with pupae eclosed now.  The first one the workers are quite brown, and she's had several more eclose already.  1 of the 3 has looks fairly light in coloration, so curious to see if she darkens up or is an L. flavus or similar.  The one with several workers I gave a cotton ball soaked in Sunburst, and interesting to see them going crazy with excitement with swollen gasters with their very first taste of "foraged" sugars.  First meal this queen has had in about 10 mos.  The test tubes from last Sept are getting pretty dry, so going to be time to convince them to move soon.

 

@zkublin The Lasius I gave you should have eclosed as well, curious with what you ended up with.

 

@Cindy the P. imparis larvae/pupae I transferred on your suggestion seem to be doing well.  After watching @nathant2131's journal, they are getting close to the of couple workers eclosing as well.   Not sure why one queen was so far ahead larvae/pupae wise compared to the others.  Hopefully not a fertility issue, but won't know for awhile...

 

Dying to go out tonight and go anting, just need to convince my toddler he's tired...

Yes one of the 3 have 4 or 5 nanatics, the other two have not produced any yet.  I am not sure what they are but they are smallish and light brown.  I can take a closer look tonight.  Anything I should be looking for to help ID them further?

[noebl1]

Yes one of the 3 have 4 or 5 nanatics, the other two have not produced any yet.  I am not sure what they are but they are smallish and light brown.  I can take a closer look tonight.  Anything I should be looking for to help ID them further?

 

 

Shots of the head, specifically close of shots of the mandibles and antenna.  If they are brown, my educated guess would be potentially L. neoniger based on time of year I caught them and where.  L. alienus tend to fly sooner in July (but not impossible), and L. pallitarsis is not very common.  For the ones I have that are currently yellowish, going to try go get a shot of the head, but not going to be easy to ID

[Aquaexploder]

If you have not caught a Teramorium queen yet don't fret! Today I was cleaning out the cracks in my driveway that was full of sand when I accidentally washed up part of a Tetramorium colony. I found an alate that was almost ready to go on a nuptial flight!

[CNewton]

I'm watching this thread for reference. I'm in Western NY, but we have had a very cool spring and summer, so far. Seeing that you guys are just getting tetramorium has given me a shred of hope that I've not missed out yet!   

[zkublin]

I'm watching this thread for reference. I'm in Western NY, but we have had a very cool spring and summer, so far. Seeing that you guys are just getting tetramorium has given me a shred of hope that I've not missed out yet!   

As far as I have seen there has not been a large Tetramorium flight in the more urban areas close to Boston.  A few queens have been found but nothing large.

[Nathant2131]

Found a lot of stuff today in Methuen. 1 male, probably Tetramorium, looking dead in a pool. At least 4 Tetramorium dealate a in or on a pool noodle in the pool, and at least 2 dealate a within inches of the same pool. An L. umbratus queen wandering, and a Lasius cf. claviger queen wandering (first claviger-group species I've seen this year).

[Aquaexploder]

I'm still finding Camponotus drones around here in Rhode Island.

[akaant]

Lasius interjectus flew yesterday. I found a queen alate removing wings on my car.

[Connectimyrmex]

Hiya!
I've found some new queens, apparently all flying now.

Here's the list:
Tapinoma Sessile (1 queen)

Camponotus Nearcticus (1 queen)

Camponotus Chromaiodes (2 queens)

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus (1 queen)

Lasius Umbratus (1 queen)

Tetramorium Caespitum (3 queens)

And here are the queens that I've seen in nests (they haven't flown yet):
Crematogaster sp. (2 queen pupae, 10 reproductive larvae)

Aphaenogaster sp. (13 reproductive larvae)

Tetramorium Caespitum (5 queens, 12 males)

Anergates Atratulus (1 queen)

 

Keep an eye out for termites, too!

[ctantkeeper]

Hiya!
I've found some new queens, apparently all flying now.

Here's the list:
Tapinoma Sessile (1 queen)

Camponotus Nearcticus (1 queen)

Camponotus Chromaiodes (2 queens)

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus (1 queen)

Lasius Umbratus (1 queen)

Tetramorium Caespitum (3 queens)

And here are the queens that I've seen in nests (they haven't flown yet):
Crematogaster sp. (2 queen pupae, 10 reproductive larvae)

Aphaenogaster sp. (13 reproductive larvae)

Tetramorium Caespitum (5 queens, 12 males)

Anergates Atratulus (1 queen)

 

Keep an eye out for termites, too!

That's awesome!!! congrats man . But wait, are termites still flying and if so, when did you need them?

[Nathant2131]

Hiya!
I've found some new queens, apparently all flying now.
Here's the list:
Tapinoma Sessile (1 queen)
Camponotus Nearcticus (1 queen)
Camponotus Chromaiodes (2 queens)
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus (1 queen)
Lasius Umbratus (1 queen)
Tetramorium Caespitum (3 queens)

And here are the queens that I've seen in nests (they haven't flown yet):
Crematogaster sp. (2 queen pupae, 10 reproductive larvae)
Aphaenogaster sp. (13 reproductive larvae)
Tetramorium Caespitum (5 queens, 12 males)
Anergates Atratulus (1 queen)
 
Keep an eye out for termites, too!

Nice find with the T. sessile! What date did you find her?

[Nathant2131]

Tapinoma sessile males swarming now at Benson's park, Hudson NH.