2124 replies to this topic

[noebl1]

Mine falls park: Nothing too exciting except for a random C. americanus major foraging (in the middle of the day, weird)

 

I was there last week with my kids and noticed the same. 

 

I've also been seeing a lot of C. americanus during the day here which is interesting.  Not just 1 or 2, but usually a group of 5 or 6.  Also have been seeing C. pennsylvanicus moving in clusters for 20-30 in very close proximity. I tried to get a picture of it but didn't do any justice.  Looks like a blob of carpenter ants moving together along the driveway.  

[Nathant2131]

  Also have been seeing C. pennsylvanicus moving in clusters for 20-30 in very close proximity. I tried to get a picture of it but didn't do any justice.  Looks like a blob of carpenter ants moving together along the driveway.  

I see C. pennsylvanicus doing that all the time during night.

[noebl1]

Caught a Tetramorium dealate walking across our driveway just now.  Guessing from this AM as I did end up finding a male Tetramorium dying in a flower pot this afternoon.

[noebl1]

May be another good night to look for Temnothorax;  67F and 79% humidity here.  Waiting for my toddler to get to bed then heading outside to look.

[noebl1]

Spent about an hour outside and didn't see anything tonight; only a lone termite alate.

[Nathant2131]

Just found a Tetra dealate walking around in my backyard- or at least trying to. Some of her legs were missing and mangled up .

[rdurham02]

Tetra. swarm this morning!

 

[Connectimyrmex]

I saw a Formica Subsericea queen wandering the tennis courts yesterday. I was unable to catch her .

[Nathant2131]

I saw a Formica Subsericea queen wandering the tennis courts yesterday. I was unable to catch her .

They must have started flying. That's the third dealate we've seen in New England in the last ~30 days.

Just checked a pool in Methuen. No alates.

Edited by Nathant2131, July 4 2017 - 8:07 AM.

[Nathant2131]

Wow! I checked a pool noodle hours back that was on the (very hot) ground beside the pool. There had to be at least 25-50 Tetramorium queens in there (about 50:50 alates/dealates)! Unfortunately I didn't realize the hot ground would do a number on them (probably why they were in the pool noodle; Seeking the cool.) so I lost about 75-80 % of them :facepalm:Incredible how fast they died. Within two minutes of them being on the stone they just shriveled up. Most of the ones that survived had managed to seek a cool object to rest their feet on; Like small weeds growing through the cracks of the stone.

 

I'm going to try to found a colony of them with several queens to test their pleometrotic behaviour. There's gotta be some bond between them after being stranded in a pool noodle together

Edited by Nathant2131, July 4 2017 - 2:42 PM.

[Nathant2131]

The Camponotus americanus "major" (I now think it's a minor or media becuase of the head. It was still a huge ant though.) and it's habitat from Mine Falls Park, Nashua NH. I found it in the afternoon, 7/3. It was pretty dense but there's also a field off to the side that you can kinda see in the 3rd pic.

 

 

 

 

The squirrels there were SUPER chill. One went within 5 feet of me and it didn't even look afraid.

 

 

I combined 5 Tetramorium dealates. Here they are now: (being very calm with each other)

 

[Aquaexploder]

I found 2 different Lasius queens today.

[noebl1]

@nathant2131 Is that the side near Nashua HS?  We usually park down by the boat ramp by the dam and walk from there.

 

The Tetramorium queen I caught yesterday already has a pile of eggs... I forgot how fast they start laying.

[Nathant2131]

@nathant2131 Is that the side near Nashua HS?  We usually park down by the boat ramp by the dam and walk from there.

Yeah, we parked on the south side. I got in by Whipple street. (very new to the park so not sure where the dam is.)

[noebl1]

Went out for a bit, no sign of Temnothorax tonight.  Also looking out for Lasius alienus which start flying in July as well.  Last year I caught a few at night also attracted to lights.

[Myrmidon]

Sorry about the MIA-ness. I took an impromptu trip to Costa Rica. I think all my ants survived... I hope. 

 

On the positive side - I did manage to see Leaf Cutter Queens. They are HUGE. Makes a Camponotus queen look like a fruit fly. 

Edited by Myrmidon, July 5 2017 - 5:27 AM.

[Nathant2131]

Randomly found a live C. pennsylvanicus female alate In the Vestibule of IHOP. (Nashua NH)

[Nathant2131]

Just found a Lasius interjectus dealate walking in Mine Falls Park.

[noebl1]

I've been checking nightly and no sign of Temnothorax since the other night.  Looks like Sat which is warm and following rain may be the next chance.  I noticed they do seem to fly after rains.

[Nathant2131]

Just took a walk. Found a dead male on a sidewalk, probably Tetramorium.