2124 replies to this topic

[Connectimyrmex]

He's an aphaenogaster alate.

I also caught a new formica sp. queen.

[Aquaexploder]

Huge Tetramorium flight right now.

[Salmon]

I'm not seeing any of these temnothorax alates everyone's on about.

I've only seen one tetramorium alate outside a nest so far since returning from Oregon, and the colony under a rock in my yard still has alates.

[Aquaexploder]

Anyone finding Formica or Lasius yet?

Edited by Aquaexploder, July 21 2017 - 11:23 AM.

[noebl1]

Anyone finding Formica or Lasius yet?

 

Not yet here.  I looked and 7/22 last year I found an L. alienus at night, so it's possible.

[Aquaexploder]

Another temnothorax flight tonight.

[akaant]

Looks like parasitic Formica species flew the last day or 2.

[noebl1]

Just got back from some relatives down near Dartmouth for the last few days close to RI.  Think I missed a bunch of good flights up here as the heat/humidity is gone since I got back.  Did find a couple dead Tetramorium alates when I got home.  Down there it was fairly low humidity every day compared to up here, so not a lot going on.  Every morning saw 2 or 3 Tetramorium alates in the pool, but that's it.  Guessing I missed the Aphaenogaster for this season at home   

[ctantkeeper]

Just got back from some relatives down near Dartmouth for the last few days close to RI.  Think I missed a bunch of good flights up here as the heat/humidity is gone since I got back.  Did find a couple dead Tetramorium alates when I got home.  Down there it was fairly low humidity every day compared to up here, so not a lot going on.  Every morning saw 2 or 3 Tetramorium alates in the pool, but that's it.  Guessing I missed the Aphaenogaster for this season at home   

Their was a T. sp.e / A. atralutus flight in CT yesterday.

Edited by ctantkeeper, July 23 2017 - 4:16 PM.

[Connectimyrmex]

I'm starting to think that the larger, slower growing ants generally fly early in the spring (Prenolepis Imparis, Camponotus sp) to ensure that founding colonies have their first workers by winter. The smaller, faster growing ants (Crematogaster, Lasius, Brachymyrmex, Tetramorium) fly later in the year because their colonies grow faster.

When does Crematogaster and Myrmica start flying? Also, does anyone know if Eastern Sub. Termites have a small, minor flight in the fall? (the tropical termites in hawaii flew throughout the summer to the fall)

[akaant]

Just got back from some relatives down near Dartmouth for the last few days close to RI.  Think I missed a bunch of good flights up here as the heat/humidity is gone since I got back.  Did find a couple dead Tetramorium alates when I got home.  Down there it was fairly low humidity every day compared to up here, so not a lot going on.  Every morning saw 2 or 3 Tetramorium alates in the pool, but that's it.  Guessing I missed the Aphaenogaster for this season at home   

Aphaenogaster should be flying right about now.

[ctantkeeper]

I'm starting to think that the larger, slower growing ants generally fly early in the spring (Prenolepis Imparis, Camponotus sp) to ensure that founding colonies have their first workers by winter. The smaller, faster growing ants (Crematogaster, Lasius, Brachymyrmex, Tetramorium) fly later in the year because their colonies grow faster.

When does Crematogaster and Myrmica start flying? Also, does anyone know if Eastern Sub. Termites have a small, minor flight in the fall? (the tropical termites in hawaii flew throughout the summer to the fall)

Seems like it could be true. I never put that much thought into it, but it makes sense. Crematogaster and Myrmica tend to fly in late august through early September, often during or before / after the Lasius neoniger flights, along with a plethora of different species. As for R. flavipes (The only species of termite that we have here in CT), they often only fly in the summer and the end of spring. However, this is based purely on my own experience. A flight might happen in the future, but I wouldn't count on it.

[noebl1]

Sept 8th in the mid-afternoon the Myrmica flew last year here.  I found Myrmica male alates again on Sept 11th about the same time frame for them.  During this time Lasius sp, Ponera and Brachymyrmex were also seen.  Was pretty crazy for a few days as so many different things flying for several hours from early afternoon thru to dusk.

 

@akaant Thanks!  I meant more they were flying when I left for a few days, and now a cold front came thru, so betting I missed a bunch.  Hopefully they still keep flying for a bit to have a chance at them.

[Connectimyrmex]

Large Lasius Murphyi flight today!

[Aquaexploder]

Small Tetramorium flight this morning.

[Connectimyrmex]

Pheidole, Lasius Murphyi, Lasius Claviger, and Lasius Alienus all flew yesterday.

Edited by Connectimyrmex, July 29 2017 - 10:32 AM.

[Connectimyrmex]

Solenopsis Molesta flew.

[Aquaexploder]

No flights around here.

[Nathant2131]

Pheidole, Lasius Murphyi, Lasius Claviger, and Lasius Neoniger(?) all flew yesterday.

The Lasius cf. neoniger is probably Lasius alienus, being this early in the year.

[noebl1]

 

Pheidole, Lasius Murphyi, Lasius Claviger, and Lasius Neoniger(?) all flew yesterday.

The Lasius cf. neoniger is probably Lasius alienus, being this early in the year.

 

 

I agree, this lines up. I did see a couple dead Lasius male alates today.  Guessing they flew very recently.