2124 replies to this topic

[mallonje]

Saw 3 seperate flights today, the rain hasn't rolled in yet, but it's close. 

[noebl1]

What are you seeing flying?  I've suspected Camponotus may fly due to temps and humidity.

[mallonje]

Smaller than camponotus - I think maybe some Lasius or Tapinoma. Definitely saw 2 nests of Tetramorium flying. Hoping to find some Tetramorium in a little bit. 

 

Also Mass Weather 101 - it is bright and sunny at my house, Dark and stormy looking across the street. No rain yet. 

[zkublin]

Smaller than camponotus - I think maybe some Lasius or Tapinoma. Definitely saw 2 nests of Tetramorium flying. Hoping to find some Tetramorium in a little bit. 

 

Also Mass Weather 101 - it is bright and sunny at my house, Dark and stormy looking across the street. No rain yet. 

 

Where in Mass are you located?

[Aquaexploder]

Smaller than camponotus - I think maybe some Lasius or Tapinoma. Definitely saw 2 nests of Tetramorium flying. Hoping to find some Tetramorium in a little bit. 
 
Also Mass Weather 101 - it is bright and sunny at my house, Dark and stormy looking across the street. No rain yet. 

 
Where in Mass are you located?

Look on the member map to see where people live.

[noebl1]

He's not far from me.  I haven't seen anything flying yet today by the office, will take a look when I get home.  When I looked at the Tetramorium colonies local to me last week, they had large mid-stage larvae for their alates, but I didn't see any quite yet.  I usually don't see them fly until July.

[noebl1]

People are reporting Camponotus flights in MA on Discord.  I haven't seen any yet, but a couple hours before I can look.

[Aquaexploder]

People are reporting Camponotus flights in MA on Discord.  I haven't seen any yet, but a couple hours before I can look.

Can I have the discord link? Also, DARN! Its pouring here in RI. I can't wait to see the flights tomorrow!

[noebl1]

 

People are reporting Camponotus flights in MA on Discord.  I haven't seen any yet, but a couple hours before I can look.

Can I have the discord link? Also, DARN! Its pouring here in RI. I can't wait to see the flights tomorrow!

 

 

Same here, temperature dropped about 20F when the storms came thru, highly doubt any flights here today.

 

Discord - http://discord.gg/qrAqPAQ

 

FIXED ---^

Edited by noebl1, May 15 2018 - 3:14 PM.

[Aquaexploder]

OH, that discord. Lol I'm already a part of it.

[mallonje]

I'm in Westford - just West of Lowell. 

 

The two Tetramorium nests I was talking about are in the backside of a large open field under an old black top walkway. They were climbing up some old wooden stockade fencing and taking flight on the wind. a little before 9am this morning.  

I had identified them 2 weeks ago based on workers collected at both locations 2 different times. I can get more and post pictures if you'd like. 

 

The other two; one was a "cloud" of insects over a parking lot. They were landing on a black SUV. (not my SUV and no tubes to capture them in) The other was just pouring out of a mound in some lawn next to the street.

I missed some just as the storm was coming. I didn't seen anything yet tonight. I'm thinking about setting out a sheet and impromptu light to see what I might get.    

Edited by mallonje, May 15 2018 - 6:38 PM.

[noebl1]

@mallonje   That's really interesting, possible if coming out of a fence they may have been Camponotus nearcticus?  Like C. pennsylvanicus, they live in wood and such, but often less invasive and do little damage to structures.  They are also tiny too, the queens are small compared to most Camponotus we have.  We have a couple color varieties here of them, from all black, to some red on the thorax, to an *amazing* looking one I found 2 years ago:  

 

 

Coming out of the ground more than likely would have NOT been them, as they are usually arboreal.  

 

Tetramorium are indeed morning flyers, though usually earlier, but not impossible to fly around 9am.   Looking at the mating charge, also apparently Monomorium, Nylanderia, Tapinoma and Lasius interjectus flies in May.

[mallonje]

@noebl1 Sorry for the confusion. 

 

They were vacating their mounds under the blacktop and climbing the fence for height. I can also assure they were not Camponotus; the workers I sampled from those nests all had a 2 node petiole (had to chill them to get a good look under the magnifier) and the alates taking flight were maybe only 4-6mm.

 

The workers were very similar to T. caespitum ( I used this image for comparason https://www.antweb.o...onName=Nearctic ) but with the whole Sp. e vs caespitum thing I'm not at a point where I can differentiate yet, and AntWeb.org doesn't seem to have "Sp. e" references. Any pointers?

 

Being new, I've been keeping an eye on those nests because I'm hoping to get some Tetramorium for my first colony. And they were the only ones I had (I thought) identified in my area.  

I'll review the species you suggested and see if I (probably) miss identified. 

[noebl1]

@noebl1 Sorry for the confusion. 

 

They were vacating their mounds under the blacktop and climbing the fence for height. I can also assure they were not Camponotus; the workers I sampled from those nests all had a 2 node petiole (had to chill them to get a good look under the magnifier) and the alates taking flight were maybe only 4-6mm.

 

The workers were very similar to T. caespitum ( I used this image for comparason https://www.antweb.o...onName=Nearctic ) but with the whole Sp. e vs caespitum thing I'm not at a point where I can differentiate yet, and AntWeb.org doesn't seem to have "Sp. e" references. Any pointers?

 

Being new, I've been keeping an eye on those nests because I'm hoping to get some Tetramorium for my first colony. And they were the only ones I had (I thought) identified in my area.  

I'll review the species you suggested and see if I (probably) miss identified. 

 

Gotcha now, no worries!  They very well could be Tetramorium, not saying they aren't   I've never observed a direct flight of Tetramorium.  Only queens I've been lucky enough to ever see leaving nests to take flights are Lasius sp.  Even the local Camponotus colonies I've caught alates from, I've never seen them actually leaving the nests.

Edited by noebl1, May 16 2018 - 7:12 AM.

[mallonje]

On a related note - what are you guys using for taking photos? 

I have a hell of time getting my phone to auto-focus through the glass and on the ant. 

[noebl1]

@mallonje  I've had a hard time taking pics with my phone too, though I know some people have had success with the clip on macro attachments.

 

I've got a 100mm macro lens for my DSLR, but pain to get good shots with it as they move or focal point isn't quite right.

Edited by noebl1, May 16 2018 - 7:23 AM.

[mallonje]

I witnessed a Camponotus nest empty to take flight years ago (before finding the hobby) - it's like a scene from Aliens. Hundreds of big black bugs pour out of every hole, and they all climb high up to take flight. At the time they were using my chimney and the corner of my house (no damage to my house) to fly. After about 30 minutes the air becomes thick with bugs just flying around clicking and bumping into things. 

 

What bothered me most was the wings, they don't buzz.  

[mallonje]

Ok, maybe Monomorium subdentatum https://www.antweb.o...shot=p&number=1

 

But I recall more of a spike on the end of the propodeum, and more hair, which leads me back to T. Caespitum. I'll try and recapture and image today. 

[noebl1]

I witnessed a Camponotus nest empty to take flight years ago (before finding the hobby) - it's like a scene from Aliens. Hundreds of big black bugs pour out of every hole, and they all climb high up to take flight. At the time they were using my chimney and the corner of my house (no damage to my house) to fly. After about 30 minutes the air becomes thick with bugs just flying around clicking and bumping into things. 

 

What bothered me most was the wings, they don't buzz.  

 

 

People don't believe me how huge the Camponotus flights are around here too (not sure how many rural vs urban ant keepers are here).  If I am outside during a large Camponotus flight, I *am* picking them off me for sure as they are landing everywhere. It's like some plague being unleashed.  One year I killed 30-50+ on the foundation of the house alone as they were landing and scurrying, I lost count.  The creepiest was in 2016, the biggest flight I ever observed in the years I've lived here.  I went out after dark, and you ever see how Camponotus workers forage in groups? There were so many dealates, they were scurrying around in groups.  Never seen anything like that before.  I spent almost 2 hours that night making sure I got all the ones off the foundation that landed.  No rot/damage we are aware of either, but they love founding inside walls and such where it's safe.  I came inside that night totally creeped out, so many queens everywhere for hours.

Edited by noebl1, May 16 2018 - 7:41 AM.

[noebl1]

Supposed to be 80F after a couple days of rain, so keep an eye out for flights today