2124 replies to this topic

[Myrmidon]

Haven't seen any Camponotus flights here yet. Hopefully today is the day! I did manage to get two pairs of termite alates in test tube setups. Not exactly sure what will come of it but we'll see. If it's successful I might use one as a feeder colony.

[noebl1]

My sense of time was off too, last year Camponotus flew later, but I saw back in 2016 i had already found Camponotus Myrmentoma (like nearacticus) by 5/12.

[mallonje]

Well - I spotted 2 C. Pennsylvanicus queens. Caught 1 (winged). And spotted a few alate males. Caught 1 as well. 

I did not spot the flight which I was expecting this afternoon.

 

Also - zero activity at those questionable Tetramorium nests from the other day. 

[noebl1]

I'm heading out now to look, as Camponotus fly later in the day, usually starting now.

[noebl1]

Small Camponotus flight today.  Saw 3 or 4 C. pennsylvanicus, and caught a single C. americanus dealate, however she died about 15mins later, so guessing something obviously was wrong.  I also managed to find a dealate Myrmica americana queen out foraging!  So I found 2 of the 3 species I wanted this season, only one of them didn't make it

 

EDIT:  I'm seriously bummed out, been trying of 2 years to find a C. americanus...

Edited by noebl1, May 17 2018 - 3:52 PM.

[Aquaexploder]

*sigh* was outside from 7 to 8:30 and no luck. Nothing flying from what I could see where I am.

[mallonje]

HEY! 

I just went to add my new queen to my collection and checked on my first. She has laid eggs already!

[noebl1]

@mallonje Congratulations!

Just came in from flashlight spotting. No Camponotus Myrmentoma at all seen today. Hoping I didn't miss them this year.

However, with the flashlight saw several dealate queens. Bunch of C. pennsylvanicas, however caught 4 C. americanus and 1 C. noveboracensis dealates. Glad I went out with a flashlight! I lost a C. americanus queen in the leaves too.

Also saw the ends of two of the largest earth worms I've ever seen. As in only saw about 1-2" before they darted underground from the light. They were like 10-18mm *thick*, never seen anything like it before. Fast too.

[mallonje]

Thanks, 

 

Yeah - trash night, so I took my time and hunted a bit too. But I didn't seem much. More Parasitic Lasius Umbratus. I've found 3 seperate L. umbratus nests in my neighborhood, and they are just spewing queens. I am almost literally tripping over them - "Oh what's that? Lasius. Oh what's that? Lasius. and that? Lasius"  

 

Congrats on your C. Americanus!

They look lovely but I'm not seeing much other than C. pennsylvanicus around here.

 

I'm bummed about those "Tetramorium". When I saw the flight I thought for sure I'd get one, and early, and maybe have a colony before winter. And while May doesn't appear to be unheard of June is apparently when the real action starts.  

[Myrmidon]

Just came in from flashlight spotting. No Camponotus Myrmentoma at all seen today. Hoping I didn't miss them this year.

However, with the flashlight saw several dealate queens. Bunch of C. pennsylvanicas, however caught 4 C. americanus and 1 C. noveboracensis dealates. Glad I went out with a flashlight! I lost a C. americanus queen in the leaves too.

Also saw the ends of two of the largest earth worms I've ever seen. As in only saw about 1-2" before they darted underground from the light. They were like 10-18mm *thick*, never seen anything like it before. Fast too.

 

 

Wow! Such a lucky find all around. I'm still hoping for a C. noveboracensis! My dream colony right there but the C. Americanus are mighty pretty too! I'll have to venture out to better hunting grounds.

 

As for my end - I only saw a few drones from C. pennsylvanicus. 

[ctantkeeper]

Just caught a Camponotus chromaiodes queen!

[noebl1]

@Myrmidon  If willing to meet me somewhere and she makes it, you're welcome to the C. noveboracensis queen.

 

 

@ctantkeeper NICE Catch!!!  I have yet to see any where I am as I think a bit too cold.  However betting south Shore of MA has same, same goes for the RI people.

 

Monday is our yearly spraying of the foundation to keep ants out, and almost without fail for the last few years, within 48hours Camponotus usually fly.  It's like they know...

[Myrmidon]

@Myrmidon  If willing to meet me somewhere and she makes it, you're welcome to the C. noveboracensis queen.

 

 

@ctantkeeper NICE Catch!!!  I have yet to see any where I am as I think a bit too cold.  However betting south Shore of MA has same, same goes for the RI people.

 

Monday is our yearly spraying of the foundation to keep ants out, and almost without fail for the last few years, within 48hours Camponotus usually fly.  It's like they know...

 

That would be phenomenal! If you happen to catch any others or have extra fun Camponotus queens in the future, let me know. I'll take them too and we can plan a time to meet! Most of the time I usually only find C. pennsylvanicus and C. chromaiodes around here so the variety would be great.

[Connectimyrmex]

I caught 2 Camponotus chromaiodes queens and 7 Camponotus americanus queens! I think the C. americanus queens are all infertile though (I caught them in the afternoon)

@mallonje Congratulations!

Just came in from flashlight spotting. No Camponotus Myrmentoma at all seen today. Hoping I didn't miss them this year.

However, with the flashlight saw several dealate queens. Bunch of C. pennsylvanicas, however caught 4 C. americanus and 1 C. noveboracensis dealates. Glad I went out with a flashlight! I lost a C. americanus queen in the leaves too.

Also saw the ends of two of the largest earth worms I've ever seen. As in only saw about 1-2" before they darted underground from the light. They were like 10-18mm *thick*, never seen anything like it before. Fast too.

T H I C C

[noebl1]

 

 

That would be phenomenal! If you happen to catch any others or have extra fun Camponotus queens in the future, let me know. I'll take them too and we can plan a time to meet! Most of the time I usually only find C. pennsylvanicus and C. chromaiodes around here so the variety would be great.

 

I'd gladly trade you for some C. chromaiodes as I never see them here at all if you had any extra.  I'll keep grabbing non-C. pennsylvanicus queens until we have a chance to meet up to get you some variety.  Twice a week I work near 128, and pretty flexible around lunch time to run out. 

 

I'm still hoping to see C. Myrmentoma this year, it's strange as the small colony that I am aware of no longer has alates.  However I've seen *one* C. Myrmentoma queen all season which is really unusual.  Usually it's C. Myrmentoma / some C. pennsylvanicus fly, basically now.  Then in 1-4 weeks I see the huge flights where it's pretty much all C. pennsylvanicus, but a mix of some C. Myrmentoma, C. americanus and some C. noveboracensis.    C. noveboracensis is *not* common by me at all, so I see maybe 2 or 3 a year at most.

 

Yesterday I did not see a single male alate, however if mallonje saw them earlier in the day, that would make sense.  I'll know in a few weeks if they mated or not.  All had removed their wings so *maybe* fertile/mated, but never know.

[Connectimyrmex]

*sigh* was outside from 7 to 8:30 and no luck. Nothing flying from what I could see where I am.

I saw C. americanus and C. chromaiodes flying at 4 pm yesterday, so try searching at 5-6.

Also, I have a bit of a question. The C. americanus queen alates I found were kind of just flopping about on the grass, unable to take off (I did see some in the air, but they were a bit further away). Does that mean the ones I found are mated, or are just too fat to fly?

Edited by Connectimyrmex, May 18 2018 - 4:14 AM.

[noebl1]

Also, I have a bit of a question. The C. americanus queen alates I found were kind of just flopping about on the grass, unable to take off (I did see some in the air, but they were a bit further away). Does that mean the ones I found are mated, or are just too fat to fly?

 

 

 

I haven't seen this before, though TBH I think in the last 3 years, I've seen *one* C. americanus alate.  I always seem to find them as dealates trying to hide or digging their founding nest.  They usually aren't flopping around, but scurrying quickly like other Camponotus.  They are also very aware of their surroundings, and will hide if they see me get too close.

 

The first C. americanus I caught I am pretty certain died from pesticides, however I'm 500' away to the closest neighbor, and woods on 3 sides for quite a ways, so it's suspicious.    How close were they to the nest they were taking off from?  Did they drop their wings?   Camponotus seems to be one species that's really good about dropping their wings compared to others.

[Myrmidon]

@noebl1 I'll be hunting for some more C. chromaiodes this year too (I only managed to get two last year) so I'll be sure to collect as many as I can so we can exchange!

 

Aside from this, I have colonies of C. nearcticus in my backyard but I haven't actually ever seen a nuptial flight from them with queens. I have only seen drones coming out of their nests. Probably missing the right time of day or conditions.

[mallonje]

I caught 2 Camponotus chromaiodes queens and 7 Camponotus americanus queens! I think the C. americanus queens are all infertile though (I caught them in the afternoon)

 

 

Good get!

I think I found an americanus worker at lunch. So I might have some hope after all. 

[noebl1]

@mallonje I find C. americanus is mostly nocturnal. I may see a couple during the day, but at night they are very prevalent. So if you saw one, good chance there's a bunch more. They seem to coexist well here with the C. pennsylvanicas as they are soil dwelling. They are amazing looking if the light hits them right.