35 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

Dug up my first successful Dorymyrmex insanus founding chambers today. Before today, I really had no idea what founding chambers look like, Drew's video clip from the desert helped a lot. I took some photos that will hopefully help others without much field experience.

 

My method today was to scan the ground about 5'-10' out (watch out for cars/bikes!) and look for where the ground has been disturbed/small dirt mounds. If you get closer and the mound has a hole, it's likely something else. Here are a few founding chambers that yielded a queen. There's a rule on my shovel if you look closely:

 

Here are two, one at the tip of the shovel and one at the handle/scoop interface:

 

Feeling confident? Here I took a photo from my perspective when I was scanning and something caught my eye which subsequently yielded an occupied founding chamber. Can you spot the chamber(s)?

 

Number 1

Number 2

[dspdrew]

You found a chamber in that second picture? I wouldn't have even looked down in a spot that looks like that.

[Foogoo]

You found a chamber in that second picture? I wouldn't have even looked down in a spot that looks like that.

 

Two! Some of the queens already layed eggs.

[Foogoo]

Woah, that's a lot of videos. Sorry about that, and here is what to look for if you make it a few days after the flight.

Do you remember what species dug these founding chambers? The mound shape and exposed entrance look distinctively different from the Dorymyrmex chambers that have recently flew.

[Gregory2455]

Pogonomyrmex rugosus.

[kellakk]

Different species have different founding chambers.  I think a lot of it has to do with the size of the queen's mandibles, but the way they pile the dirt also is different.

[dspdrew]

Most of the founding chambers I have seen look just like the founding chambers that P. rugosus make. The only other ants I have seen that make founding chambers like Dorymyrmex insanus were Pheidole xerophila. I of course have only seen founding chambers from some species of ants, so those are the only ones I can speak of.

[BrittonLS]

So, I've been really confused whether or not I should be looking for flights with how much rain and flooding has been going on in Texas. It seems to have let up now, but still lots of flooding left over. Do you think ants have already flown during the intermittent heavy rain? Do you think it's 'too' wet for some ants? Should I wait for the ground to dry up some? Should I be out trying to dig up chambers? It also hasn't gotten too hot yet, yesterday was only 70 or 75, though it might get up to 80s today or soon.

I'd especially like to find Pogonomyrmex, but others like camponotus would be nice too if it's not too late for them. It's probably a little early for p.barbatus too.

[dspdrew]

Once the ground starts to dry out, and temps get closer to 80, I bet you will find some queens flying. A lot of queens fly right after dark too, so you need to check the temperatures at the time it gets dark. If it's around 70F or above after dark, then there should probably be something flying. Also, you can always look for founding chambers in open dirt areas in case you already missed their flight.

[AntsTexas]

what do the Pogonomyrmex founding chambers look like? / how do i find them? in case i missed them flying, i read somewhere on here about half-moon shaped dirt leading into the nest/colony but i looked around here where i live i found some but  they were some other kind of ants.....

Edited by Ant Man, June 1 2015 - 8:30 AM.

[dspdrew]

There are pictures of them on this thread and it tells exactly how to find them. Did you read it?

[AntsTexas]

sorry should hav read the whole thing b4 posting this

[Kwitzats]

Uv light! I would of never thought of that!

[Crystals]

I know there are several types of UV lights, but here is a simple design I had never seen before (courtesy of Nick from http://www.chameleonforums.com). Just add an escape barrier and ants can not climb out.

 

 

I suspect I will make something like this to catch some feeder insects for my ants.

It can be made out of wood, corregated platic, or even a square pail.

 

 

Other than that, I tend to find most of my queens running down my driveway, or under stones.

[Foogoo]

I bet you can make that pretty easily with a rectangular bucket and UV lamp or LEDs for a quick and cheap blacklight trap! I'd do it if I didn't already make mine.

[William. T]

Backlighting works! I attended a seminar and the guy there caught a massive batch of Myrmica. Backlighting also attracts some of the common white moths that make Okayish table fare for ants.  

Edited by William. T, September 23 2015 - 6:26 PM.