4 replies to this topic

[AntsMissouri]

So Formica sp. fly from late June to early August, and that time is here so I was curious; what particular time during the day do they fly? (I've found with Tetramorium sp. E and Tapinoma sessile I can isolate this time to a two hour block and I was curious if anyone else had done the same with these genus). I realize they're most active during the day, but I wanted something a bit more specific than that. If it comes down to the particular species, I'm most interested Formica Rubicunda(this is what I've found near me).

[Batspiderfish]

Formica are morning fliers, although, from what I've witnessed, they release alates over a longer period of time than Tetramorium would. I only have a few records for F. rubicunda, but they seem to be situated around late July.

 

I'm raising Formica rubicunda myself, and the queen I caught last year is on her first four pupae. I remember a lot of discussion from earlier years as to whether certain species of sanguinea-group Formica are facultative or obligate raiders, but literature seems to imply that they are all facultative.

Edited by Batspiderfish, June 22 2017 - 5:04 AM.

[AntsMissouri]

Formica are morning fliers, although, from what I've witnessed, they release alates over a longer period of time than Tetramorium would. I only have a few records for F. rubicunda, but they seem to be situated around late July.

 

I'm raising Formica rubicunda myself, and the queen I caught last year is on her first four pupae. I remember a lot of discussion from earlier years as to whether certain species of sanguinea-group Formica are facultative or obligate raiders, but literature seems to imply that they are all facultative.

 

Thanks for the feedback and interesting info! I'm hoping I ID'd them correctly, but I'm rather unexperienced. If one particularly crazy ant enthusiast were to want to watch for their morning flight, would they(not me of course ) start watching at maybe 4:30 AM?

[Batspiderfish]

Thanks for the feedback and interesting info! I'm hoping I ID'd them correctly, but I'm rather unexperienced. If one particularly crazy ant enthusiast were to want to watch for their morning flight, would they(not me of course ) start watching at maybe 4:30 AM?

 

I haven't been awake that early looking for ants, but I've seen colonies releasing alates so late as 10 AM, and I find queens into the afternoon. It may be dependent on environmental conditions, which are kind of tricky where I live, in Maine.

[spytim]

I am also very interesting in this, living in South Carolina I've never seen a Formica queen out and about and I'm out every day.