7 replies to this topic

[Evanthomas89]

Crematogaster sp. 

 

Collected on 8/16/2017 at 6 PM

Conditions: 85 F, very humid

Queen Size: around 10 mm 

Location: Howell, NJ 

 

 

I found this queen on my porch in a small container of water I leave under my porch light to trap queens. I know this isn't exactly the most efficient method but it's an inexpensive and passive method that works well for the area I have to work with. The funny thing about this queen is that I usually find queens in the morning or at night when they are attracted to the porch light and she was found during the day when there wasn't much of a reason for her to be attracted to that spot so I felt very lucky to find her. 

 

Once I brought her inside and plugged up her test tube she immediately settled down. I'm starting to wonder if it's the lack of a draft but I've noticed many of my queens stop panicking and just begin grooming when I plug up their test tube set up with a cotton ball. I did get to take a short video of her before putting her away in the box I have for my founding queens and I noticed she was nice and relaxed. I'm hoping that's a good sign. Either way I'll keep this journal updated with her progress and I will add links to her videos at the bottom of this post. I also got some video of a wild Crematogaster colony about ten miles away from me at a friend's house and will add that link as well. 

 

If anybody else had any experience with Crematogaster queens before please share with me so I can know what to expect from her. 

 

 

 

New Queen Video

Wild Workers Video

[MegaMyrmex]

There was a massive nuptial flight yesterday, and i snagged about 24 queens. I myself am trying to raisw up some colonies of these ants as well.

[VoidElecent]

Does anyone know what time of day Cremaotgaster fly? I've been told they fly in the morning, although there have been many reports of queens flying to blacklights. I understand this likely varies by region, so if you like in the Mid-Atlantic and have witnessed a flight would you mid filling me in?

[Evanthomas89]

There was a massive nuptial flight yesterday, and i snagged about 24 queens. I myself am trying to raisw up some colonies of these ants as well.

 

That must be why one happened to fall into my water trap haha. 

 

Does anyone know what time of day Cremaotgaster fly? I've been told they fly in the morning, although there have been many reports of queens flying to blacklights. I understand this likely varies by region, so if you like in the Mid-Atlantic and have witnessed a flight would you mid filling me in?

 

I'm guessing sometime between noon and 6 pm? 

[MegaMyrmex]

Well in MD, I am not sure what time they flew but the queens were EVERYWHERE from around 1pm or 2pm all the way to about 5pm or 6pm.

[VoidElecent]

Well in MD, I am not sure what time they flew but the queens were EVERYWHERE from around 1pm or 2pm all the way to about 5pm or 6pm.

 

I'm guessing sometime between noon and 6 pm? 

 

This is all very useful, have either of you located colonies near the sites of the flights? I know of two locations home to particularly large Crematogaster cerasi colonies, and I was trying to decide whether it'd be worth taking a trip to those areas if the conditions were right.

[Evanthomas89]

 

Well in MD, I am not sure what time they flew but the queens were EVERYWHERE from around 1pm or 2pm all the way to about 5pm or 6pm.

 

I'm guessing sometime between noon and 6 pm? 

 

This is all very useful, have either of you located colonies near the sites of the flights? I know of two locations home to particularly large Crematogaster cerasi colonies, and I was trying to decide whether it'd be worth taking a trip to those areas if the conditions were right.

 

 

I have found a few but none nearby my house. I don't really go anting much in my neighborhood but have found a couple of colonies within 8-12miles from home. 

[Evanthomas89]

I've got three Crematogaster queens now, none of which have laid eggs so I'm assuming they're waiting until after diapause.