10 replies to this topic

[AntsAreUs]

When should I look for a nuptial flight? When I do catch a nuptial flight do I catch any alate and dealate I see, even the ones coming out of the colonies? How can I prevent my test tubes from building up a ton of condensation, this has happened to all my new test tubes.

[Gregory2455]

We have various threads on this, I think there should be one compiled thread of all the previous ones, and just pinned in anting, as there is a new thread like this every month. It is not your fault for posting it, as the last ones are already long lost in the list of threads.

[Crystals]

Check out the "Starting Your Own Colony" section in: http://forum.formicu...-for-beginners/

 

Catch as many as you want, at least 5 is a good point as it isn't unusual for queens to die in the weeks following the flight due to injuries or parasites.

As for the queens coming out of the nests - they are usually infertile, unless you see actual mating taking place on the ground.  Unless you see them mating, don't bother collecting them.

 

Condensation is a matter of it being moist inside the tube, as well as warmer inside the tube than outside of it.

[AntsAreUs]

Unless you see them mating, don't bother collecting them.

What about if I see dealates coming out of the colony, I seen this with Aphaenogaster.

[Crystals]

What about if I see dealates coming out of the colony, I seen this with Aphaenogaster.

Not too sure about them.  I know that some fly, but I have also heard of reports of them mating in the nest.  You can try it and post the results - you can even grab some of the workers since they are from the same colony and this will skip the founding stage.

[Foogoo]

Along the same lines of the thread, do queens mate before or after leaving the nest or does it vary among species?

[Crystals]

Usually once they are in the air, but it does vary by species.  In a very few species, the queen rarely (or never) flies, and it is the males that go looking for the queens.

[dspdrew]

I know quite a few species where the alates leave the nest, but mate on the ground and then fly away.

[AntsAreUs]

Again what is the best way to catch a nuptial flight, I seem to not be able to see much at all. This leads to me not finding very much

[Crystals]

It really depends on the species around you.  I know of 3 large flights every year that I run into simply because I practically live outside in summer, and those species fly by the thousands in my location.  That being said, I can go over a month without seeing any queens.

 

For species with smaller flights, it is more of a case of luck in finding them.  You can also watch the Ant flight list for when people post flights in your area.

 

For people who don't go outside very much, you options are a bit more limited.  Do you have a pool?  Check it several times a day.  Do you have an outside light?  Replace the bulb with a blacklight bulb and drape a sheet under it, check it every couple hours at night while the light is on.

[dspdrew]

Gaige Daughtrey

 

Have you ever seen this thread?

 

http://forum.formicu...or-when-anting/