842 replies to this topic

[Thunder_Birds]

Yeah, any time! Well, I have kept this picture below for awhile and I think it is helpful. So, it depends on what kind of ant you want, but those are the months you can find different kinds of queen ants. Um, day is preferably the good time to find queen ants.

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[RushmoreAnts]

This is mostly for the MidWest/NorthEast. California has a completely different set of species.

[Thunder_Birds]

Ok, well I found this: http://www.biodivers...ecies-list.html

Here is kinda all the types of species for America. So, PaxxMantid just look on this website for SW (South West) next to the ant species.

Edited by Thunder_Birds, March 10 2020 - 2:13 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

The queen ant spotting and mating chart here is far more accurate and detailed than AC’s videos... Good luck anting!

[Vern530]

The best method for me has been finding local colonies, collecting a few workers and narrowing down the I’d through formiculture or other resources .then once you have an I’d search the forums and the web to pin down a flight- time of year and temps -then when the temps start getting close in that specific time of year start constantly observe those colonies or as much as possible.I've had lots of access to queens in high numbers this way .

[ANTdrew]

Hi all - I am. a relatively new antkeeper, and am now living in Sonoma County. I live next to a giant wetland area in Petaluma, which seems like it would be productive! Does anyone have any tips about when to go hunting, where, etc? There hasn't been much rain, but some warm days around here. I am trying to get my head around how to know when to go search for ants!

Welcome back, man. I hope you can find some cool queens soon. Do you still have your old colonies?

[BugFinder]

I’m in Santa Rosa and have available colonies if that’s of interest let me know

 

What do you have avaialble?  any large camponotous sp?

[JenC]

I’m in Santa Rosa and have available colonies if that’s of interest let me know

What do you have avaialble? any large camponotous sp?

That person said that in 2018 btw.

[PaxxMantid]

 

Hi all - I am. a relatively new antkeeper, and am now living in Sonoma County. I live next to a giant wetland area in Petaluma, which seems like it would be productive! Does anyone have any tips about when to go hunting, where, etc? There hasn't been much rain, but some warm days around here. I am trying to get my head around how to know when to go search for ants!

Welcome back, man. I hope you can find some cool queens soon. Do you still have your old colonies?

 

 

Thanks!  They were all ok when I put them in the fridge. They come out tomorrow - I am hopeful they will be ok.  

[Jadeninja9]

Hi all - I am. a relatively new antkeeper, and am now living in Sonoma County. I live next to a giant wetland area in Petaluma, which seems like it would be productive! Does anyone have any tips about when to go hunting, where, etc? There hasn't been much rain, but some warm days around here. I am trying to get my head around how to know when to go search for ants!

Nuptial flight time of day and time of year will vary with species. They will usually happen on a warm day, but chances increase on a warm day after a rainy one. On days like those, you could find a queen ant anywhere, at any time, so keep your eyes peeled. For instance, all the Camponotus vicinus queens I caught last year were in my house. Some species will have nuptial flights and the queens will hide and come out later to dig a chamber. For instance Prenolepis imparis flies around the afternoon(in the first quarter of the year), and you could catch newly mated queens then, or, you could wait awhile until about 5-6 and find them, usually wingless, scurrying around. I found it easiest to look for them on sidewalks or roads around this time, just easier to spot. It sounds like your property would be a haven for ants, so as long as you keep your eyes peeled you should find at least one queen there this year.

Here’s a list of Bay Area species: https://www.antweb.o...ect=bayareaants
-The map option allows you to see exactly where specimens were found.

Edited by Jadeninja9, March 18 2020 - 12:08 AM.

[zantezaint]

I heard SF is in complete lockdown. I hope you guys are handling this well.

[irvosanjose]

For those of you in the Bay Area have successfully kept Prenolepis Imparis colonies, do you keep them at room temp or in cooler for a number of months a year? I have a colony that has 6 nanitics all about a year old or more. They are in an AusAnts small ytong formicarium. I can't seem to get them to grow more. Thanks!

[RushmoreAnts]

For those of you in the Bay Area have successfully kept Prenolepis Imparis colonies, do you keep them at room temp or in cooler for a number of months a year? I have a colony that has 6 nanitics all about a year old or more. They are in an AusAnts small ytong formicarium. I can't seem to get them to grow more. Thanks!

People often have trouble getting these to lay after hibernation (or presumably during spring if they don't hibernate, which I believe is your case).

[BugFinder]

I know a good place for Camponotus, Mt. Diablo. I'll let u guys know when I plan to beg my parents to take me there, since I know a guy that likes ants and lives near there.

Apparently, the place he goes to at the base of Diablo is good for Camponotus Vicinus, some unknown mytmentoma Camponotus, and Camponotus Quercicolas.

I'd love to get a C. Vicinus queen!!

[Jadeninja9]

I know a good place for Camponotus, Mt. Diablo. I'll let u guys know when I plan to beg my parents to take me there, since I know a guy that likes ants and lives near there.

Apparently, the place he goes to at the base of Diablo is good for Camponotus Vicinus, some unknown mytmentoma Camponotus, and Camponotus Quercicolas.

I'd love to get a C. Vicinus queen!!

I have two you could message me if you’re interested

[BugFinder]

 

 

I know a good place for Camponotus, Mt. Diablo. I'll let u guys know when I plan to beg my parents to take me there, since I know a guy that likes ants and lives near there.

Apparently, the place he goes to at the base of Diablo is good for Camponotus Vicinus, some unknown mytmentoma Camponotus, and Camponotus Quercicolas.

I'd love to get a C. Vicinus queen!!

I have two you could message me if you’re interested

 

Message sent!

[rcbuggy88]

I have an opportunity to go somewhere Wednesday, the weather says 90+ and it rained yesterday. Any recommendations? I'm thinking either Mt. Diablo, or somewhere closer on the Peninsula like El Corte for some good biking but not sure yet. Any of you guys planning on going out that day if so where?

[JenC]

What are you looking for?

[NickAnter]

I might be able to go up to the Merced area on the 13th. Hoping for tetras and L. luctuosum. which, along with occidentale, is prevalent there.

[rcbuggy88]

What are you looking for?

I don't have much of a collection yet, but I'm basically looking for non-tetramorium. Also excluding Argentines and Tapinoma. From the AntWeb Species list for the Bay Area, they list some Myrmecocystus near Mt. Diablo which would be cool but probably unlikely to find. I also would be interested in finding basically anything else including more various Camponotus, as well as Pheidole, Crematogaster, Veromessor, Formica, etc... 

 

For the 13th, I'm probably free so it would be cool to look for the Liometopum (got some now). On the satellite maps, its mostly farms around the Merced Area, and the closest forests would be either something like Henry Coe, or Tahoe? I'd love to go anting with you though, and I have plenty of extra Tetra.

Edited by rcbuggy88, June 26 2020 - 11:07 AM.