842 replies to this topic

[Irishmate03112002]

He got one Veromessor andrei and a dozen Solenopsis molesta.

Edited by Irishmate03112002, May 28 2018 - 11:07 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

Just waiting to see the thousands of queens we all know YsTheAnt caught today.

Surprisingly underwhelming, 1 V. Andrei, collected a small monomorium colony, 12 S. molesta, 2 Tetramorium and 1 Pheidole sp. 4. We're kind of in between summer and spring flights, it's quite odd. Veromessor hasn't had big flights, Liometopum and Pheidole are hanging out, kinda flying but not the biggest ones yet, S. molesta is out in droves, but Camponotus is no where to be found.

Edited by YsTheAnt, May 29 2018 - 6:23 AM.

[Jadeninja9]

“Underwhelming”

[antsinmypants]

 

Just waiting to see the thousands of queens we all know YsTheAnt caught today.

Surprisingly underwhelming, 1 V. Andrei, collected a small monomorium colony, 12 S. molesta, 2 Tetramorium and 1 Pheidole sp. 4. We're kind of in between summer and spring flights, it's quite odd. Veromessor hasn't had big flights, Liometopum and Pheidole are hanging out, kinda flying but not the biggest ones yet, S. molesta is out in droves, but Camponotus is no where to be found.

 

 

 

Where did you find them ants, YsTheAnt? And how did you come up with your moniker? I'm going to be the Bay Area this coming Sunday morning (June 3rd), and I need the best possible recommendation that you can give me so that I can catch some Veromessor and Pheidole queens. I was contemplating going to San Pedro Valley Park via the Montara Mountain Trail.

[Derpy]

He caught majority of them using a Black light. The Veromessor and Tetramorium were found on the ground.

[YsTheAnt]

Just waiting to see the thousands of queens we all know YsTheAnt caught today.

Surprisingly underwhelming, 1 V. Andrei, collected a small monomorium colony, 12 S. molesta, 2 Tetramorium and 1 Pheidole sp. 4. We're kind of in between summer and spring flights, it's quite odd. Veromessor hasn't had big flights, Liometopum and Pheidole are hanging out, kinda flying but not the biggest ones yet, S. molesta is out in droves, but Camponotus is no where to be found.

 
 
Where did you find them ants, YsTheAnt? And how did you come up with your moniker? I'm going to be the Bay Area this coming Sunday morning (June 3rd), and I need the best possible recommendation that you can give me so that I can catch some Veromessor and Pheidole queens. I was contemplating going to San Pedro Valley Park via the Montara Mountain Trail.

Edgewood Park is great for all of those species I believe, and pheidole is attracted to black light or street lights.

By moniker I assume you mean my ID? I looked at the species I have caught before, compared antennal features and such, and came to those conclusions, which are pretty accurate IMO. Oh, just caught a handful more tetramorium too, look around, they are everywhere!

[sirjordanncurtis]

So, big find today. This morning, i found over a hundred tetramorium queens on my mom's silver prius all drowning  . Hopefully they're not all infertile or something

[YsTheAnt]

Just caught more, I think I’m at around 15 tetramorium queens, almost 20. My friends think I’m crazy, staring at the ground between classes .

[antsinmypants]

By moniker I meant your handle or name, YsTheAnt. What does it mean or what is the significance of it? Mine is pretty obvious, though, I sometimes think I should have branded myself with 'iDigAnts.'

[YsTheAnt]

Oh haha. My initials and then “the ant” because I like Ants . Mostly impromptu, doesn’t really mean much hehe.

Edited by YsTheAnt, May 29 2018 - 10:24 AM.

[sericultivist]

The Pheidole here fly at night, then? I saw Pheidole californica, S. Molesta and S. Xyloni swarming yesterday, but nothing took off. I left because it was dark and I had no flashlight. Man, I need to get a blacklight. Tetramorium and Veromessor weren't swarming over there.

[YsTheAnt]

The Pheidole here fly at night, then? I saw Pheidole californica, S. Molesta and S. Xyloni swarming yesterday, but nothing took off. I left because it was dark and I had no flashlight. Man, I need to get a blacklight. Tetramorium and Veromessor weren't swarming over there.

I believe so. I have seen them taking off right at sunset, and caught two on my black light.

[Irishmate03112002]

For me I see them swarming just after dusk when it's still 80 degrees.

[sericultivist]

 

The Pheidole here fly at night, then? I saw Pheidole californica, S. Molesta and S. Xyloni swarming yesterday, but nothing took off. I left because it was dark and I had no flashlight. Man, I need to get a blacklight. Tetramorium and Veromessor weren't swarming over there.

I believe so. I have seen them taking off right at sunset, and caught two on my black light.

 

 

For me I see them swarming just after dusk when it's still 80 degrees.

 

Yeah I noticed the same thing, swarming at dusk when it's 80 degrees. None of them took off though, as far as I could tell. And the Solenopsis xyloni simply just went back into their nests. A real shame too, since I really want xyloni.

 

What times were you seeing things come to your blacklights? I'm going out pretty far and I don't want to get stranded in the middle of a park again.

Edited by sericultivist, May 29 2018 - 11:29 AM.

[miksha]

Hi guys! I went to san bruno mountain and saw some ants today! Can you identify these? 

 

https://imgur.com/a/YyqLrKJ

 

Some kind of camponotus in a ground nest, but it seems different than camponotus vicinus. The soldiers had big scary red heads!

 

I also found and ant queen! What species is this and what do I feed her? Still didn't find a camponotus queen but I'll keep trying 

 

 

Lastly: I hear talk about pheidole in the bay area? Do these stinging red ants even exist here? I've only seen they way down near los angeles never up here!

Edited by miksha, May 29 2018 - 6:19 PM.

[sirjordanncurtis]

Hi guys! I went to san bruno mountain and saw some ants today! Can you identify these? 

 

https://imgur.com/a/YyqLrKJ

 

Some kind of camponotus in a ground nest, but it seems different than camponotus vicinus. The soldiers had big scary red heads!

 

I also found and ant queen! What species is this and what do I feed her? Still didn't find a camponotus queen but I'll keep trying 

 

 

Lastly: I hear talk about pheidole in the bay area? Do these stinging red ants even exist here? I've only seen they way down near los angeles never up here!

 

Nice Job!

[LC3]

Camponotus vicinus is pretty variable in colour, all black, black & various shades of red, yellow + various browns, etc. Not really sure what other ant they may be other then C. novaeboracensis (or a Myrmentoma sp. but it doesn't seem like it) but those tend to be much more consistent in colour (black head+gaster, dark red thorax) and are associated with forests and wood. 

 

Pheidole don't sting, and yeah they do exist there. Apparently someone found P. californica (Which occurs as far north as BC, Canada) flying around SF yesterday.

 

https://www.inatural...ations/12919074

Edited by LC3, May 29 2018 - 6:59 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

@Miksha, Pheidole is quite common in the oak forest of the Bay Area. You can catch many queens at night on streetlights, or via blacklight.

I have a similar camponotus species in my area as the ones you found, I believe they are a different color morph of C. vicinus.

As for that queen, it is a Formica Sp.

Edited by YsTheAnt, May 29 2018 - 7:13 PM.

[Jadeninja9]

Hahahaha nice finds guys

[YsTheAnt]

Hahahaha nice finds guys

Alright lemme help you out.

Check out Coyote Point at night, best time to catch Camponotus Vicinus queens (though you will most likely have to wait till next season). Apparently there are also Aphaenogaster there, but not sure. Check black diamond mines in Antioch, heatwaves from September to November trigger Pogonomyrmex flights there. In March, there are Myrmecocystus testaceus flights too. If you want to exact location of where to find them in the park, PM me. Also, look on antweb! I am sure you will find areas with ant diversity near you there.

Also, blacklight near any undisturbed areas. The odds are that you will catch droves of Solenopsis molesta, Pheidole, and more.

After you locate a spot, it's all about monitoring the weather, checking for previous flight dates and conditions, and matching the two together. The Ants California Facebook group is very useful for getting flight data for the Bay Area, as lots of antkeepers.

I do all of the above things, and have caught 100+ queens this season.

Edited by YsTheAnt, May 29 2018 - 7:19 PM.