113 replies to this topic

[Kaelwizard]

I don’t know about you guys, but Myrmica species are very common in my area. I have found 6 Myrmica queens since I’ve started ant keeping.

[TennesseeAnts]

I don’t know about you guys, but Myrmica species are very common in my area. I have found 6 Myrmica queens since I’ve started ant keeping.

I've found 206 in the last 2 years.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, June 12 2019 - 9:57 AM.

[Jamiesname]

I spent the evening looking for Camponotus, even though temps have still been too low. Just a week ago we had an overnight low of 38 about 40 miles south of Alpena. Day time temps are too chilly also with highs in the high 60's or low 70's.

Anyways, I checked on a couple of my traps in some areas with high C. Americanus populations. In one location I found a single slate female hunkered down under my board, wings still intact. In another area, about a mile away, it was a repeat of the previous location with a single alate under my board. This time though I put her in a ziploc bag thinking that since there were 2 that maybe they did actually fly the night before in the lower temps, and that maybe she would shed her wings later.

I checked under another board where I knew that there was a very large nest. This time male and female alates went scrambling back down their holes. When I saw that I knew that they didn't actually fly, but must have come close one or two nights ago. I ended up catching a male to toss in with the female just to fan the flame of hope and left. Now he's dead and she still has her wings. No surprise.

When I got home I waited until 10pm and walked around a few parking lots on the edge of small forests with nothing to report, just as I figured since the other alates hadn't flown that I checked on earlier in the day.


I suppose all of this is just a long and complicated way to say that we haven't missed it yet. We just need some warmer weather. I'll keep checking everyday and I'll post when successful.

[Kaelwizard]

I found some C. pennsylvanicus and novaeboracensis. queens. My friend got one. She bit of her wings the next day so hopefully he gets a colony going.

The local Tetramorium colony’s have alate brood. Hopefully I can get a queen as there are tons of colonies on this one path.

[enflamingo]

has Tetramorium had their flight?

[Kaelwizard]

No. The colonies I saw had alate larvae. Looked about ready to pupate. I found a queen on August 26 last year. I’m positive that it was a tetra too.

[enflamingo]

ok I'm looking forward to catching some this year. 

[Kaelwizard]

I found a huge Lasius colony. It was one of those super bright yellow ones. (Like latipes, aphidicola, or nearcticus). I am looking forward to getting queens from this colony.

[Kaelwizard]

Camponotus pennsylvanicus flight. Only spotted males.

[enflamingo]

Only spotted males.

ah i got a queen today

[Kaelwizard]

Only spotted males.

ah i got a queen today

Nice!

[Kaelwizard]

Yesterday I found a Lasius colony with a huge amount of alate pupae! They should fly around late July to early August I assume.

I’m just waiting for the Formica to start flying.

Edited by Kaelwizard, July 2 2019 - 10:37 AM.

[Subs_and_Ships]

I’ve gotten 4 Camponotus pennsylvanicus, wings were gone already. It was just north of pinconning

[Kaelwizard]

Might look for Tetramorium today

[Kaelwizard]

Just rained Monday through today. It’ll be 90-96 on Thursday and Friday. I’m going anting for sure.

Edited by Kaelwizard, July 17 2019 - 5:47 AM.

[enflamingo]

Just rained Monday through today. It’ll be 90-96 on Thursday and Friday. I’m going anting for sure.

same here. perfect opportunity for finding some new queens.

[enflamingo]

just got a tetramorium immigrans queen earlier

[Kaelwizard]

just got a tetramorium immigrans queen earlier

I am about to explode. Good luck!

[AntJohnny]

I caught about 2 dozen Camponotus queens. I let about half go that had blood mites on them. But I just checked them all and nearly all of them had eggs already. One queen laid eggs the day after I caught her. Has anyone seen any other species of queens fly yet.

[Kaelwizard]

I found a dead Ph. pilifera queen in a spider web. Was probably fertile- it had no wings.