918 replies to this topic

[TennesseeAnts]

 

Here they are. 

 

Yes I know only 2 are queens, but I have about 15 actual queens. They seem to be easy to determine by head size. Lol. Thank you!!! I also forgot to post the brachymyrmex. I have only got 3 queens of these. So here is a pic of her. 

 

Very pretty queen!

[ANTdrew]

Boom! I got two C. castaneus queens at my blacklight tonight. Males were everywhere. I also found a Nylanderia queen.

[TennesseeAnts]

Boom! I got two C. castaneus queens at my blacklight tonight. Males were everywhere. I also found a Nylanderia queen.

I got a castaneus male at my light. Didn't get any queens, but I know they flew now. The area I live in has too high of a clay content in the soil, so I have to drive 4 miles to the park to get them. I'll go this Sunday when I go there for Trachymyrmex. I'll look under some rocks for the new queens. What type of soil have you seen Camponotus castaneus in? I've only seen them in sandy soil.

[ANTdrew]

This was actually in my backyard, which is straight marine clay! I’ve only ever seen a dead worker in spider webs before, so this flight really surprised me. I see them most abundant in my parents’ yard, which is a much softer clay-loam soil in an area with lots of old growth trees. I can’t even really think of anywhere around me that has sandy soil other than some river banks.

[TennesseeAnts]

This was actually in my backyard, which is straight marine clay! I’ve only ever seen a dead worker in spider webs before, so this flight really surprised me. I see them most abundant in my parents’ yard, which is a much softer clay-loam soil in an area with lots of old growth trees. I can’t even really think of anywhere around me that has sandy soil other than some river banks.

Those river banks would do it. I've found a couple populations on the edges of rivers. Found ssone Trachymyrmex septentrionalis on one too!

[ANTdrew]

Wow! A Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen just sauntered by me this afternoon while drinking beer at the Washington Sailing Marina! This is where I find all my Crematogaster queens, too.

[Antkid12]

Does anybody know a good place to look for Pheidole?

Edited by Antkid12, June 18 2020 - 4:02 AM.

[ANTdrew]

I’m not familiar with anywhere in NOVA. I’ll be trying my blacklight once it warms up again.

[VenomousBeast]

Does anybody know a good place to looks for Pheidole?

Pheidole are kinda hard to spot and find. They have nuptial flights at dusk and I've only ever seen them fly in June and August. Normally after a rainfall. If you look for them in a flight be sure to have a flashlight to see them, but also a blacklight setup works GREAT. If you're looking for a colony, they aren't too hard to spot, you just need to get close to the ground as they are rather small. Find one and follow it back. Up here, it's one of few species that I'm ok with digging up because they can have multiple queens and I always dig up at least 2 and then put one back to keep them going! Oh, also, you don't really dig down for them, it's more across. I'd say after digging 6 inches, I'd look for tunnels going to the sides.

[ANTdrew]

VB, you really need to share all this info before you leave.

[Antkid12]

Cool! thanks for the info, I have only seen 1 Pheidole pilfera minor, and a bunch of Pheidole tysoni where I live, but never a queen.

[VenomousBeast]

VB, you really need to share all this info before you leave.

I'll sure do my best!!! Any other species that you guys want to find?? I have a rather good way of finding most of them!

Edited by VenomousBeast, June 18 2020 - 5:36 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Nuptial flights in NOVA for:
Trachymyrmex
Formica
Non-parasitic Lasius
Monomorium minimum

Edited by ANTdrew, June 18 2020 - 7:47 AM.

[RushmoreAnts]

Non-parasitic Lasius

I still don’t get what’s wrong with your Lasius.......... 🤣

[ANTdrew]

Damned if I know...

[Antkid12]

I've never seen non-parasitic lasius fly, yet they are one of the most abundant species in my yard!

[RushmoreAnts]

Here you can’t be outside for a second and not see them fly.

[FeedTheAnts]

I've never seen non-parasitic lasius fly, yet they are one of the most abundant species in my yard!

Once, in Tennessee, I saw a huge flight of Lasius. It was impossible to walk outside for about two hours because they were flying in my eyes and mouth. Most were males, but by the end of the flight you could see "clumps" of ants in the air as they were mating.

Edited by FeedTheAnts, June 18 2020 - 10:16 AM.

[NickAnter]

 In the sierras, the wings lit up in the evening sun, and it was a truly beautiful sight to see. Then, the molesta flew, and, each colony sent up one huge clump of alates, which could be seen high in the sky hundreds of feet away.

[RushmoreAnts]

And people say Lasius are boring.