7 replies to this topic

[AnthonyP163]

on June 18th, I, Mdrogun, and Cheeto sat in a call all night. When the suggestion came up to check the Tetramorium hills, what was found was actually extensive evidence that shows typical Tetramorium flight behavior and tendencies. 

 

Flight times:

June 18th 2018

~1:40AM
 

Tetramorium immigrans flying at 1 AM

https://www.youtube....h?v=GeM93JKpLzI

~4:00AM
 

4:34AM
 

Naperville ^

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNcL5AaY7o3DGOULRq8lkdhWRwEnVNgJy176QPJNZTlfbmk8b5tGUdBooYPQBWKsg/photo/AF1QipNiF-RfyJR4xXp34AU59Y3WUcDpeaVxS66lnOVl?key=S3VVakd3LVhGeUphdl9lWV9sc3BYdUFVSGlmVmNB

Chicago

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNeQoxG5UdePnurChkuFgEPWw7kxoVaD_8A3nOzfqlDCtEsXjYn1C-sB-yWkAraEQ/photo/AF1QipM13ll-47h2Rdd-EwKJKvfbUw2mnwrF9ZSD4P4W?key=RXQzOXZvb09xVVQ2UVh1aUxBMVNYRGh1STJCaGl3

1:37-1:39AM

Alates were spreading out at 4:33AM at Colony 1 (Cheeto)

male alates started flying at: 4:34AM at Colony 2 (Nolan)

Tetramorium queen was found at a blacklight at 4:34AM (Nolan)

Light had just started to hit the ground, it’s a definite que for the flights of this species.

Queens of observed colony started flying at: 4:36AM at Colony 2 (Nolan)

Other colony flights: 4:41AM at Colony 1 (Cheeto)

Dealate queen found at 5:02AM (Nolan)

Alternate location dealate queen found: 5:43AM (Cheeto)

 

This evidence seems to show that Tetramorium immigrans congregate at the nests on warm, humid nights. It was 78-79 fahrenheit all night, and around 70-80% humidity. As it gets closer to sunrise, the amounts of alates increased over time. As it reached sunrise (around 4:30AM) alates took off almost immediately. Sunrise appears to be the definite cue for this species in some cases. We plan to test this again next week, possibly with the addition of another antkeeper in New Jersey to see if the habits are the same for different populations.

 

This data could be totally misleading, but it seems to make sense. Next time we test this I may post it here.

 

Best time to look for Tetramorium immigrans is likely 5:00AM and past.

 

Good luck catching, we hope this is useful.

Edited by AnthonyP163, June 18 2018 - 5:43 AM.

[AntsAreUs]

I would agree with the time of day to look, 5 am - 10 am. I normally every year find them flying early June - early July. I can sometimes find them as far as into August.

[AnthonyP163]

I would agree with the time of day to look, 5 am - 10 am. I normally every year find them flying early June - early July. I can sometimes find them as far as into August.

Yep. It seems they won't have their flights again until next week and we'll likely do this again, next time with more people in different places. This flight was sort of small in terms of the number of colonies that flew.

[AnthonyP163]

This time, I went outside at about 4 am and I am the only one who did it, other than a keeper in northern WI who did not find any evidence of Tetramorium immigrans flights. Our previous theory that Tetramorium immigrans flies when the sky begins to brighten. 

 

June 28th/June 29th

Waukesha, Wisconsin

 

Video/Picture evidence:

 

Sorry for bad footage, taken with my phone but it still shows how many queens flew from this one colony.

 

 

Colony able to view sunrise Y/N: Yes (almost all)

 

Temperature, humidity, and last rain: 68-75f, ~87%, last rain 2 days ago.

 

Artificial sunlight Y/N - Reaction to Artificial sunlight: No

 

Extra/Summary:

 

Out of the 44 colonies I observed that took flight on the morning of June 29th, only four of them were not in direct view of the suns morning rays. Many dealates varied in size, as did the size of flights. Mature colonies that I have noticed years ago produced and released hundreds of alates, often climbing on the tips of grass and sometimes taking off of the pavement.

 

Multiple colonies had thousands of workers and hundreds of alates, taking up the whole sidewalk in some areas. This created an opportunity for casualties as they occasionally get squished.

 

When the time came to fly as the sky shifted from dark to a faint blue, the workers tend to spread out around the pavement as a way of creating a safe area to fly off. It was evident that there was flights within the area when a faint buzz could be heard, as the female and male alates took off and failed to become airborne. Mating took place between 4 and 6 am, and queens weren’t uncommon to find stranded in some dew on a car.

 

The queens could then be found running along the pavement and even around the edge of forests and fields.

 

Timeline with minor details:

 

4:06AM random males found flying about on sidewalk

 

4:07AM colonies found having nuptial flights, releasing dozens of females and males to the surface and pavement.

 

4:25AM it seems males fly before queens do, as most observed colonies had only males flying​

 

4:28AM first colony seen with queens taking off

 

5:04AM first dealate found

[MegaMyrmex]

I find them most common in the morning. However, I've had no success this year and I haven't seen any dealates, I only find alates, mostly temnothorax, that fly to my porch light.

[CheetoLord02]

(Cheeto here) morning of 6/28 I found 28 de-alate tetramorium immigrans queens at 8:00-8:30 AM. just figured I'd add this because why not.

[TKD102]

I must be looking for them at the wrong times then, I have been finding very little at around 11 am. After reading this post, I think it would be good for me to start earlier now.

[StayLoki]

Anyone in PA and want to buy one?? Lol