10 replies to this topic

[antsinmypants]

I found this alate about 2:30 pm today while anting. I figured with the warm weather and the last rainfall a week ago, now would be a good time to look (think global warming). She seemed a bit wobbly, and I don't know if she was newly mated yesterday or today, if that. I found no other alates nor did I discover any newly dug nests, and I covered a lot of territory to find her. Maybe I'll go looking again tomorrow towards the noon hour. Wish me luck if I do. 

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[Gregory2455]

I think she is an infertile dud cast out by a colony.

[Alza]

Doubt its fertile. Some queens just run off and don't even turn back. 

[Chromerust]

I wouldn't be so quick in assuming this queen didn't come from a small isolated mating flight. She might not be mated do to a insufficient amount of males around. We have already seen many surprises this year, and I have personally seen flights during the most unexpected times.

[Alza]

True, sometimes termite species fly out of season, in small flights, but when they are supposed to they release a larger amount.

[antsinmypants]

I think I need one of those camcorder, hovering drones with a 500 foot remote controller to find new nests, etc. Just too much work to go biking/walking though it's a great way to lower my blood sugar after a meal.

[antsinmypants]

I went back to the general area yesterday where I had found the solo alate, but I found no alates or new nests. There was, however, a colony of red Harvester ants with two entrances 15 feet apart. This was within 100 feet or so of where I had found a whole bunch of queen nests last early March. So here's some questions to my more seasoned ant hobbyists: what is the likelihood that I will find more nests in the coming few weeks in the same area where I found them before? Do mature, established colonies generally establish new colonies within, lets say, a hundred feet or so, of their own colonies?

[dspdrew]

Sometimes not too long before a mating flight, I have seen random Pogonomyrmex alates come out and wonder away from the nest.

[wshanke]

wow This is Pogonomyrmex Now is their flight time?

f it is convenient and I can swap queen?

[William. T]

 Shipping queens in and out of the states is illegal.

[wshanke]

 Shipping queens in and out of the states is illegal.