2 replies to this topic

[Rick54]

As a beginner into this hobby, I was wondering how one goes about hunting for an inseminated queen? I've reviewed the calendar thread when the specific ants swarm, which gives one the approximate time to be on the lookout. I've read where folks have found them on the sidewalk, driveway or in the swimming pool. It almost seems as though it is a case of the queen finding you rather than the other way around. Also, it is said that one shouldn't pluck a virgin queen off the entrance to the initial nest, as this would result in a non-inseminated queen. But rather to pick-up the queen some distance away (however far that may be, I don't know) giving more assurance that mating has taken place.

  As for actual swarming, I've on numerous times found winged ants coming out of the ground in the lawn and flying off. Ants that are brown in color and probably no more than 6 mm in length. Ants seem harder to find, unlike honeybees that swarm and then cluster until a new hive location is found.

 

 So is hunting sidewalks, driveways and pools the ideal way to hunt for a queen? 

[VoidElecent]

It all really depends; these are definitely standard ways of capturing fertilized queen ants, but I've also caught queens during nuptial flights, under bark of fallen logs, and in founding chambers. Blacklights can also work wonders. As for generic, common methods of catching queens, these do look pretty standard. You can read more about them here.

 

Good luck!

Edited by VoidElecent, May 19 2017 - 11:12 AM.

[dermy]

The most important part is to be outdoors when it's nice out. You won't find queens sitting inside all day. Look on sidewalks, pay attention to wild colonies and keep an eye out for Alates etc.