31 replies to this topic

[soulsynapse]

Think anything'll be flying?

 

[FormiRx]

I dug up fresh founding chambers yesterday in palm desert out on dillon rd. The small pile of dirt was still moist on most of the chambers, though a lot had been invaded by the Solenopsis out there. Ended up with 6 queens. I hope something flies on tuesday... unfortunately my next day off is saturday.

I noted that the temperatures out there got up to 80 degrees, despite wunderground reporting upper 60s. Though, I was rather far from the actual city proper and deep in the desert.

[Forestflamboyant]

Howdy! so what species queens do you find?

[SoySauce]

I dug up fresh founding chambers yesterday in palm desert out on dillon rd. The small pile of dirt was still moist on most of the chambers, though a lot had been invaded by the Solenopsis out there. Ended up with 6 queens. I hope something flies on tuesday... unfortunately my next day off is saturday.
I noted that the temperatures out there got up to 80 degrees, despite wunderground reporting upper 60s. Though, I was rather far from the actual city proper and deep in the desert.

Thanks for the tip, we just left from out that way too and saw the same things. There wasn't much variety so we plan on hitting the east valleys after lunch. Hopefully something will fly today since it's so hot out.

[dspdrew]

Wow how funny, I was just planning to go out to Dillon Rd this week. That area received the most rain, and is forecast to get the warmest tomorrow. What did you dig up, Veromessor pergandei?

[SoySauce]

We searched around Dillon Rd. yesterday.  We saw like 95% fire ants and the one Veromessor sp. We didn't see much variety over there.

 

We also searched along Rt. 62 just north of the 10 and we found a lot more variety of ants there, including what my son thought were Pheidole (sp).  More importantly, there weren't hardly any fire ants along that way.  We did see a few alates in the shallow holes we dug but we're thinking it just wasn't warm enough for any nuptial flights yet.  But the ground was definitely moist, so we're hoping in the next couple of weeks, the weather will warm consistently over the 70 mark.

[FormiRx]

Yes, They were Veromessor queens. 6 in all, probably could have got more of a cop didn't come by and told me to get lost. A jacketful of empty prescription vials didn't help my case either...luckily I had already caught a few queens so I could back up my claim.

"What are you doing out here with that shovel and those vials?"

"Catching ant queens"

"Righhhht....."

I have them in test tubes in my blanket incubator at home, they have all laid eggs, so I'm very hopeful!

[dspdrew]

A cop told you to leave the desert? Are you talking about Dillon Rd. in North Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, because the Dillon Rd. I'm thinking of doesn't go through Palm Desert? If so, you had every right to be out there doing what you were doing.

[FormiRx]

Yeah, I thought so too, but best not argue I figured. It was getting late anyways. The only thing I could think of was that I was closer to a concrete plant than he felt comfortable maybe.

This is the dillon rd you are thinking of, past thousand palms.

[dspdrew]

If you were close to the concrete plant, then I know exactly where you were, and that is the Dillon Rd. I am thinking of. A lot of trash and junk dumped around there, right?

[T.C.]

Yeah, I thought so too, but best not argue I figured. It was getting late anyways. The only thing I could think of was that I was closer to a concrete plant than he felt comfortable maybe.
This is the dillon rd you are thinking of, past thousand palms.

Gotta love cops.

Edited by T.C., March 21 2017 - 11:25 AM.

[soulsynapse]

Yes, They were Veromessor queens. 6 in all, probably could have got more of a cop didn't come by and told me to get lost.

 

I'm jealous as [censored] right now D: all I want this year are v. pergandei queens

Edited by dspdrew, February 24 2017 - 8:54 AM.
Removed profanity

[dspdrew]

Found a bunch myself along Dillon Road. I also found some really early-flying Pheidole that I usually find around March. Both last year and 2015 I only managed to find one, but this time I got six, so maybe I'll have better luck starting a colony of them. I might be going back out there again today with nurbs.

[Alabama Anter]

Found a bunch myself along Dillon Road. I also found some really early-flying Pheidole that I usually find around March. Both last year and 2015 I only managed to find one, but this time I got six, so maybe I'll have better luck starting a colony of them. I might be going back out there again today with nurbs.

Is that species of Pheidole polygynous???

[dspdrew]

 

Found a bunch myself along Dillon Road. I also found some really early-flying Pheidole that I usually find around March. Both last year and 2015 I only managed to find one, but this time I got six, so maybe I'll have better luck starting a colony of them. I might be going back out there again today with nurbs.

Is that species of Pheidole polygynous???

 

 

No idea.

[Alabama Anter]

Huh, you should try!

[dspdrew]

If I didn't have any trouble raising Pheidole I might try it, but otherwise I usually see no reason for doing that.

[soulsynapse]

You think it's worth the trek out there? Maybe I'll go too!

[soulsynapse]

Seriously everything I've ever read about nuptial flights is telling me there shouldn't be anything flying out there.. and the last rain was 6 days ago.

 

What am I missing?

[FormiRx]

We're going out again tomorrow, where exactly along the road did you find those Pheidole queens? I hope to find some!