460 replies to this topic

[rbarreto]

Found an Aphaenogaster queen today. I'm not sure what species but I'm leaning towards fulva or rudis. I will find out once I get a better look at her.

Edited by rbarreto, August 23 2018 - 12:51 PM.

[Ikerrilove]

Saw 2 species getting ready to fly tonight. One on the rocky beach and another in a clearing on the edge of the forest and those were orange. Sorry I can't give more info but ya they're flying in eastern ontario

[rbarreto]

Saw the largest flight I've ever seen, Lasius aphidicola everywhere, thousands of dead male alates.

 

Also among the chaos I found a Formica sp. alate?? 

[Ikerrilove]

Tons of flying ants here this evening. I need better pictures of one I found. She was so orange she was almost red and her gaster seemed longer then others I've seen so far this year. I was catching another species queen and there she was on the patio stones with no wings.

 

My guess for the ones that were practically landing on me tonight is some kind of Laisius lawn dweller. I got about 5 of them tonight and left the rest to do their thing.

[rbarreto]

Tons of flying ants here this evening. I need better pictures of one I found. She was so orange she was almost red and her gaster seemed longer then others I've seen so far this year. I was catching another species queen and there she was on the patio stones with no wings.

My guess for the ones that were practically landing on me tonight is some kind of Laisius lawn dweller. I got about 5 of them tonight and left the rest to do their thing.

I'm just going to take a wild guess and say that the orange queen is lasius latipes.
Also, Canadian anter helped me determine that the really late flying Formica sp. queen I found yesterday is either neogagates or lasioides. I think the way to tell these two species appart is by the hairs on the scapes. This queen doesn't appear to have any which leads me to believe she is Formica neogagates.

Edited by rbarreto, August 25 2018 - 6:47 AM.

[Ikerrilove]

I can't believe the number of Crematogaster queens that are around right now. They're all over the deck upstairs and the patio stones. I counted 7 on the deck all at the same time. 

 

Must be a healthy population around here to produce so many  

[Penguin]

I think there was a wasp or bee nuptial flight today, only saw them outside my house for some reason... here are some pics

 

Sorry this ones quite blurry, found it on the side of a brick on my house

 

 

This one is also quite blurry

 

 

 

I saw about 5 of these in total, I apologize for the poor image quality, I was rushing as I wanted to release them as soon as possible 

Edited by Penguin, September 4 2018 - 8:53 AM.

[Lazarus]

Just found what I'm quite certain is a Crematogaster Cerasi queen. Tried to take pics but they are too blurry to bother uploading so I'll try again tomorrow.

[Canadian anter]

Lasius have been flying in small numbers for days along with the other fall species

[dermy]

I think there was a wasp or bee nuptial flight today, only saw them outside my house for some reason... here are some pics

 

I saw about 5 of these girls in total, I apologize for the poor image quality, I was rushing as I wanted to release them as soon as possible 

Looks like [not 100% sure] a Dolichovespula maculata male judging by the curling on the antenna. It was either casted out because male wasps like ants are worthless or maybe [not 100% sure how Dolichovespula mate] looking for another nest to mate with a queen that will hibernate and be the queens/nest builders of next year.

[Ikerrilove]

Still seeing tons of Crematogaster queens here. Around 1pm they're all over the deck on the river side of the house. I don't think they care as much about flying after rain as other ants. Afternoons I find them so long as it's not freezing out. 

[rbarreto]

Lasius aphidicola flight today. Caught a bunch. Now I just need to find a ton of host workers

[Ikerrilove]

I've seen a couple flights the last few days but I think they were all social parasites. 

 

I did see another Crematogaster flight but not the flood of queens around the house I saw before.

 

Anything else fly this time of year or are they mostly social parasites on the hunt for new colonies to invade? 

[Lazarus]

I found one on labour day last week but she already died (another that got caught up in the cotton at the front of the test tube. )

 

Then I found this big one on Sunday. Help with the ID would be appreciated:

http://www.formicult...ne/#entry101997

[Penguin]

I think I found the source of the males from earlier (s), I can't believe nobody in my family noticed this (especially the one who walks by this tree everyday)

 

everything else aside here are pictures of a (likely) bald faced hornet nest (3 comb layers!) on the sidewalk and what remains in the tree!

 

 

 

P.S. This topic has been quiet for a while, I hope this was a good reason to bring it back. I also saw some parasitic Lasius today.

Edited by Penguin, October 9 2018 - 12:00 PM.

[Nare]

Lasius claviger spotted today, probably lots of other species going out for their final flights too - keep an eye out for Crematogaster - I saw a whole ton of workers milling around, but no signs of alates. Toronto area by the way, I'm not sure if other parts of the province were struck by this warm day.

[rbarreto]

Well anting season is almost here, what species are you guys looking for? I'm hoping to find parasitic Formica, Camponotus americanus, and Aphaenogaster tennesseensis.

[Lazarus]

Well anting season is almost here, what species are you guys looking for? I'm hoping to find parasitic Formica, Camponotus americanus, and Aphaenogaster tennesseensis.

Same like last year. Hoping to get Prenolepis Imparis and Crematogaster. I caught a Crematogaster at the tail end of last summer but unfortunately she did not make it through hibernation. One of two new queens I lost.

Give a shout out if and when you see any scurring around. Should be soon I hope.

[rbarreto]

 

Well anting season is almost here, what species are you guys looking for? I'm hoping to find parasitic Formica, Camponotus americanus, and Aphaenogaster tennesseensis.

Same like last year. Hoping to get Prenolepis Imparis and Crematogaster. I caught a Crematogaster at the tail end of last summer but unfortunately she did not make it through hibernation. One of two new queens I lost.

Give a shout out if and when you see any scurring around. Should be soon I hope.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think P. imparis make it this far north.  

I think they make it up to the northernmost point of lake Ontario and can survive there because of the more temperate climate.

If they are present here than they must be very rare because I haven't found them.

[Lazarus]

Unfortunately, I don't think P. imparis make it this far north.

I think they make it up to the northernmost point of lake Ontario and can survive there because of the more temperate climate.

If they are present here than they must be very rare because I haven't found them.

 

 

When I consult Antmaps.org and select P. Imparis, the recorded sightings do not include Ottawa. But they have been found as north as Manitoulin Island and Sault Ste. Marie so technically just a tad farther north than here which does make me hopeful. But the lake effect in those areas just might be enough of climate change for them to survive there but not here.