10 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

The brick "queen ant trap" that has been netting me queens from my backyard

Over the last few months, 4 Pheidole queens of two different species, and this week a Ponera

I just check under them every few days

 

They are mostly in the shade, on the side of a roofed shed, so are nice and damp

Edited by CoolColJ, May 18 2018 - 8:59 PM.

[AntsAreUs]

I have something similar in my yard, about 20 stone slabs around my back porch and under a maple tree. It has yielded tons of Ponera pennsylvanica queens, Myrmecina americana queens, and very occasionally Stigmatomma pallipes. Not too often, but other queens stumble across these spots too.

[IcarusSkybound]

It's things like this that make me wish I had a yard lol.

[CoolColJ]

It's things like this that make me wish I had a yard lol.

 

You can also use a public place which has half submerged rocks and bricks as well.

 

I found my current 40+ egg Iridomyrmex founding queen under a half submerged brick at my workplace, she was by herself under it with some Pheidole workers and 1 major.... 

Just keep some ant capture vials handy on you at all times

Edited by CoolColJ, May 19 2018 - 3:30 PM.

[mallonje]

Wow, I might have to give this a shot.

[IcarusSkybound]

 

It's things like this that make me wish I had a yard lol.

 

You can also use a public place which has half submerged rocks and bricks as well.

 

I found my current 40+ egg Iridomyrmex founding queen under a half submerged brick at my workplace, she was by herself under it with some Pheidole workers and 1 major.... 

Just keep some ant capture vials handy on you at all times

 

There's a spot nearby that has roof shingles laying on top of soil. I've found a few camponotus queens but none with eggs. There is a fully established Camponotus Castaneus colony under one that has produced alates but I havent found a mated queen yet, unfortunately. 

[CoolColJ]

 

 

It's things like this that make me wish I had a yard lol.

 

You can also use a public place which has half submerged rocks and bricks as well.

 

I found my current 40+ egg Iridomyrmex founding queen under a half submerged brick at my workplace, she was by herself under it with some Pheidole workers and 1 major.... 

Just keep some ant capture vials handy on you at all times

 

There's a spot nearby that has roof shingles laying on top of soil. I've found a few camponotus queens but none with eggs. There is a fully established Camponotus Castaneus colony under one that has produced alates but I havent found a mated queen yet, unfortunately. 

 

 

 

Take the queens without eggs and put them in a test tube, they will eventually lay eggs.

 

the queen above did not have any eggs when I found her under the brick at work, a week later she did

I put in a shaped foil of raw honey and she loved it

 

 

after 6 weeks, with over 40 eggs and larvae

 

Edited by CoolColJ, May 19 2018 - 6:23 PM.

[Zxirl]

Time to go to the hardware store this looks super simple haha

[Major]

I have a couple places that have similar setups to this. All I can find are colonys. And the first wild roach I have seen here in NY. I have easily flipped at least 100 rocks and not a single queen. I can only find queens by digging them up, finding freshly mated ones, or ripping open logs.

[AntPhycho]

Very cool, kind of the poor mans blacklight trap. 

[CoolColJ]

Very cool, kind of the poor mans blacklight trap. 

 

 

correction, lazy mans