2450 replies to this topic

[ReignofRage]

Did you find some queens?

I found multiple.

[Dumpling]

 

Did you find some queens?

I found multiple.

 

  What do they look like? Are you going to make a journal for them?

Edited by Dumpling, October 3 2021 - 4:05 PM.

[ReignofRage]

 

 

Did you find some queens?

I found multiple.

 

  What do they look like? Are you going to make a journal for them?

 

I have them in my Camponotus spp. Journal, bottom few posts should have pictures.

[ExponentMars]

Ooo I might join in on an anting trip if they're still a thing (this thread was started 6 years ago so idrk if anting trips still happen) 

[ReignofRage]

Here is a map with public records* of Camponotus us-ca02 taken from multiple places such as Inaturalist, here and other forums, Discord, Antweb, etc. Take the record accuracy with a grain of salt as only the records with one kilometer or greater obscuring were labeled as such. The description of the map includes the disclaimer about record accuracy and that pulling off on random pull-offs can also be a way to find queens during flights. The flights seem to be triggered by days that reach ~75-80+℉. This trigger hypothesis is corroborated by the recorded flights that happened on 17.vi.2010, 7.iv.2012, 3.iv.2015, 31.iii.2019, and 27.ii.2020. The major flight that that happened 29.iii.2021 is excluded due to the heat spike reaching in excess of 88℉ and queens flying the day after when it dropped down to 80℉, presumably the heat was too hot. Speaking about the flight that was recorded about the flight in 2021 is that queens resided up in only pine trees until twilight, then they would drop down to the ground and start running around. Hope this helps you all with next year's flights!

 

Takeaway: Map link and that queens often reside high up in trees until twilight.

 

*If you want to contribute records feel free to PM them to me.

Edited by ReignofRage, April 12 2022 - 5:26 PM.

[dspdrew]

Here is a map with public records* of Camponotus us-ca02 taken from multiple places such as Inaturalist, here and other forums, Discord, Antweb, etc. Take the record accuracy with a grain of salt as only the records with one kilometer or greater obscuring were labeled as such. The description of the map includes the disclaimer about record accuracy and that pulling off on random pull-offs can also be a way to find queens during flights. The flights seem to be triggered by days that reach ~75℉ at around 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. This ~75℉ by evening hypothesis is corroborated by the recorded flights that happened on 17.vi.2010, 31.iii.2019, and 27.ii.2020. The major flight that that happened 29.iii.2021 is excluded due to the heat spike reaching in excess of 88℉ and queens flying the day after when it dropped down to 80℉, presumably the heat was too hot. Speaking about the flight that was recorded about the flight in 2021 is that queens resided up in only pine trees until twilight, then they would drop down to the ground and start running around. Hope this helps you all with next year's flights!

 

Takeaway: Map link, hypothesized flight trigger is ~75℉ at around 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., and that queens often reside high up in the pine trees until twilight.

 

*If you want to contribute records feel free to PM them to me.

 

Where I find these there are no pine trees, only live oak trees if any trees at all.

[ReignofRage]

 

Here is a map with public records* of Camponotus us-ca02 taken from multiple places such as Inaturalist, here and other forums, Discord, Antweb, etc. Take the record accuracy with a grain of salt as only the records with one kilometer or greater obscuring were labeled as such. The description of the map includes the disclaimer about record accuracy and that pulling off on random pull-offs can also be a way to find queens during flights. The flights seem to be triggered by days that reach ~75℉ at around 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. This ~75℉ by evening hypothesis is corroborated by the recorded flights that happened on 17.vi.2010, 31.iii.2019, and 27.ii.2020. The major flight that that happened 29.iii.2021 is excluded due to the heat spike reaching in excess of 88℉ and queens flying the day after when it dropped down to 80℉, presumably the heat was too hot. Speaking about the flight that was recorded about the flight in 2021 is that queens resided up in only pine trees until twilight, then they would drop down to the ground and start running around. Hope this helps you all with next year's flights!

 

Takeaway: Map link, hypothesized flight trigger is ~75℉ at around 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., and that queens often reside high up in the pine trees until twilight.

 

*If you want to contribute records feel free to PM them to me.

 

Where I find these there are no pine trees, only live oak trees if any trees at all.

 

The area where the queens were seen to be only in pine trees had multiple types. No queens were found on oaks, eucalyptus, or any other tree. It was more of a detail for areas with pines rather than saying they just won't be on anything besides pine. Queens can be found even in chaparral.

Edited by ReignofRage, December 10 2021 - 6:52 PM.

[dspdrew]

Obviously nothing flying now, but here is a video of a Crematogaster mating flight I took back in June.

 

[dspdrew]

Here's some pictures and videos from my 2021 desert anting trips.

 

This spot had a really specific speed limit. I got crazy and drove 15 MPH.

 

 

 

Just up the mountain a bit from Lucerne Valley, CA

 

 

[Antkeeper01]

Here's some pictures and videos from my 2021 desert anting trips.

 

This spot had a really specific speed limit. I got crazy and drove 15 MPH.

 

 

 

Just up the mountain a bit from Lucerne Valley, CA

 

Wow 15 mph. You are a legend!!!

[B_rad0806]

Here's some pictures and videos from my 2021 desert anting trips.

 

This spot had a really specific speed limit. I got crazy and drove 15 MPH.

 

 

 

Just up the mountain a bit from Lucerne Valley, CA

 

Menace to society 

[NickAnter]

Those Crematogaster are C. mutans, right?

 

Anyway, I wonder what old guy who thought he was so funny put that sign there.

[dspdrew]

Those Crematogaster are C. mutans, right?

 

Anyway, I wonder what old guy who thought he was so funny put that sign there.

 

Now that you mention it, I think you might be right. I wish I would have taken some to ID. I just never think about that with Crematogaster since it's normally impossible.

 

Those speed limit signs were on private roads inside a mine.

[dspdrew]

This makes trips to the desert soooo much better.

 

 

 

 

Amazingly, this was the best spot I collected from last season.

 

 

[Zeiss]

Now there just needs to be an A/C you can put in your car instead of having the car run all the time.

[dspdrew]

Now there just needs to be an A/C you can put in your car instead of having the car run all the time.

 

It has an AC. It just doesn't work unless the engine is running.

[Zeiss]

 

Now there just needs to be an A/C you can put in your car instead of having the car run all the time.

It has an AC. It just doesn't work unless the engine is running.

Dang, useless A/C then.

[PaigeX]

You have an A/C that works? woot! here I am on hot days with our car and no A/C xD 

And it seems our trash can be ants treasure.

[Arthroverts]

I've been finding lots of Veromessor pergandei and Camponotus vicinus queens lately in Hesperia and Oak Hills, in the case of the former I've been seeing queens wandering around on residential streets after dark, and flying drones and queens almost every day.

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

[dspdrew]

I've been finding lots of Veromessor pergandei and Camponotus vicinus queens lately in Hesperia and Oak Hills, in the case of the former I've been seeing queens wandering around on residential streets after dark, and flying drones and queens almost every day.

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

 

You're finding Veromessor pergandei out there right now? I didn't know it even rained there.