2450 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

Never mind, it looks like the temps dropped 5 degrees but only in one spot I was looking at.

[yaboiseth]

If it continues being cold, will some spring fliers just not fly, or will they fly anyways?

I'm wondering this as well. The early spring fliers here like Veromessor and Dorymyrmex havent seemed to fly but I only see male alates in the vero nests. I'm hoping I don't miss em this year

[Daniel]

If it continues being cold, will some spring fliers just not fly, or will they fly anyways?

I'm wondering this as well. The early spring fliers here like Veromessor and Dorymyrmex havent seemed to fly but I only see male alates in the vero nests. I'm hoping I don't miss em this year

Veromessor pergandei flew in the Mojave in mid March. At least in the area out by Needles.

[Bashland]

After finding a camp. us-ca-02 major in OC last year, my son and I are anxious to try to get a queen this year. We've been waiting for daytime temps in the 80s, but I don't think we've hit that yet. Have we missed it? Is there anything else we should be looking for other than high temp? Any particular time of day is better than others? Thanks!

[Scrixx]

After finding a camp. us-ca-02 major in OC last year, my son and I are anxious to try to get a queen this year. We've been waiting for daytime temps in the 80s, but I don't think we've hit that yet. Have we missed it? Is there anything else we should be looking for other than high temp? Any particular time of day is better than others? Thanks!

I also want one this year. Temps have been pretty cold but there was a day last week they could have flown in the lower valleys. Though I couldn't check cause I had work.

 

Sorry guys, maybe me getting back into the hobby is postponing the flights  

 

On another note, I wonder how this will affect flights? Will they wait till the first good day or will they skip the year? Though some of my bonsai barely got their leaves out just recently so maybe the flights will soon follow?

[dspdrew]

Camponotus already flew in Socal for the most part. Only the higher elevations will still have flights.

[Bashland]

Camponotus already flew in Socal for the most part. Only the higher elevations will still have flights.

That's disappointing. What are the conditions we should be looking for that spark a Camponotus flight?

Edited by Bashland, April 17 2023 - 5:49 AM.

[dspdrew]

Heat mainly.

 

Oh I forgot to mention that there are still a few species of Camponotus in the desert that fly all summer long. Rain is a bigger factor for them.

[AntsCali098]

Camponotus already flew in Socal for the most part. Only the higher elevations will still have flights.

Do you mean high elevation forested areas or desert?

[Killi159]

Did anyone catch any Camponotus queens? Most trailheads were closed when I went.🥲

[dspdrew]

 

Camponotus already flew in Socal for the most part. Only the higher elevations will still have flights.

Do you mean high elevation forested areas or desert?

 

 

I'm talking about the mountains above 6000 feet.

[dspdrew]

Did anyone catch any campo queens? Most trailheads were closed when I went.

 

What trailheads were closed?

[StopSpazzing]

Did anyone catch any Camponotus queens? Most trailheads were closed when I went.

And you let that stop you? Tsk tsk. /sarcasm

[Bashland]

Heat mainly.

Oh I forgot to mention that there are still a few species of Camponotus in the desert that fly all summer long. Rain is a bigger factor for them.

We were waiting for local temps to hit mid 80s, so should we have been looking for a large temp increase from one day to the next instead of a specific temp?

Do you know what days they flew in OC this year so I can go back and look at the temps those days?

Thanks!

[AntsAmerica]

 

Heat mainly.

Oh I forgot to mention that there are still a few species of Camponotus in the desert that fly all summer long. Rain is a bigger factor for them.

We were waiting for local temps to hit mid 80s, so should we have been looking for a large temp increase from one day to the next instead of a specific temp?

Do you know what days they flew in OC this year so I can go back and look at the temps those days?

Thanks!

 

they flew a week ago all over the santa ana mountains, and likely won't fly there again. I know the hills near pasadena and Mt San Jacinto have some spring Camponotus, when the temps get noticeably warm you can go there at dusk/night and look.

[Killi159]

Camponotus already flew in Socal for the most part. Only the higher elevations will still have flights.

Do you mean high elevation forested areas or desert?

I'm talking about the mountains above 6000 feet.

[Killi159]

 

Did anyone catch any Camponotus queens? Most trailheads were closed when I went.

 

What trailheads were closed?

 

I went to both Pinyons Pines and the San Bernardino Mountains a couple of weeks ago. The trails that I tried going to were blocked off and said temporarily closed on google maps.

[Killi159]

 

Did anyone catch any Camponotus queens? Most trailheads were closed when I went.

And you let that stop you? Tsk tsk. /sarcasm

 

I should've just went aghhhh. It was my first time T^T

[dspdrew]

 

Heat mainly.

Oh I forgot to mention that there are still a few species of Camponotus in the desert that fly all summer long. Rain is a bigger factor for them.

We were waiting for local temps to hit mid 80s, so should we have been looking for a large temp increase from one day to the next instead of a specific temp?

Do you know what days they flew in OC this year so I can go back and look at the temps those days?

Thanks!

 

 

It's usually a big jump in temperature, but if it's the first flight of the year, it might just be when it reaches around 80. It also depends on whether or not it is within the window of time that the specific species flies. There's a lot of factors to look at. Sometimes everything is kind of borderline, and we just don't really know for sure if they will fly, but then other times we will be almost 100% certain they will.

[CAantz]

Any Camponotus flights still to happen in the Santa Monica Mountains? There is a heat spike and it is going to hit 80 degrees today, and I was going to look around some of the trails early tomorrow morning.