2450 replies to this topic

[AntsCalifornia]

Please try to update asap since I'm right next to lytle creek

[anttics]

ok came from Simi valley. caught 1 queen only. it was a bust. ill will post a video and pics on queen ID. if you guys can ID her. I think they are Camponotus sansabeanus, and Camponotus vicinus. one had a nasty dent on her thorax. where all her fat are store. I'm sure she won't make it.

[nurbs]

Just got back from the local stomping grounds at Chaney Trail in Altadena. Ran into some forum members StopSpazzing, Scrixx and some others as well as Drew.

 

Ate a banana. Catch so far from yesterday and today. Going to be doing some cool things with these this year (more on that later)

 

So tired! Tomorrow: High Desert

 

[Enderz]

Just got back from the local stomping grounds at Chaney Trail in Altadena. Ran into some forum members StopSpazzing, Scrixx and some others as well as Drew.

 

Ate a banana. Catch so far from yesterday and today. Going to be doing some cool things with these this year (more on that later)

 

So tired! Tomorrow: High Desert

 

I was at  Chaney as well, I caught 8 C. sansabeanus queens, I left a little early so i don't think i saw you , but I finally got my first queens!

[KBant]

Just got back from the local stomping grounds at Chaney Trail in Altadena. Ran into some forum members StopSpazzing, Scrixx and some others as well as Drew.
 
Ate a banana. Catch so far from yesterday and today. Going to be doing some cool things with these this year (more on that later)
 
So tired! Tomorrow: High Desert
 

Show off

[LC3]

Just got back from the local stomping grounds at Chaney Trail in Altadena. Ran into some forum members StopSpazzing, Scrixx and some others as well as Drew.

 

Ate a banana. Catch so far from yesterday and today. Going to be doing some cool things with these this year (more on that later)

 

So tired! Tomorrow: High Desert

 

Hey nurbs how was the banana? 

[anttics]

Nurbs. i got an injured one. you got so many. I guess high deserts are lagging a bit. I doubt V. rock had anything.

Edited by anttics, March 31 2018 - 8:10 AM.

[YsTheAnt]

Veromessor pergandei flew, according to the Facebook page. Good luck out there!

[StopSpazzing]

First off want to mention who came:
Me (and my son),
Scrixx,
EnderzATwar411 with his father and brother,
Paul,
Drew,
Nurbs
 
Nice meeting everyone! Enderz left before Nurbs showed up unfortunately. We stayed out till 12:30am and I was burnt out.
 
Caught 28:
19 - Camponotus sansabeanus (3 have wings, one of which now seems to be tearing off)
4 - Camponotus quercicola
1 - Liometopum occidentale
1 - shiny quercicola not sure the actually sp. Nurbs and Drew saw it, not a true ID
2 - Camponotus clarithorax (one with wings still)
1 - redish Camponotus black gaster but red strips and underneath. forget the sp. Camponotus hyatti? idk half asleep still.
 
 




PS:
Damn Nurbs. That's a lot. lol

Edited by StopSpazzing, March 31 2018 - 11:48 PM.

[dspdrew]

Went to Lytle Creek from 11-2:00. I didn't find any queens. I flipped some rocks over and found some nest entrances but there were workers there. I tried the creek area and a dry area but nothing. It was actually pretty dead today, barely any workers crawling around. It's still that one species I keep seeing, the one I think is Camponotus. They have a silver abdomen, somewhat shiny, and there are two obvious worker sizes. They walk then stop pretty often. If you move they'll run to the closest crevice. 

 

I went back to the place where I found the two species with alates in front of the nest but I couldn't find the same nests. I found a pretty big nest with multiple entrances but there were no workers walking around. Strange, it might still be too early for them or I went too late. I'll be going back tonight though and blacklighting. Will let you guys know what I find. 

 

I checked the area where I saw Formica francoeuri fly before, and didn't see any signs of a mating flight, so I think it's a little too early still.

[AntsCalifornia]

Itś looking like it´ll rain Saturday, think anything will fly?

[dspdrew]

Itś looking like it´ll rain Saturday, think anything will fly?

 

It's possible. It's supposed to jump up 10 degrees within two days after.

[Enderz]

 

Itś looking like it´ll rain Saturday, think anything will fly?

 

It's possible. It's supposed to jump up 10 degrees within two days after.

 

Well if they do fly I'll have school sadly.      But out of curiosity, what sp. do you think will fly drew?

[AntsCalifornia]

What do you think will be flying around Rancho. I'm willing to go to the mountains and to Lytle Creek, but only if a cool species is flying and I get 5-10 queens, it has to be worth my while because I really hurt my opportunity to go on trips from the total bust at Lytle Creek last time where I got 0 queens. If I go on a successful trip though, I might be able to get my parents to drive me around a few times a year for anting trips.

[nurbs]

You guys know you may be able to find the answers to your questions on this thread, right? 

 

Check out this link Drew's signature. This will give you an idea of what might fly in your area. This is the accumulation of years of ant spotting in SoCal.

 

https://www.google.c...17074609375&z=9

 

Nothing wrong with asking of course, and I understand you want a quick answer. But every year, this is asked, and what we have are generally educated guesses.

 

Point is, if you're not sure, go out and look for yourself if it is close! Then please report back. Add what you did or didn't find on this thread. HELP CONTRIBUTE to the knowledge, the more we know the more experienced we have for future anting excursions. Every year, I feel like it's just Drew and I adding to the things we find and everyone else is just tagging along.

 

I love going out to explore new spots (like we just did in Lancaster over the weekend and found these honeypots), and once we know what is there or not there, it adds to the community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Itś looking like it´ll rain Saturday, think anything will fly?

 

It's possible. It's supposed to jump up 10 degrees within two days after.

 

Well if they do fly I'll have school sadly.      But out of curiosity, what sp. do you think will fly drew?

 

 

 

What do you think will be flying around Rancho. I'm willing to go to the mountains and to Lytle Creek, but only if a cool species is flying and I get 5-10 queens, it has to be worth my while because I really hurt my opportunity to go on trips from the total bust at Lytle Creek last time where I got 0 queens. If I go on a successful trip though, I might be able to get my parents to drive me around a few times a year for anting trips.

 

[Scrixx]

 

Went to Lytle Creek from 11-2:00. I didn't find any queens. I flipped some rocks over and found some nest entrances but there were workers there. I tried the creek area and a dry area but nothing. It was actually pretty dead today, barely any workers crawling around. It's still that one species I keep seeing, the one I think is Camponotus. They have a silver abdomen, somewhat shiny, and there are two obvious worker sizes. They walk then stop pretty often. If you move they'll run to the closest crevice. 

 

I went back to the place where I found the two species with alates in front of the nest but I couldn't find the same nests. I found a pretty big nest with multiple entrances but there were no workers walking around. Strange, it might still be too early for them or I went too late. I'll be going back tonight though and blacklighting. Will let you guys know what I find. 

 

I checked the area where I saw Formica francoeuri fly before, and didn't see any signs of a mating flight, so I think it's a little too early still.

 

 

I just looked up Formica and the species I kept thinking were Camponotus might be Formica instead. I misplaced the worker I caught last time so I'll pick up another one next time and post it.

 

I went to Lytle Creek 03/31/18 at night for the first time and found this worker. It's orange and looks a lot like a Honeypot worker because of the proportions and size. It's 5mm head to tip of abdomen but reaches 10mm if you count antennae and legs. 

Edited by Scrixx, April 2 2018 - 6:26 PM.

[nurbs]

That’s a honeypot Scrixx. The maxillary palp gives it away.

Went to Lytle Creek from 11-2:00. I didn't find any queens. I flipped some rocks over and found some nest entrances but there were workers there. I tried the creek area and a dry area but nothing. It was actually pretty dead today, barely any workers crawling around. It's still that one species I keep seeing, the one I think is Camponotus. They have a silver abdomen, somewhat shiny, and there are two obvious worker sizes. They walk then stop pretty often. If you move they'll run to the closest crevice. 
 
I went back to the place where I found the two species with alates in front of the nest but I couldn't find the same nests. I found a pretty big nest with multiple entrances but there were no workers walking around. Strange, it might still be too early for them or I went too late. I'll be going back tonight though and blacklighting. Will let you guys know what I find.

 
I checked the area where I saw Formica francoeuri fly before, and didn't see any signs of a mating flight, so I think it's a little too early still.

 
I just looked up Formica and the species I kept thinking were Camponotus might be Formica instead. I misplaced the worker I caught last time so I'll pick up another one next time and post it.
 
I went to Lytle Creek 03/31/18 at night for the first time and found this worker. It's orange and looks a lot like a Honeypot worker because of the proportions and size. It's 5mm head to tip of abdomen but reaches 10mm if you count antennae and legs. 

[Scrixx]

That’s a honeypot Scrixx. The maxillary palp gives it away.



 

I just looked up Formica and the species I kept thinking were Camponotus might be Formica instead. I misplaced the worker I caught last time so I'll pick up another one next time and post it.
 
I went to Lytle Creek 03/31/18 at night for the first time and found this worker. It's orange and looks a lot like a Honeypot worker because of the proportions and size. It's 5mm head to tip of abdomen but reaches 10mm if you count antennae and legs. 

 

 

Awesome thanks! It's great news to know there are honeypots right there. Now I just gotta figure out when they fly. I also googled "maxillary pulp ant" and the first image is a Honeypot, very cool stuff. 

[dspdrew]

 

That’s a honeypot Scrixx. The maxillary palp gives it away.



 

I just looked up Formica and the species I kept thinking were Camponotus might be Formica instead. I misplaced the worker I caught last time so I'll pick up another one next time and post it.
 
I went to Lytle Creek 03/31/18 at night for the first time and found this worker. It's orange and looks a lot like a Honeypot worker because of the proportions and size. It's 5mm head to tip of abdomen but reaches 10mm if you count antennae and legs.

 

 

Awesome thanks! It's great news to know there are honeypots right there. Now I just gotta figure out when they fly. I also googled "maxillary pulp ant" and the first image is a Honeypot, very cool stuff. 

 

 

Those are Myrmecocystus testaceus. They actually just flew. I saw a couple founding chambers, but never got anything out of them. I finally saw one with a queen being dragged out of it by some Formica francoeuri workers.

[AntsCalifornia]

 

 

That’s a honeypot Scrixx. The maxillary palp gives it away.



 

I just looked up Formica and the species I kept thinking were Camponotus might be Formica instead. I misplaced the worker I caught last time so I'll pick up another one next time and post it.
 
I went to Lytle Creek 03/31/18 at night for the first time and found this worker. It's orange and looks a lot like a Honeypot worker because of the proportions and size. It's 5mm head to tip of abdomen but reaches 10mm if you count antennae and legs.

 

 

Awesome thanks! It's great news to know there are honeypots right there. Now I just gotta figure out when they fly. I also googled "maxillary pulp ant" and the first image is a Honeypot, very cool stuff. 

 

 

Those are Myrmecocystus testaceus. They actually just flew. I saw a couple founding chambers, but never got anything out of them. I finally saw one with a queen being dragged out of it by some Formica francoeuri workers.

 

You think they'll fly again? Also where did you find these chambers? Lytle Creek?