245 replies to this topic

[Ants_Dakota]

Formica are flying and have been flying for a little. I just found 2 different fusca group formica queens in the past 3 days, so keep your eyes out south dakotans!

[RushmoreAnts]

Ponera pennsylvanica, Lasius brevicornis, Lasius neoniger, Lasius claviger, Lasius nearcticus, and Solenopsis molesta flew last night. Lasius americanus flew today.

[Ants_Dakota]

Myrmica finished up their flight in the last week. I don't know if they will fly more, but i doubt it. It was a good anting year for me, and i hope it was the same for all of you!

[Ants_Dakota]

Species: Lasius aphidicola
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Date: 10/02/22
Time: 5:30-6:30 PM
Temperature: 64-66 F
Humidity: 72%
Wind: N 8.7mph
Rain: None

Notes: 

Edited by Ants_Dakota, October 3 2022 - 10:33 AM.

[MinifigGaloreStore]

Novel time:

So years ago, my brother got one of those old school plastic ant farms for his birthday when he was like 12.

We took it with us on our family vacation, collected 25-50 worker ants from an unsuspecting colony, and watched them dig tunnels for the next week. It was pretty cool. Well, my nephew just turned 7 and I thought that might be a fun idea for him as we still do a (now extended family) vacation for about a week each year.

 

So I searched up. Ant farms....

 

OH BOY did I go down an ant keeping rabbit hole and have become absolutely obsessed with the idea of trying to catch a new queen this spring. Didn't realize how big this hobby community is.

-of course I become obsessed with ants and ant research the past two weeks when it's February and we're in blizzard mode.

 

One of the species we saw (Missouri River area, 90 minutes north of Pierre), was a gravel nest with very aggressive large-ish red ants which I'm guessing was Pogonomyrmex occidentalis based on my two week ant research binge.

 

I came to this site due to the forum page explaining the difference between Pogonomyrmex occidentalis & Pogonomyrmex barbatus and I see Ants_Dakota commented on that very thread and is from the same city as me!

-that was enough to drive me to create a profile so here I am!

[MinifigGaloreStore]

Tried pasting a spreadsheet of 67 species from SD cross referencing a few sites documented during my crazed ant research binge.

 

It doesn't like the format I'm pasting in though.

I was mostly interested in flight months. Very cool to see flight data from Sioux Falls in this thread.

 

I'm guessing our weather makes the broader flight windows shorter.

Edited by MinifigGaloreStore, February 22 2023 - 7:55 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Welcome to this crazy hobby! Send PMs to the members on this thread, and I’m sure they can help you.

[DakotaDubs]

Anting season has started this years boys any luck so for from anyone?

[Ants_Dakota]

 

Novel time:

So years ago, my brother got one of those old school plastic ant farms for his birthday when he was like 12.

We took it with us on our family vacation, collected 25-50 worker ants from an unsuspecting colony, and watched them dig tunnels for the next week. It was pretty cool. Well, my nephew just turned 7 and I thought that might be a fun idea for him as we still do a (now extended family) vacation for about a week each year.

 

So I searched up. Ant farms....

 

OH BOY did I go down an ant keeping rabbit hole and have become absolutely obsessed with the idea of trying to catch a new queen this spring. Didn't realize how big this hobby community is.

-of course I become obsessed with ants and ant research the past two weeks when it's February and we're in blizzard mode.

 

One of the species we saw (Missouri River area, 90 minutes north of Pierre), was a gravel nest with very aggressive large-ish red ants which I'm guessing was Pogonomyrmex occidentalis based on my two week ant research binge.

 

I came to this site due to the forum page explaining the difference between Pogonomyrmex occidentalis & Pogonomyrmex barbatus and I see Ants_Dakota commented on that very thread and is from the same city as me!

-that was enough to drive me to create a profile so here I am!

 

Quite fascinating I would love to see images of those ants if you ever have time!

Anting season has started this years boys any luck so for from anyone?

AntsDakota and I are heading out this week to see if we can grab some of the early flying Camponotus, and we will keep you updated!

[ANTdrew]

Glad you guys are reactivating and connecting.

[DakotaDubs]

good luck boys i think ima hit sertoma in an hour or two to try to find some also. I don't know how you guys feel about finding queens in founding stages but I've found a few under the bark of some rotted out logs, have also found a nearcticus queen on the sidewalk a few days ago.

[DakotaDubs]

went out for a little bit tonight in hopes that the rain that's been forecasted for the past 3 days has finally come down and much to my disappointment it has not.... plan on doing some walking here this morning to see if i can catch some queens walking on the sidewalk again, will post pictures of the new Nearcticus queen at some point, first one I've caught and thankfully she's laid some eggs for me already.

[DakotaDubs]

these are the queens I've collected so far this year, the sheer size of the pennsylvannicus queens never ceases to amaze me.

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[DakotaDubs]

also jus realized my Nearcticus queen is missing not only an antenna but also a leg, she must have went through hell before i found her.

[Ants_Dakota]

went out for a little bit tonight in hopes that the rain that's been forecasted for the past 3 days has finally come down and much to my disappointment it has not.... plan on doing some walking here this morning to see if i can catch some queens walking on the sidewalk again, will post pictures of the new Nearcticus queen at some point, first one I've caught and thankfully she's laid some eggs for me already.

I would go out in the evening as camponotus fly then. I also am going to try again tonight just due to the rain we had last night, but, to be honest, my best guess would be that the large flights will be Wednesday or Thursday just due to the rain as you mentioned. If you have time you can go to Newton Hills, which is what we have been doing. You will find mostly C. pennsalvanicus there but there is also a chance for C. americanus(Which are bigger than C. pennsalvanicus and also bi-colored), which would be an amazing find, so i would encourage that.

Edited by Ants_Dakota, May 30 2023 - 7:13 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

these are the queens I've collected so far this year, the sheer size of the pennsylvannicus queens never ceases to amaze me.

looking beautiful.

Edited by Ants_Dakota, May 30 2023 - 7:12 AM.

[MinifigGaloreStore]

 

went out for a little bit tonight in hopes that the rain that's been forecasted for the past 3 days has finally come down and much to my disappointment it has not.... plan on doing some walking here this morning to see if i can catch some queens walking on the sidewalk again, will post pictures of the new Nearcticus queen at some point, first one I've caught and thankfully she's laid some eggs for me already.

I would go out in the evening as camponotus fly then. I also am going to try again tonight just due to the rain we had last night, but, to be honest, my best guess would be that the large flights will be Wednesday or Thursday just due to the rain as you mentioned. If you have time you can go to Newton Hills, which is what we have been doing. You will find mostly C. pennsalvanicus there but there is also a chance for C. americanus(Which are bigger than C. pennsalvanicus and also bi-colored), which would be an amazing find, so i would encourage that.

 

I used to bow hunt newton hills. I know that area fairly well.

Do look for them along the dirt footpaths? We used to go off trail to get to our deer stands. My guess is they'd be nearly impossible to spot off trail. My mind is stuck picturing it with dead leaves in the fall, but it's probably green as heck all over.

Edited by MinifigGaloreStore, May 30 2023 - 1:30 PM.

[MinifigGaloreStore]

 

One of the species we saw (Missouri River area, 90 minutes north of Pierre), was a gravel nest with very aggressive large-ish red ants which I'm guessing was Pogonomyrmex occidentalis based on my two week ant research binge.

 

I came to this site due to the forum page explaining the difference between Pogonomyrmex occidentalis & Pogonomyrmex barbatus and I see Ants_Dakota commented on that very thread and is from the same city as me!

-that was enough to drive me to create a profile so here I am!

 

Quite fascinating I would love to see images of those ants if you ever have time!

 

 

We are headed back to that area of the river in less than a month and I'll keep my eyes peeled. Their mounds are pretty easy to spot. It's technically east river albeit by less than a mile, so that's exciting to think one could find Pogonomyrmex occidentalis east river...

[Ants_Dakota]

went out for a little bit tonight in hopes that the rain that's been forecasted for the past 3 days has finally come down and much to my disappointment it has not.... plan on doing some walking here this morning to see if i can catch some queens walking on the sidewalk again, will post pictures of the new Nearcticus queen at some point, first one I've caught and thankfully she's laid some eggs for me already.

I would go out in the evening as camponotus fly then. I also am going to try again tonight just due to the rain we had last night, but, to be honest, my best guess would be that the large flights will be Wednesday or Thursday just due to the rain as you mentioned. If you have time you can go to Newton Hills, which is what we have been doing. You will find mostly C. pennsalvanicus there but there is also a chance for C. americanus(Which are bigger than C. pennsalvanicus and also bi-colored), which would be an amazing find, so i would encourage that.

I used to bow hunt newton hills. I know that area fairly well.
Do look for them along the dirt footpaths? We used to go off trail to get to our deer stands. My guess is they'd be nearly impossible to spot off trail. My mind is stuck picturing it with dead leaves in the fall, but it's probably green as heck all over.

Yes trails are the best way to spot them. In our spotting we have not yet found any one area that contains a large amount of camponotus close to the trail but I would just recommend hiking all over in the late evening(after 6 o'clock)

[Ants_Dakota]

One of the species we saw (Missouri River area, 90 minutes north of Pierre), was a gravel nest with very aggressive large-ish red ants which I'm guessing was Pogonomyrmex occidentalis based on my two week ant research binge.

I came to this site due to the forum page explaining the difference between Pogonomyrmex occidentalis & Pogonomyrmex barbatus and I see Ants_Dakota commented on that very thread and is from the same city as me!
-that was enough to drive me to create a profile so here I am!

Quite fascinating I would love to see images of those ants if you ever have time!

We are headed back to that area of the river in less than a month and I'll keep my eyes peeled. Their mounds are pretty easy to spot. It's technically east river albeit by less than a mile, so that's exciting to think one could find Pogonomyrmex occidentalis east river...

Sounds good, i am excited to see pictures of them!