86 replies to this topic

[BugFinder]

Nope, my apologies for that particular comment, such a cavalier attitude towards invasive species really punches my buttons.

 

you really don't know me, or what my attitudes are.

[BugFinder]

 

In entomology as in all science based endeavors, accuracy is everything. True no one can ever be 100 percent accurate but one must do their best not wildly pull numbers out of their butt.

Actually. I'm curious how one comes about knowing how big an ant colony is/gets. Like, how did scientists figure out Atta's have millions of ants in a colony? It wouldn't be possible to count that many in a lifetime. i'm guessing there are some computer programs and/or equations of some kind involved?

 

 

don't let him get under your skin bud - Scientists often use estimates based on samples and models.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[BugFinder]

One problem with an invasive ant being in an apartment complex more than most other situations, is they then go into peoples plant pots. The people move, which happens often here, people only live here a short time, not many long-term rentals. Always someone moving out. And then they unknowingly spread the invasive ant around. In this case, I'm sure by now Pheidole megacephala have spread to entire new areas. And, the more they grow, the more likely it is they'll spread by human transport. Most people don't pay attention to ants, so they certainly wouldn't see them or pay any attention even if they did. And people really only notice or care once they go into their home.

 

I bring it up because someone was in a moving truck near the Pheidole area. Wasn't spying or getting close or anything, it was just right there parked right next to my observation area. And I saw a plant pot with a bunch of angry Pheidole ants in it, though the plant was on the ground when I noticed the ants, then they moved into the truck.. Not sure if it was an actual colony with queen(s), but it does show they are likely being transported with entire colonies. from other parts of the complex too.

 

would you be willing baby sit one of my potted plants for a few months and keep the soil moist for me?  lol lol!!!

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[BugFinder]

so interesting!  Please keep us posted this summer!!

[jushi]

NO PICTURES

 

...

...

...

...

 

So I've had a journal of these before, a couple years ago. Here is a new one. The colony here has been here for years, probably came when they landscaped the area with a bunch of plants after a year I moved in here. Or maybe someone moved in with an infested plant pot or something. Either way I reported them and nothing was ever done, I've also reported two other supercolonies of Pheidole megacephala and I know at least one was never done about. I reported Solenopsis invicta here too and they are still around. So in southern California, the Pheidole megacephala are in three locations that I've seen. One being in Palm Springs, and the other being ----- (can't say due to privacy reasons, but the same general area of Palm Springs). Both areas in the heat of the desert, but get irrigated enough to allow them (and Solenopsis invicta+Argentine ants) to thrive. Okay so maybe they are a similar Pheidole that is invasive, there is one other that has popped up in California (Pheidole teneriffana) but pretty sure its just Pheidole megacephala. Definitely not native, the native Pheidole don't have territories that expands out three blocks with tens of thousands or more of queens. The one in the private location is a bit more limited because irrigation isn't as much and its really dry outside the ---, but still quite a big colony.

 

The one in Palm Springs however might be gone, that is 4-5 year old information there. But when I went there, the colony was huge and probably more widespread than I saw. So, unless they treated for them, which I doubt, they probably are still there The one in ---- is definitely still there though. And, I'm pretty positive they've spread to many areas because my family have said they've heard reports of RVs being infested with them. Which means there are probably more RVs that have spread them around without even knowing. When I was over there 4-5 years ago, I did see Pheidole entering many buildings and going into peoples homes and RVs. It was pretty bad infestation that year, but I dunno exactly how it looks now, besides what my family reports on them for me. 

 

However since I'm very far from those locations, this journal for now will be focused on the colony in my own area. They've grown at an immense speed. The first year they had a setback when I tried killing them off, which worked in most areas but one area I couldn't do much with and they thrived. For the first two years they had huge battles with the Argentine ants to take over the plant area in middle of the road. Third year they succeeded. Fourth year they went from 100s of thousands of ants to a massive territory numbering millions. This is the fifth year, and now they have 10s of millions if not more and one area that they started in has millions of ants residing within and is almost overcrowded. Last year they had a massive battle for the nature area that is dominated by both Solenopsis invicta (though S. invicta reside in a different part of the nature area) and Argentine ants. The Pheidole sent hundreds of thousands of workers and soldiers to try to colonize the nature area outside the complex, but were ultimately defeated by hordes of Argentine ants. I missed the battle, but must have been huge. There were so many dead ants all over.

 

This year, the Pheidole again are trying to take the nature area but (again) meeting heavy resistance by the Argentine ants. But so far its been mostly a stalemate and going back/forth. The Pheidole had control over the concrete drainage ditch going across the road but got pushed back. But seems they've again taken over the concrete drainage ditch. However, I noticed the Argentine ants did something I've never witnessed from them. Not even when they battle the Solenopsis invicta. The Argentine ants had so many ants, I could smell them...it was a really similar smell to Tapinoma sessile...and it was making the Pheidole to retreat instead of defending the area. The smell lasted 3 days (today its gone) and the Pheidole once again are moving against the Argentine ants.

 

I believe this is what the Argentine ants did...

 

https://pheidolemega...n-pheidole.html

 

(quote near the bottom)

 

"The behavior exhibited by Pheidole and the Argentine ants suggests that glandular secretions are involved and play a large role in the behavior on one ant toward the other. Crowell (1968) theorized that the Argentine ant released some type of glandular secretion which was very repugnant to Pheidole, causing Pheidole to move away from concentrations of Argentine ants."

 

I'm positive this is what I smelled, and it was almost the same smell you would smell from Tapinoma sessile. Never have I smelled it from Argentine ants, but it was pretty obvious what it was from. And it wasn't the trash nearby or anything, it was definitely the Argentine ants.

 

And...that is where I leave off for now. I've been updating on them in chat, but may as well just keep a journal instead of chat.

 

However as a heads up. This journal may abruptly end. The situation with my families money is serious and the quarantine has left us with nearly 0 sources of money, and almost certainly we won't be living here once they can evict renters for not paying rent. Depending where we move though, we might end up --- and I'll be able to see how much the Pheidole there have expanded out. The water level there is VERY high, despite being in middle of boondocks nowhere and super hot, the water level being so high may allow them to expand further out than I think they would. But I doubt it, Pheidole megacephala desecrate super easily, so I'm sure they are limited to inside the irrigation area.

 

Also as a final note, I did get a colony of Pheidole I've had for a few years, they were being attacked by Pheidole megacephala and they were huddled under a large rock. They were being slaughtered by the invasive Pheidole, and I got lucky and was able to save the queen (they only had one as far as I know). She ran out from under the rock when I lifted it and had a bunch of workers attached to her. That colony numbers now in the 1000s/10s of thousands, so its a really big colony. Sadly, the Pheidole megacephala killed a lot of the native ants around there, its pretty sad. I told the management but they never did anything and my reports on all these invasive ants doesn't seem to do anything. The best response I got was when I reported invasive aquatic frogs, but I've seen them again this year with their tadpoles so they too didn't even do anything about that. But at least they responded about them. Even the Solenopsis invicta here, I told them when I reported the ones by the river they were killing native treefrogs and toads. But, last year the Solenopsis invicta had so many alates it clogged the pool. I guess the state just can't afford or have the manpower to treat all these invasive sadly. Australia seems a lot better at dealing with invasives. I wish the US did the same.

"There wasn't trash nearby, but there was argentine ants"

 

So there WAS trash nearby? 

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[gcsnelling]

They have pretty much given up on controlling S. invicta in southern California.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:50 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

They have pretty much given up on controlling S. invicta in southern California.

Ah, thought Solenopsis invicta were still being actively controlled? Or at least last I heard there was a quarantine on them, which seems kinda pointless if they giving up or gave up on controlling them. Is there still a quarantine on them where you can't even keep them? Either way, I guess that explains why my reports went nowhere.

I do believe it is illegal to keep S. invicta in California.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:51 PM.

[gcsnelling]

My assumption is that although there is little if any control effort in the areas they already are established they would take a very dim view of any attempt to move them outside of such an area. I would continue to treat them as if they are a big no no.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:51 PM.

[Vendayn]

--

Edited by Vendayn, January 1 2021 - 10:51 PM.

[NickAnter]

Probably N. vividula. Super common, good anti-argentine species. And they do make very light workers too sometimes.

Edited by NickAnter, May 16 2020 - 11:51 AM.