Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Do black lights really attract queens?

Started By Ants_Dakota , Jun 5 2020 7:54 AM

  • Please log in to reply
17 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 5 2020 - 7:54 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,533 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota
When out in the black hills, I decided to put my black light to use. However, the only results I got were queens that froze for a few seconds and one queen that fell of the log she was standing on!

Edited by Ants_Dakota, June 5 2020 - 5:31 PM.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

#2 Offline Antkid12 - Posted June 5 2020 - 8:08 AM

Antkid12

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,009 posts
  • LocationFairfax, Virginia

There have been lots of people that have had success with black lights, so I am going to buy one soon.


Edited by Antkid12, June 5 2020 - 8:09 AM.

  • Ants_Dakota likes this

Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#3 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 5 2020 - 8:34 AM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California

I have had great success with black lights. I think it mainly works when they are in flight, not necessarily on the ground.


  • Ants_Dakota likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#4 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted June 5 2020 - 8:46 AM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,315 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

When out in the black hills, I decided to put my black lift to use. However, the only results I got were queens that froze for a few seconds and one queen that fell of the log she was standing on!

Iā€™ve actually heard that Camponotus queens arenā€™t attracted to black lights as much as other species.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#5 Offline ponerinecat - Posted June 5 2020 - 9:28 AM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

 

When out in the black hills, I decided to put my black lift to use. However, the only results I got were queens that froze for a few seconds and one queen that fell of the log she was standing on!

Iā€™ve actually heard that Camponotus queens arenā€™t attracted to black lights as much as other species.

 

Very true, for noctunal Camponotus you need to walk around. However blacklights remain highly effective.


  • RushmoreAnts likes this

#6 Offline SuperFrank - Posted June 5 2020 - 12:00 PM

SuperFrank

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 207 posts
  • LocationFlorida, USA
This is from last year at our blacklight

Edited by SuperFrank, June 5 2020 - 12:01 PM.

  • Lamarr, FeedTheAnts, rcbuggy88 and 1 other like this

#7 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 5 2020 - 12:39 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,191 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Wow.
SuperFrank, would one of these bulbs screwed into a patio light be effective?
https://www.amazon.c...ob_b_prod_image
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#8 Offline SuperFrank - Posted June 5 2020 - 5:11 PM

SuperFrank

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 207 posts
  • LocationFlorida, USA

Wow.
SuperFrank, would one of these bulbs screwed into a patio light be effective?
https://www.amazon.c...ob_b_prod_image


Yeah I would think so, I have the best luck with florescent.
  • ANTdrew likes this

#9 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 5 2020 - 5:30 PM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,533 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota
That is a much larger black light than mine. Maybe I need to get a new one.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

#10 Offline rcbuggy88 - Posted June 5 2020 - 5:40 PM

rcbuggy88

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 122 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

SuperFrank is yours a special black light (like BLB or something) or is it like a 350 nm blacklight or just a normal one off amazon/ebay? If you remember the link that would be really helpful since yours obviously works well!


  • Ants_Dakota likes this

My Shop     :D  :iamsohappy:  :dance3:  :yahoo:

Currently Keeping: Camponotus clarithorax, Camponotus hyatti, Tetramorium immigrans, Nylanderia vividula, Liometopum occidentale, Camponotus modoc, Zootermopsis sp.

Wanted: Acromyrmex versicolor, Myrmecocystus sp., Camponotus us-ca02 (vibrant red not dull orange), Prenolepis imparis, Anything else I don't have lol...

Kept Before: Solenopsis molesta, Prenolepis imparis (still got one, but infertile)

#11 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 5 2020 - 5:57 PM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,533 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota
No kidding! I would like that link as well.
  • rcbuggy88 likes this

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

#12 Offline SuperFrank - Posted June 6 2020 - 2:03 AM

SuperFrank

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 207 posts
  • LocationFlorida, USA
I just use the Walmart "hyper tough" brand they're like 11 bucks šŸ˜. I like that they're in stock at like every walmart. I run 1-3 lights around my property and forget them in the rain fairly often so i like being able to dash to the store and buy another one

Edited by SuperFrank, June 6 2020 - 2:19 AM.

  • rcbuggy88 likes this

#13 Offline SuperFrank - Posted June 6 2020 - 2:17 AM

SuperFrank

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 207 posts
  • LocationFlorida, USA
Blacklighting is extremely effective imo. In the last two days I've collected:

70 Crematogaster minutissima
65 Pheidole dentigula
15 Aphaenogaster ashmeadi
22 Pheidole dentata
30 Pheidole metallescens
10 Dorymyrmex bureni
10 Camponotus floridanus
20 Pheidole navigans

Edited by SuperFrank, June 6 2020 - 2:18 AM.

  • Lamarr, Canadant, ANTdrew and 2 others like this

#14 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted June 6 2020 - 5:58 AM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,315 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

When out in the black hills, I decided to put my black lift to use. However, the only results I got were queens that froze for a few seconds and one queen that fell of the log she was standing on!

Iā€™ve actually heard that Camponotus queens arenā€™t attracted to black lights as much as other species.
On second thought, perhaps black lights attract Myrmicinaes more than Formicinaes.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#15 Offline Canadant - Posted June 6 2020 - 7:45 AM

Canadant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 461 posts
  • LocationNova Scotia, Canada

Blacklighting is extremely effective imo. In the last two days I've collected:

70 Crematogaster minutissima
65 Pheidole dentigula
15 Aphaenogaster ashmeadi
22 Pheidole dentata
30 Pheidole metallescens
10 Dorymyrmex bureni
10 Camponotus floridanus
20 Pheidole navigans


Wow that's amazing! That's quite a diverse batch there. Those Cremas are beautiful too. Plus Pheidole.... ugh.... so jelly!!

Awesome.
"You don't get what you want. You get what you deserve".

#16 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 6 2020 - 7:46 AM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California

IDK about that. I catch tons of B. patagonicus at the light.


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#17 Offline Aaron567 - Posted June 6 2020 - 10:21 AM

Aaron567

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,005 posts
  • LocationPensacola, FL

Blacklighting works best in tropical/subtropical regions which have high humidity and high temperatures during twilight hours. In regions where average summer nights/mornings are in the 60s (F) or below, most of the ants tend to fly during the day which is when conditions are more ideal (and a blacklight is useless). Generally, the closer you are to the equator, the higher percentage of night-flying ant species you'll have. That doesn't mean you won't get anything at your blacklight at all, but being in South Dakota, your best chance of getting anything will be when you do it during the warmest nights of the summer.


Edited by Aaron567, June 6 2020 - 10:24 AM.

  • RushmoreAnts likes this

#18 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted June 6 2020 - 10:22 AM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,315 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota
Or in the evening, when itā€™s still warm. A lot of species fly in the evening around here.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

Back to General Ant Keeping · Next Unread Topic →


1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users