11 replies to this topic

[Devi]

Hey guys,

I really want to keep crematogaster, I really like this species, and it rained here in CO for the first time in months.  What conditions have you had the best luck with finding crematogaster queens?  (dry, foresty, shady, sunny, etc.)  

Thank you!

Devi

[ANTdrew]

I find the most queens in forest edge habitats with lots of native vines. The best spots are near wetlands where a lot of dead trees are standing up out of the swamp. That’s my experience, at least.

[DerkaDoesGaming]

I'm in Michigan. I found 4 on my back porch after a rain storm. Yeah look around wood.

[AnthonyP163]

If you blacklight tonight, I'd bet there's a chance of them showing up. 

[ANTdrew]

Weatherwise, you want to look on super hot and humid days with light winds. I usually find them in early September. If you monitor nests, you’ll see alates start swarming out late mornings when they’re going to fly. It’s hilarious watching the workers try hauling them back in the nest.

[Devi]

I really struck out today.  Three hours of searching, only to find a male, and a lasius worker.  My brain after three hours of looking:  "Well maybe it's a queen, you might as well check" so I posted them both to be IDed and the were both not queens, lol.  (Thank you for IDing Antkid.)  I need some new ideas, because I keep going out to look and I can never find anything.  Lmk if you have any other more obscure ways that you can find queens. (I know all the basic stuff, but maybe some other things might work better) 

[Skwiggledork]

I found a queen yesterday around 5:30pm in a parking lot (Ulster county,NY). no real "woods" nearby, but they have some trees spread around. 

[Froggy]

I know Arizona is a very different habitat from Colorado, but I find all my Crematogaster queens at blacklights after dark

Edited by Froggy, August 29 2020 - 6:38 PM.

[AleeGuy]

It landed on our friends shirt today after laughing about ant keeping stuff, lol. Now I need some care sheets and info about crematogaster sp. Do they die after few month if they are not mated? And is it fine if she doesn't lay any eggs before hibernation(I heard that it's fine, but just making sure)?

[ANTdrew]

Wow! You found one?
Here’s the caresheet, but I’d aim to keep Virginian Crematogaster much warmer than it says. https://www.formicul...asi/#entry49595

I have a detailed journal where I’ve chronicled my two year adventure with my queen. I’ve tried to write it to be as helpful and educational as possible.
https://www.formicul...-19#entry160680

You can PM me if you have any specific questions.

[AleeGuy]

Wow! You found one?
Here’s the caresheet, but I’d aim to keep Virginian Crematogaster much warmer than it says. https://www.formicul...asi/#entry49595

I have a detailed journal where I’ve chronicled my two year adventure with my queen. I’ve tried to write it to be as helpful and educational as possible.
https://www.formicul...-19#entry160680

You can PM me if you have any specific questions.

Thanks! I will start reading them right now, and I will send her pic to make sure she is crematogaster queen, she is just really tiny compared to my camponotus chromaiodes queen she is like a size of a worker, and she doesn't look like a male because of her gaster. I just tried to ID her and she looks like a crematogaster ashmeadi or pilose according to her orangish mesosoma

Edited by AleeGuy, August 30 2020 - 4:55 AM.

[CheetoLord02]

When I was in a more temperate climate, I hardly had luck finding queens after flights, but would instead find them in their chambers in the spring after overwintering most of the time. Now that I'm in Arizona, I've so far caught around a dozen queens at my blacklight early in the morning. I've got a video of it on my YT.