9 replies to this topic

[Tai_pan1]

I’ve been patiently waiting to find a Camponotus queen.  Today, while cleaning up the back yard I saw a very large C pennsyvanicus queen.  Ran inside for a test tube.  Came back out, found her again and while I was trying to coax her into the test tube, she flew away…….never to be seen again.  I’m so stupid!   Now I have a wide mouth container with me in case I see another.  My stupidity is frustrating.  

[m99]

If she flew off I'd think it's a lot more likely she hadn't mated yet, fortunately.

[FloridaAnts]

I’ve been patiently waiting to find a Camponotus queen.  Today, while cleaning up the back yard I saw a very large C pennsyvanicus queen.  Ran inside for a test tube.  Came back out, found her again and while I was trying to coax her into the test tube, she flew away…….never to be seen again.  I’m so stupid!   Now I have a wide mouth container with me in case I see another.  My stupidity is frustrating.

I have had the same experience trying to catch tiger beetles. They fly so fast, you would never think they are beetles.

[Idontexist]

I’ve been patiently waiting to find a Camponotus queen. Today, while cleaning up the back yard I saw a very large C pennsyvanicus queen. Ran inside for a test tube. Came back out, found her again and while I was trying to coax her into the test tube, she flew away…….never to be seen again. I’m so stupid! Now I have a wide mouth container with me in case I see another. My stupidity is frustrating.

if it can still fly it is still a virgin queen

I’ve been patiently waiting to find a Camponotus queen. Today, while cleaning up the back yard I saw a very large C pennsyvanicus queen. Ran inside for a test tube. Came back out, found her again and while I was trying to coax her into the test tube, she flew away…….never to be seen again. I’m so stupid! Now I have a wide mouth container with me in case I see another. My stupidity is frustrating.

if it can still fly it is still a virgin queen

[ANTdrew]

Not necessarily. Newly mated queens can still fly off to colonize new habitats. There’s a good chance she could have mated, which won’t help Tai-Pan feel any better.

[Tai_pan1]

Not necessarily. Newly mated queens can still fly off to colonize new habitats. There’s a good chance she could have mated, which won’t help Tai-Pan feel any better.

I believe she was, but only because she was trying to find her way under my siding next to a window.  She appeared to my novice eyes to be looking for a place to nest.

[FloridaAnts]

I agree with ANTdrew, although it probably doesn’t mean much. One out of the 17 pheidole queens I caught flying actually survived to have workers and shed its wings.

Not necessarily. Newly mated queens can still fly off to colonize new habitats. There’s a good chance she could have mated, which won’t help Tai-Pan feel any better.

I believe she was, but only because she was trying to find her way under my siding next to a window. She appeared to my novice eyes to be looking for a place to nest.

An unmated pheidole queen with wings tried to nest under a piece of paper if this is any help.

Edited by FloridaAnts, May 28 2022 - 2:18 PM.

[Tai_pan1]

Well, it’s all moot now.   I’ll be out black lighting tonight, maybe I’ll find her sister.

[azzaaazzzz00]

I had a white sheet prepared for black lighting on a table a few weeks ago. I waited and a bunch of queens landed on the sheet. Excited, I ran over but to only slip on a part of the sheet that was laying on the ground. I hit my head and all the queens flew away. At that point I was more worried about my skull.

[FloridaAnts]

Oof. That’s tough.

Wonder what the doctors would think when you said:
I got a head injury
Dr:How?
I tried to run to capture queen ants, and I slipped on the sheet I was black lighting on
Dr: He’s gone insane, talking about ants
Parents: Oh, that’s normal