A couple weeks ago I was looking around for ants at 8pm and I saw a massive Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony (hundreds of workers on the surface) acting strange, they had mant super long trails full of ants and walking back to the nest I saw them swarming at the nest but no food, no predators, and no alates to be seen so I was curious if they were attempting to fly. I couldn't stay for long as I was already on my way out but maybe I can come back soon and look for founding queens in that area. So all i want to know is if they were preparing to fly or something else also I didn't rain recently and and if it did it was very light.
Were they digging and making the nest entrance wider? Because that is what a lot of ant species do when they’re about have a nuptial flight. Just saying, Camponotus can also have flights in the morning or even midday, but normally they have their nuptial flights in the evening. I found my Camponotus queens at 4:30 pm. Another thing to consider is their circadian rhythms, Camponotus is a species that is more active during the evening and night, so it could be that they were just doing their thing.
Currently keeping:
1x Formica subsericea, 35-40 workers + BIG brood pile + 10 pupa
1x Crematogaster cerasi, 2 workers + eggs / larva? (pls don't die workers) *1 is trying to die* (I SAID DON’T DIE)
1x Myrmica ruba sp around 10 workers
*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams*
-A.T (Me)
