14 replies to this topic

[Virginian_ants]

I'm going down too Roanoke for a family reunion soon and I will definitely be anting in a few weeks there for species that are more southern. Like twig ants, trachymyrmex septentrionalis and maybe fire ants. What other ants should I expect when I'm down there.

[ANTdrew]

It is further south, but also higher elevation, so I doubt the climate and ant diversity is that different. You could find some cool Formica perhaps?

[Virginian_ants]

Okay. I've been wanting parasitic Formica like exsectoides for a while.

[Virginian_ants]

In heading down their now. There was a miscommunication so it's going to be in the mountains by the Appalachian trail. I'm going to be looking for Temnothorax and parasitic Formica. There may be limited service so I will update this very limited this along the way.

Edited by Virginian_ants, July 18 2023 - 10:05 AM.

[Virginian_ants]

End of the first day. I cought three queen ants in the first hour. One Formica Pallidefulva group queen, one mymrica sp, and one Pheidole I believe Tysoni. I came and immediately saw a Formica slave raid on some poor negates group.

[ANTdrew]

Will you sell any Formica?

[Virginian_ants]

I will probably sell the Pallidefulva and if I catch any slave raiders. Do you want them?

[ANTdrew]

Cool. Just looking for standard Formica.

[Virginian_ants]

Day two:
My phone's about to die so I will do it now. I went on a hike and finally found Temnothorax I caught two acorn full worth of ants. On the same hike I found a small two worker Camponotus colony. I initially I thought they were Pennsylvanicus but the queen has red on her underside so idk.

Edited by Virginian_ants, July 19 2023 - 1:24 PM.

[Virginian_ants]

Slave raider nest preparing for a raid. With neogate slaves.

[Virginian_ants]

Day three:
Last night after my phone died I saw a small ant war. I kinda stopped looking for queens because I'm out of space but the last test tube I put another Formica Pallidefulva queen. I still have no intent of keeping them do if you want them pm me. (Drew I know you want one but your last post made it s little vague if you wanted to buy this one).

Edited by Virginian_ants, July 20 2023 - 1:42 PM.

[ANTdrew]

I do want one of them!

[Virginian_ants]

Last update:
Day four nothing really happened with ants but today is a totally different story. Day five we were preparing to go for a hike when I saw 3 more mymrica queens right next to each other I think they were tandem running to found together. I placed then with my other mymrica queen.


On the hike I found many cool ants mostly Aphaenogaster picea but also prenolepis imparis and brachymyrmex depilis.
Look at these chonks
DR.jpg]
I checked up on all the ants while driving back and one of the Formica queens laid two eggs and is guarding them fiercely. The mymrica queens seem to be dragging one around and the Camponotus have gotten a new worker and a new one on the way.
Does anyone know what species? They look like Pennsylvanicus but the queen has red on her underside.

[Virginian_ants]

I forgot to add this to my last post but I found what I think to be a queen ant. It was a very small 1-2mm with a long gaster it seemed to be ergatoid because it was in the middle of mating with a winged male and it didn't have wings. It disappeared before I could take a picture or capture it. It looked like a neivamyrmex queen but tiny and has a pointy gaster. What could this be??

Edited by Virginian_ants, July 21 2023 - 4:02 PM.

[ANTdrew]

I need to make a trip to Roanoke!