6 replies to this topic

[AntsMAN]

I want to try to find a few different species of ant that I have never kept before. I have found Camponotus, Lasius, Formica, and brachymyrmex. But these are simple to find where I am located. I want to go on a hunt tomorrow and would like to know of any other species in Canada that would be in N.S. and in what types of habitat to look for them.

 

Could I find these species are in Nova Scotia?

Monomorium pharaonis, Tetramorium caespitum, Tapinoma sessile, Linepithema humile, Solenopsis molesta.

[dspdrew]

I can't even imagine being on the hunt for Linepithema humile.

[Batspiderfish]

I'm from Maine, which isn't too far away. There's a very very slim chance of finding Monomorium pharaonis or Linepithema, as these populations would exist in isolation -- it's too cold for wild populations (thank goodness.)

 

Tetramorium flew late last month, but there's a chance to find them  in June/July. They don't like very cold winters, and there were places in Maine where they didn't seem to be present.

Tapinoma sessile should be flying in late June and July. I tried founding a 3-queen colony because this species is described as polygynous, but the other two queens were killed off after the first workers.

I frankly have trouble finding Solenopsis molesta queens in Maine. I see colonies from time to time, but only closer to New Hampshire. I am on the lookout for this species as well, and will let you know when/if I find one in Portland.

Ponera pennsylvanica might be a cool species to look out for during the big Lasius neoniger/flavus/umbratus flights in August and September. It can be a challenging species to found a colony, as it doesn't seem to be very good at doing so alone and is monogynous. I find that they are so terrible at fighting that I was able to put a worker from a foreign colony in a test tube full of dirt (where the queen was already settled in.) They "fought" off and on for a month and then joined up. Sadly, the queen was unfertilized. Stigmatomma has been found in Maine as well, around that time, but I have not found one.

Dolichoderus plagiatus is a very interesting species to look out for. I've only found one queen at around this time of year. They are small and look like Myrmica workers with the gaster of a Camponotus minor.

 

Aphaenogaster can be found in June and July near forest habitats.

Most of the other myrmicines seem to fly in late summer, around August. You can also sometimes find foraging queens in the spring and early summer.

You could always try your hand at the many social parasites that exist in our area, from Formica or Lasius specifically (there are some Myrmica social parasites I haven't tried yet.) Lasius umbratus queens from last year should still be walking around the forests looking for an opportune colony.

Edited by Batspiderfish, June 11 2016 - 11:23 AM.

[AntsMAN]

I found 3 Lasius unbratus, but they all died within a week. Do I have to take brood from other colonies to found these queens?

[Batspiderfish]

I haven't been keeping up with other people's techniques with this species, but in my experience, a Lasius umbratus queen will not interact with with brood unless she has host workers, which she requires. If you take Lasius pupae with a several or so workers, wait for them to eclose, and give the young workers to the queen, you have a pretty risk-free adoption method.

[Batspiderfish]

I found a Tapinoma sessile dealate in the woods yesterday. 

Also, I spotted some Solenopsis molesta workers, so there's a good chance I'll stumble across a queen or two whenever their time is going to be.

Edited by Batspiderfish, June 23 2016 - 3:28 PM.

[Mdrogun]

I found a Tapinoma sessile dealate in the woods yesterday. 

Also, I spotted some Solenopsis molesta workers, so there's a good chance I'll stumble across a queen or two whenever their time is going to be.

I found a massive Solenopsis molesta colony in my yard yesterday. They had tons of alate pupae and a few freshly eclosed alates, I would expect them to be flying in the next couple of weeks.