14 replies to this topic

[thosaka]

Some of the annoying things that happened to me on the 10 hr queen hunting trip were:

 

Test tubes had condensation

Solution: I think I will put them in waterless test tubes and transfer them into water and cotton filled test tubes at home.

 

I had a lot of dirt on my hands from sifting through what I dug out, and it got itchy/uncomfortable after a while.

Solution: I think I will bring a latex glove.

 

I went too early, no mating going on with the species I found.

Solution: I think I will try to get there around 4-5 p.m. instead.

 

If you have any advice for me for a better expedition since I am new to this, I would be grateful.

Edited by Tagassi, March 12 2017 - 10:42 PM.

[soulsynapse]

Planning is everything. Watch the weather + temperatures for the places you plan to go. Look around on google maps street view to see if it is truly the type of place that will have queens. When you see people mentioning they saw queens in the queen sighting thread, go there on google street view and take a look around virtually. This'll teach you what places that queens are common will look like

 

If you can, since you're in socal, look at the queen sighting page. Where others are having a lot of success, it's often worth it to make it out that way since you can return with 10+ queens in one outing.

[thosaka]

Planning is everything. Watch the weather + temperatures for the places you plan to go. Look around on google maps street view to see if it is truly the type of place that will have queens. When you see people mentioning they saw queens in the queen sighting thread, go there on google street view and take a look around virtually. This'll teach you what places that queens are common will look like

 

If you can, since you're in socal, look at the queen sighting page. Where others are having a lot of success, it's often worth it to make it out that way since you can return with 10+ queens in one outing.

Got it. I'll check the queen sighting page now.

[Loops117]

Some of the annoying things that happened to me on the 10 hr queen hunting trip were:

 

Test tubes had condensation

Solution: I think I will put them in waterless test tubes and transfer them into water and cotton filled test tubes at home.

 

I had a lot of dirt on my hands from sifting through what I dug out, and it got itchy/uncomfortable after a while.

Solution: I think I will bring a latex glove.

 

I went too early, no mating going on with the species I found.

Solution: I think I will try to get there around 4-5 p.m. instead.

 

If you have any advice for me for a better expedition since I am new to this, I would be grateful.

 

1. I use pop-cap containers. Nothing special, just a secure lid that i can later transfer my queens out of. If you get crafty as i did, i made the lid to one of the container an aspirtator connection. This way i can effortlessly collect the queen, and just put a lid on the container without moving her around any more.

 

2. There's no real way around this. Latex glove will work, but won't be a viable solution. You're gonna want to be able to use your finger nails, and/or even feel the dirt as you're digging around. What would help is a small hand shovel or rake.

 

3. As someone else said, check the mating charts and pay attention to the weather.

[dspdrew]

 

Some of the annoying things that happened to me on the 10 hr queen hunting trip were:

 

Test tubes had condensation

Solution: I think I will put them in waterless test tubes and transfer them into water and cotton filled test tubes at home.

 

I had a lot of dirt on my hands from sifting through what I dug out, and it got itchy/uncomfortable after a while.

Solution: I think I will bring a latex glove.

 

I went too early, no mating going on with the species I found.

Solution: I think I will try to get there around 4-5 p.m. instead.

 

If you have any advice for me for a better expedition since I am new to this, I would be grateful.

 

1. I use pop-cap containers. Nothing special, just a secure lid that i can later transfer my queens out of. If you get crafty as i did, i made the lid to one of the container an aspirtator connection. This way i can effortlessly collect the queen, and just put a lid on the container without moving her around any more.

 

Exactly. There is no reason to carry test tubes around in your pocket, especially if they are glass or filled with water. The queens will survive for hours in a little snap-cap container. If you have to, you can even put a little damp piece of a cotton ball in there with them, and they will last for days.

[SoySauce]

Getting skunked happens from time to time but at least you're outside getting fresh air and exercise. Plus a bad day anting beats a any day at work!

[dspdrew]

You better get used to dirty hands.

[dspdrew]

Well this is an interesting coincidence. I'm sitting at work right now, and I just found another Camponotus clarithorax queen in my pocket. It was in one of those snap-cap containers and is still very much alive. I was in such a hurry to make it all the way to Chaney Trail Friday before 8:00, that  I was still wearing my work jacket. Anyway, that queen has been in that thing for three days. So yeah, you don't need to carry test tubes. Queens are tough.

[thosaka]

Some of the annoying things that happened to me on the 10 hr queen hunting trip were:

Test tubes had condensation
Solution: I think I will put them in waterless test tubes and transfer them into water and cotton filled test tubes at home.

I had a lot of dirt on my hands from sifting through what I dug out, and it got itchy/uncomfortable after a while.
Solution: I think I will bring a latex glove.

I went too early, no mating going on with the species I found.
Solution: I think I will try to get there around 4-5 p.m. instead.

If you have any advice for me for a better expedition since I am new to this, I would be grateful.

1. I use pop-cap containers. Nothing special, just a secure lid that i can later transfer my queens out of. If you get crafty as i did, i made the lid to one of the container an aspirtator connection. This way i can effortlessly collect the queen, and just put a lid on the container without moving her around any more.

2. There's no real way around this. Latex glove will work, but won't be a viable solution. You're gonna want to be able to use your finger nails, and/or even feel the dirt as you're digging around. What would help is a small hand shovel or rake.

3. As someone else said, check the mating charts and pay attention to the weather.

Alright, I will order pop cap container. Do I need to make any holes in it or can they still breathe?

I guess I'll just have to get used to using my hands.

[thosaka]

Well this is an interesting coincidence. I'm sitting at work right now, and I just found another Camponotus clarithorax queen in my pocket. It was in one of those snap-cap containers and is still very much alive. I was in such a hurry to make it all the way to Chaney Trail Friday before 8:00, that I was still wearing my work jacket. Anyway, that queen has been in that thing for three days. So yeah, you don't need to carry test tubes. Queens are tough.

Okay. I'll put a cotton and a drop of water. How do ants breathe through a small contained space? Where do they get fresh oxygen from?

[thosaka]

Getting skunked happens from time to time but at least you're outside getting fresh air and exercise. Plus a bad day anting beats a any day at work!

Haha. Yeah, I guess alot of things beat work except maybe being a myremocologist.

[Loops117]

Do you think you could breath up all the air in a 20x20ft room in 3 days?

 

You gotta think, these ants sit in test tubes/claustral chambers for months with little to no air exchange.

 

Edit: I normally just keep a fair amount of containers in my backpack, car, and desk. With plastic, you can have them literally any were and not have to worry about them breaking. Unless you're playing hacky sack with your friends, you may get a queen crushed into another dimension if she's in your pocket. Also, they're usually easier to find and cheaper then tubes.

Edited by Loops117, March 13 2017 - 11:08 AM.

[thosaka]

Do you think you could breath up all the air in a 20x20ft room in 3 days?

 

You gotta think, these ants sit in test tubes/claustral chambers for months with little to no air exchange.

 

Edit: I normally just keep a fair amount of containers in my backpack, car, and desk. With plastic, you can have them literally any were and not have to worry about them breaking. Unless you're playing hacky sack with your friends, you may get a queen crushed into another dimension if she's in your pocket. Also, they're usually easier to find and cheaper then tubes.

Got it. Thank you.

[dspdrew]

 

Well this is an interesting coincidence. I'm sitting at work right now, and I just found another Camponotus clarithorax queen in my pocket. It was in one of those snap-cap containers and is still very much alive. I was in such a hurry to make it all the way to Chaney Trail Friday before 8:00, that I was still wearing my work jacket. Anyway, that queen has been in that thing for three days. So yeah, you don't need to carry test tubes. Queens are tough.

Okay. I'll put a cotton and a drop of water. How do ants breathe through a small contained space? Where do they get fresh oxygen from?

 

 

Unless you put them in an air-tight container (very few are), the rate of airflow in and out of the container is probably faster than the rate of airflow in and out of a queen. In other words, a typical snap-cap container to a queen, is like a room with all the doors and windows closed to us. Sure you won't be getting the freshest air, but there will always be enough oxygen making its way into the room through cracks and holes for you to continue to breathe.

[thosaka]

 

 

Well this is an interesting coincidence. I'm sitting at work right now, and I just found another Camponotus clarithorax queen in my pocket. It was in one of those snap-cap containers and is still very much alive. I was in such a hurry to make it all the way to Chaney Trail Friday before 8:00, that I was still wearing my work jacket. Anyway, that queen has been in that thing for three days. So yeah, you don't need to carry test tubes. Queens are tough.

Okay. I'll put a cotton and a drop of water. How do ants breathe through a small contained space? Where do they get fresh oxygen from?

 

 

Unless you put them in an air-tight container (very few are), the rate of airflow in and out of the container is probably faster than the rate of airflow in and out of a queen. In other words, a typical snap-cap container to a queen, is like a room with all the doors and windows closed to us. Sure you won't be getting the freshest air, but there will always be enough oxygen making its way into the room through cracks and holes for you to continue to breathe.

 

Got it. Thank you.