2121 replies to this topic

[akaant]

" gatta catch em all"

[noebl1]

Pretty good confirmation we had a Tetramorium flight here in Northern MA as found dead female alates, and just found a male alate still alive.

 

Also saw two Camponotus pennsylvanicus alates outside in the last hour within a few mins of each other.  One was working hard to get her wings off, so not sure if due to mating or just because she landed.

 

Hoping to go out tonight to look for Temnothorax as no rain in sight, and the Camponotus and Tetramorium flights are encouraging.

[Aquaexploder]

Pretty good confirmation we had a Tetramorium flight here in Northern MA as found dead female alates, and just found a male alate still alive.
 
Also saw two Camponotus pennsylvanicus alates outside in the last hour within a few mins of each other.  One was working hard to get her wings off, so not sure if due to mating or just because she landed.
 
Hoping to go out tonight to look for Temnothorax as no rain in sight, and the Camponotus and Tetramorium flights are encouraging.

Do you have any other tips when looking for temnothorax?

[CNewton]

When do Lasius fly? Just found a huge flavus colony with tons of alates.

[Nathant2131]

When do Lasius fly? Just found a huge flavus colony with tons of alates.

The more experienced members can probably answer it better than me, but generally speaking all Lasius fly from June to November, with the bulk of them in September. Lasius interjectus are really early though.

 

Oh and are you sure on Lasius flavus? Could easily also be Lasius nearcticus if you didn't base the ID off of some fairly intense magnification.

Edited by Nathant2131, July 2 2017 - 4:56 PM.

[noebl1]

Do you have any other tips when looking for temnothorax?

 

 

Easiest I found is with a flashlight at night;  go near lights as they were very much attracted to them.  Our driveway lights are about 6" high or so, so just looking around the lights I could find them, often attracted to my shirt if white due to the light.  They also have multiple flights like other species do.  However they had one pretty major flight where they were pretty much a nuisance attracted to the flash light

 

I also noticed my CFL bulbs from last year attract a lot more insects than my LED ones do.

[noebl1]

 

When do Lasius fly? Just found a huge flavus colony with tons of alates.

The more experienced members can probably answer it better than me, but generally speaking all Lasius fly from June to November, with the bulk of them in September. Lasius interjectus are really early though.

 

Oh and are you sure on Lasius flavus? Could easily also be Lasius nearcticus if you didn't base the ID off of some fairly intense magnification.

 

 

I believe @batspiderfish has mentioned in the past it's not well known when some of the parasitic species actually fly.  If someone manages to observe the flights, definitely post to the thread

 

If they were brown/black ants, they could be Lasius alienus which *do* fly in July; I caught a couple last year.

[Nathant2131]

I'll be out of the country from 7/10 to 8/7; Might miss the Temnothorax flights. Don't expect any reportings from me during that time.

 

At least I'll be swimming with a bunch of invasives in the Bahamas for a month 

[noebl1]

I'll be out of the country from 7/10 to 8/7; Might miss the Temnothorax flights. Don't expect any reportings from me during that time.

 

At least I'll be swimming with a bunch of invasives in the Bahamas for a month 

 

 

Have a good trip!!!  I'll see if I can grab some extras for you and some others as well if I get any this year; this year they've been pretty elusive

[Nathant2131]

 

I'll be out of the country from 7/10 to 8/7; Might miss the Temnothorax flights. Don't expect any reportings from me during that time.

 

At least I'll be swimming with a bunch of invasives in the Bahamas for a month 

 

 

Have a good trip!!!  I'll see if I can grab some extras for you and some others as well if I get any this year; this year they've been pretty elusive

 

I'm fine catching them myself. But thanks, I'll have a great trip!! 

[noebl1]

 

 

I'm fine catching them myself. But thanks, I'll have a great trip!! 

 

haha I figured, but felt bad not at least offering.  You've got time anyways if like last year.  I saw them a few times starting 6/30 - mid early July.

[Aquaexploder]

I left my CFL trap out side in hope of a temnothorax flight, but no sign of one yet.

[noebl1]

I just caught 3 Temnothorax as it started to rain...  Last one I definitely earned; took several minutes to safely get it off the deck post.

[noebl1]

Still moths and other insects flying, but too rainy right now for me   They may fly after the rain, but I'm not going to stay up.  Don't panic either if you haven't found one yet, as I mentioned before, they tend to fly a few times like other ants.  This could have been an early flight as only saw a couple in the span of 15-20mins.  

 

Look for a small winged ant either on the light, or within a few feet of the light on a wall, post, etc.   They are only 4-4.5mm in size, and have a bulbous gaster. Here's the pics of the one I got last year; fairly magnified and a smaller test tube:

 

Also saw a random Camponotus pennsylvanicus male alate attracted to the lights as well.  Definitely late season small flight

 

EDIT:  For perspective of the size you are looking for, they are 1/2 the length of a grain of rice which averages 8mm, hehe.  They are much much smaller than Lasius queens, so don't expect something that will stick out like they do.

Edited by noebl1, July 2 2017 - 6:51 PM.

[CNewton]

When do Lasius fly? Just found a huge flavus colony with tons of alates.

[noebl1]

Looks like all three I caught are Temnothorax curvispinosus; very tell-tail stripe on their gaster (thank you Field Guide to New England Ants!).  Also apparently one of the most popular Temnothorax species.  

 

Didn't see any signs here of Tetramorium flights; just saw one lone dying Camponotus male alate; not near where I saw the one last night, so not sure if the same one or not.

 

Been watching my Lasius, and I see now what they mean how messy Tetramorium are.  As soon as they eclosed, the Lasius neatly disposed of their cocoons and other refuse.  Tetramorium just sorta carry stuff in and leave it, LOL.

 

Here's the ones I caught last night... for perspective this is a 16mm test tube, so yes, they are tiny.  Once they land, they don't move very fast, and their wings are shiny/striking a bit so you notice enough that's it's not a "fly" like insect.  The one I caught last year *never* dropped it's wings and had quite a few workers before I fumbled this colony up.  So at this point wings are no indicator on these species for fertility.

 

[Nathant2131]

Going to the Dracut Lowell State Forest now-hoping for Tapinoma.

[Nathant2131]

The horseflies persuaded me otherwise- I'll try a less dense area.

[Nathant2131]

So far in Greeley park (dense forest area), I've found an L. umbratus dealate wandering, and a Formica dealate under a log. Possibly from a flight.

[Nathant2131]

Mine falls park: Nothing too exciting except for a random C. americanus major foraging (in the middle of the day, weird)