8 replies to this topic

[Aaron567]

I have really been wanting a Pseudomyrmex colony recently, but I have never been successful with raising the queens. I have P. gracilis, P. seminole, and P. ejectus around my house. Sometimes I see people just capturing the colonies by breaking open the twigs they nest in. I went around today and tried breaking open hollow twigs (in and around trees) all around where I see the workers, but I still haven't found a colony.

 

Could someone just give me more details on how, exactly, to find the colonies? I even tried following workers around to see where they went, but all they would do is randomly walk around and forage.

[AntsAreUs]

You may be able to feed them and follow them back to the nest.

[Ants_Texas]

I find that they mostly live in oak galls. Look in Live Oak Trees. Once you've located a Live Oak Tree with a bunch of oak galls, pick them off and carefully rip the shells off of them. They can be quite hard sometimes, but if you crush them most ants inside will likely die. If the twig ant colony is big, they most likely live in multiple oak galls. This is a difficult but not impossible task, as me and Spamdy have done it. Hope this helps!

[Aaron567]

I find that they mostly live in oak galls. Look in Live Oak Trees. Once you've located a Live Oak Tree with a bunch of oak galls, pick them off and carefully rip the shells off of them. They can be quite hard sometimes, but if you crush them most ants inside will likely die. If the twig ant colony is big, they most likely live in multiple oak galls. This is a difficult but not impossible task, as me and Spamdy have done it. Hope this helps!

 

That helps a lot, thanks! I had to Google what oak galls are and I feel like I've seen them before but I don't think they are very common here. Hopefully I can find some if I actually look for them.

[Ants_Texas]

 

I find that they mostly live in oak galls. Look in Live Oak Trees. Once you've located a Live Oak Tree with a bunch of oak galls, pick them off and carefully rip the shells off of them. They can be quite hard sometimes, but if you crush them most ants inside will likely die. If the twig ant colony is big, they most likely live in multiple oak galls. This is a difficult but not impossible task, as me and Spamdy have done it. Hope this helps!

 

That helps a lot, thanks! I had to Google what oak galls are and I feel like I've seen them before but I don't think they are very common here. Hopefully I can find some if I actually look for them.

 

I'm sure if you just keep looking, eventually you'll find a tree filled with them. I've never seen a Live Oak Tree without like one hundred of them on it. Good luck, these ants are definitelty the Myrmecia of the Americas!

[123LordOfAnts123]

I have a hard time not encountering entire queen-right colonies in search for other arboreal species; this ant is negatively affecting native ants with similar nesting preferences. I find them within dead grapevines, greenbrier, and virtually any dead wood with a pithy interior that is off the ground. In absence of pre-dug cavities they will hollow out dead vegetation on their own. A common source for colonies I utilize is dead oak twigs and branches caught within hanging spanish moss. I have seen few types of oak galls in this area big enough to house them. They’re timid ants and out of hundreds of nests that I’ve broken into, not a single ant has been aggressive, instead either hiding or immediately jumping ship.

Edited by 123LordOfAnts123, April 22 2018 - 8:21 PM.

[Superant33]

Good info from this thread. Think I will break open some oak galls

[Ants_Texas]

I have a hard time not encountering entire queen-right colonies in search for other arboreal species; this ant is negatively affecting native ants with similar nesting preferences. I find them within dead grapevines, greenbrier, and virtually any dead wood with a pithy interior that is off the ground. In absence of pre-dug cavities they will hollow out dead vegetation on their own. A common source for colonies I utilize is dead oak twigs and branches caught within hanging spanish moss. I have seen few types of oak galls in this area big enough to house them. They’re timid ants and out of hundreds of nests that I’ve broken into, not a single ant has been aggressive, instead either hiding or immediately jumping ship.

Yeah, I can see that. You guys in Flordia have it rough with the amount of invasive ants you have there. At least these ones aren't aggressive like the rest of them you have there. 

[canu900]

Thanks