19 replies to this topic

[Vendayn]

Today as I was out exploring, I saw a bunch of ants...Solenopsis amblychila, which are really common around here. I also saw some type of Formica sp, usually I see this particular one up in the mountains in wooded areas. They are rusty red colored, with black gasters/heads. Medium sized, and I always see them in Julian down in San Diego (I live in Orange County now). Which is a bit strange to me, as they were nowhere near a wooded area (a pretty dry area actually) and no trees at all around. Maybe it is just a similar looking species. I didn't get any samples, but it looked like I had just missed their mating flight. Or maybe they are getting ready for one. All the workers were all over climbing on everything, but I didn't see any alates.

 

I saw Dorymyrmex insanus, which are rather common.

 

And at the end of the walk (I was about to turn around, but decided to go a bit further ahead) I ended up in an area with a large Dorymyrmex bicolor colony. They had small mounds all over, and tons of alates under a rock. Along with a bunch of brood, and a few queens (I think I got 4-5 queens, and this colony had easily over 10) that ended up in my anting container. I didn't want to take everything obviously as that is kind of destroying a nice healthy colony, so I left most of the queens and stuff under the rock.

 

So, now they are in two containers hooked up with tubing. I'll be taking pictures of them tomorrow. I would today, but I'm way too tired!

 

Kind of medium sized ants (to me anyway). But, very active and really fast. I'll have to think of a foraging area, as opening the ant farm doesn't seem to work that great like it does for some other ants. Even then, if they are all in the foraging area...they can still all swarm out. Maybe I need to buy ant slippery stuff (name escapes me at moment, bad memory) for these guys. In any case, I put in a bottle cap of honey (like I do for all my ants) with napkin soaked into it and they began eating it right away.

 

Hope this colony does well. I don't usually keep this particular species. I've seen them around a lot, but I don't recall ever keeping them. They seem a bit rare around here, as usually Forelius pruinosus/mccooki are the dominant ones that I have seen. So, we'll see what happens.

Edited by Vendayn, September 17 2016 - 9:10 PM.

[Gregory2455]

F- f-f-f- Forelius? We should trade, as D.insanus and bicolor are dominant up here... I love Forelius...

[Vendayn]

I don't actually have any Forelius right now. I did see Formica as I said, but no Forelius. I was hoping to find some on my walk and came up empty, but I tend to notice Forelius live in the same kind of area Dorymyrmex bicolor do. So I imagine if I explored more in that area, I'd eventually find them. They are the hardiest and easiest species to keep (Forelius pruinosus/mccooki) however. Never once had an issue keeping them. I think my colony went an entire month without water and they were still producing tons of eggs. Probably got water from the insects I gave them before that (I was on vacation). Their hardiness is probably from them being out in 120 degree weather on pavement. Adapted to living in very harsh conditions. I guess someone had a queen of them and didn't do good, but I always just have seen them budding out. I've never actually seen them fly or anything like that, just mating inside the nest and taking workers to a new colony.

 

If I happen to find some, maybe we can make an arrangement. I probably won't be going back out tomorrow, as I did a ton of walking today. But, I've also been looking for Forelius for a while. I can probably get a few extra queens+workers for you. They are really easy to find (at least that is my experience), but once late Spring/Summer come, its too hard to get them.

 

I guess it depends on the area and your luck. Because, I go all over the place and always see them outside urban areas and out in the desert, but very rarely do I find Dorymyrmex bicolor. Almost never see them anywhere. Funny our experiences are different, but guess living in a slightly different region makes a huge difference. Or maybe once you pretty much know what kind of area to look for, its easier to find them or something.

 

I have a feeling I know where to get some, though. Across the road from where I was (no cross walk anywhere nearby, so I'd have to just run across lol. Police get weird about that though. But I don't want to walk a mile or more away just to cross though), is a huge area that looks exactly what Forelius would live in. I'll give you a heads up if I find any, but I'm not sure when I want to go again. Probably Wednesday. In any case, I'm bound to find Forelius somewhere around that area.

[dspdrew]

The Formica you're talking about are probably F. moki. Where exactly did you see these D. bicolor with all the alates? What big road were you talking about crossing?

[Vendayn]

Yup, it was Formica moki. Looks just like the ones I saw.

 

I think it was the 133, guess its a freeway with bike lanes. It is right by Bommer Canyon and Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and goes to the 73 highway. I walked about 10 minutes up the freeway and saw a ton of ants, but I'd have to cross it to get to the better looking area. Dunno how legal that is, but heh. Guess that explains why there is no crosswalks all along there.

[dspdrew]

Ohh cool. I went hiking off the 133 on the other side of the 73 a long time ago, but never found anything. That's pretty cool you found Formica moki around there. The 133 is just a Hwy on that side of the 405 freeway. I don't think it's a big deal to cross a Hwy like that when there's no cross roads for many miles.

[Vendayn]

The funny part was, the Formica moki were nesting in a storm drain Seemed like where the main nest was. Just thought it was funny that is where they chose to live. But, it was a pretty big colony and they were climbing all over the place.

 

I did go to this area last year, but I didn't find anything. I didn't go as far though I don't think. I wasn't sure if I was allowed in that area, so I turned back. But, guess I am, as I saw bikers going along the bike paths along the road. Also, I think it was because it was Summer time and it was really hot and dry...so, maybe the ants weren't as active or something.

[Vendayn]

They sure lay a lot of eggs. I've only had this colony for a few days, and they already have easily 100 or more eggs from what I can tell. I often see the workers traveling back and forth (when I turn off/on the heat lamp) with huge clusters of eggs.

 

That is a lot of eggs for not having them for very long.

[Vendayn]

I ended up releasing them to my garden outside the garage. They've been there about two or so weeks now, and even have ants trailing up and down the tree near them. I didn't really have the appropriate formicariums for them, and any time I tried feeding them they'd just run super quick out. I don't have any insect-a-slip stuff, which would probably have solved it if I had the money to buy it. I guess I prefer slow moving ants or ants (like Pogonomyrmex) that don't climb.

 

With that said, it will be interesting to see what they do in my garden. What it is, is a plant area with garages on both sides and a small road leading to other garages and then the road ends at the sidewalk. They have quite a nice sized mound already, and I imagine they'll expand a lot. What I'm going to be most curious about is if they can expand enough to defend themselves against any Argentine ants (but the Brachymyrmex are pretty much taking care of that problem). I guess Dorymyrmex bicolor colonies can get really huge. So, it will be fun to see them grow.

 

Also. At first, the Brachymyrmex were actually being sort of aggressive to the D. bicolor...but, the aggression went away when the Dorymyrmex made their nest.

 

I'll keep you guys updated on what they do.

[Vendayn]

Well, I ended up getting a 2nd colony. Where they are building new apartments near here, some of the construction dug up a large colony of Dorymyrmex bicolor (among other ants, like a Formica and a large Pogonomyrmex colony were dug up but the queens I couldn't find. (to add, I think they were killed sadly as the ants of both species were huddled under rocks with tons of brood but no queen in any of them and I looked for a long time. I could have missed the queen(s), but I don't think so in this case.)

 

Anyway. Figured it means I should just keep the Dorymyrmex bicolor. I won't be releasing these ones. Even though I used the same kind of not very good ant containers, I set it up differently so its easier to feed them. I drilled extra holes in the lids and blocked them with cotton, so I just have to put food into the holes and it gives them more air anyway.

Edited by Vendayn, March 23 2015 - 2:22 PM.

[Ra3MaN]

 

 

I drilled extra holes in the lids and blocked them with cotton, so I just have to put food into the holes and it gives them more air anyway.

 

Yep that is a great convenience. I use a soldering iron to make my holes in my plastic set up- that way if the plastic is hard and brittle then there is no cracking. I even went to the lengths of making holes in a few corners, then alternate which holes I put food in.

[Vendayn]

Well, I'll keep the journal going. But, if you saw/see the dumbest things thread...you may already know what happened.

To sum it up...I was putting a bottle cap of honey and some food into their container (so I had to have the lid open, but I did time it when they weren't active). I got distracted by my neighbor and then my wife...never closed the lid

 

Now there are two colonies of Dorymyrmex bicolor by our garage...one right next to the garage and one I put across from it.

 

Yup, not the brightest thing to do.

[Vendayn]

I got a new colony (again, third times a charm lol). But, now that I have fluon....I have a 100% escape proof container. Like my Pheidole megacephala setup, I put olive oil underneath the  fluon and the fluon near the top. And...finally I have a Dorymyrmex bicolor colony that can't escape at all. The last two times, they swarmed everywhere as they are really fast and good climbers.

 

In the colony is 4-5 queens (I might have more), tons of brood and a bunch of workers. Should be a good colony. They already started drinking the honey water too, which I guess they must have been thirsty.

[dspdrew]

How did you obtain this new colony?

[Vendayn]

There is a ton of construction going on. They are building a new apartment complex in Irvine and there used to be tons of ants there (I guess so, I moved here after they started bulldozing). I've seen various Pogonomyrmex colonies in dug up dirt from bulldozers. Didn't see any queens in their hideouts under the rocks scattered on top. Saw one Crematogaster colony, but the queen was squashed under the rock along with a bunch of squashed workers. I saw another Dorymyrmex bicolor colony, but they were all dried up and dead under a large rock. Then closer to the road, there were massive Argentine ant attacks against a couple Messor colonies that were forced to re-locate, along with other ant species.

 

Most of the colonies around there are dead which is sad, or will be once Argentine ants move in from irrigation.

 

This particular colony came from a bunch of loose dirt that was piled on top. And to be honest, I'm probably not even allowed on the grounds as there are keep out signs and a bunch of contruction vehicles just parked there...luckily no one saw me though. I probably won't go back, as they do have a security guard that patrols the area...except he was just sitting in his booth because it was too hot and he was napping lol.

[dspdrew]

I used to do construction. Most of the time at most construction sites, if you just walk around like you belong there nobody but the General contractor would really even know because there are so many different subcontractors and different companies working there all the time.

[Vendayn]

Well, this particular site has no trespassing signs and a security guard. Maybe they got threats. I know when they were building a Hilton hotel down where I used to live, they got threats (according to the local news) and had to put no trespassing stuff up and get a security guard to watch the place at night. In any case whatever the reason, it still felt a bit weird. I'd rather go to an actual nature area than go around where they are building or go in residential areas for ants. It just felt a bit weird to be there even if there were no signs and if I was allowed there or not.

[Vendayn]

The Dorymyrmex bicolor colony is doing really well. Rather low maintence, and I don't need to do much with them. They don't even try to get out anymore and just stay on the dirt or underground.

 

I did give them a bunch of brine shrimp (it looks all ground up and is dry). They went crazy for it and almost right away started getting small clumps of it and taking the pieces to their nest. None of my other colonies responded the same way to the brine shrimp as this colony did. Its bay  far their favorite food I've given them though.

[Vendayn]

Well, I picked up their container and looked underneath. There are TONS of piles of eggs all over the place, hundreds of larvae and lots of pupae.

 

Colony is doing great.

[Vendayn]

Obviously not updating so long, means this colony has long been gone. They are however doing great outside. They got too big for me to take care of, and at the time I had no money or time to expand them.