The AntsCanada Forum

I believe L. Neoniger may be flying, caught 2 (missed one) in the matter of 5mins, pending positive ID. All other species I mentioned still flying. The Ponera you can hold you hand out and they'll land on them... crazy.

Interesting observations:
1. Caught several Lasius queens on or in the green kiddy pool (which is all of 4' wide)
2. Almost all the Myrmica were caught on a green/blue hammock (there were several...)
3. We had a small deck replaced this season with brown deck with white trim that's a composite. It's a literal graveyard of male alates of mostly Lasius of different types; absolutely covered with them.

Being sick today, I'd just got out for 5-10mins... find a bunch, and come back. Probably about as crazy as when Campanotus fly in terms of sheer numbers. I think enough are flying to overwhelm the dragonflies this year

noebl1 wrote:I believe L. Neoniger may be flying, caught 2 (missed one) in the matter of 5mins, pending positive ID. All other species I mentioned still flying. The Ponera you can hold you hand out and they'll land on them... crazy.

Interesting observations:
1. Caught several Lasius queens on or in the green kiddy pool (which is all of 4' wide)
2. Almost all the Myrmica were caught on a green/blue hammock (there were several...)
3. We had a small deck replaced this season with brown deck with white trim that's a composite. It's a literal graveyard of male alates of mostly Lasius of different types; absolutely covered with them.

Being sick today, I'd just got out for 5-10mins... find a bunch, and come back. Probably about as crazy as when Campanotus fly in terms of sheer numbers. I think enough are flying to overwhelm the dragonflies this year

Awesome! Lets hope they are flying in such large numbers here as well!

zkublin wrote:Awesome! Lets hope they are flying in such large numbers here as well!

Don't fret, incoming pics in a moment once I get them off the phone

These were taken 5-10mins ago from varies Lasius colonies around the driveway area:

Super easy right now to go out and spot them with flash lights. 4 Lasius in ~5mins, all without wings so pretty slow in the grass/moss and easy to spot.

noebl1 wrote:Super easy right now to go out and spot them with flash lights. 4 Lasius in ~5mins, all without wings so pretty slow in the grass/moss and easy to spot.

I was out for 45 min and couldn't find a single one . Guess thats what I get for living in the city.

I live in Portland, which is the largest city in Maine that doesn't really seem like a city. I go to the parks and cemeteries to look for my queens.

May have just got one! I am not great at IDing species smaller than camp, and not sure if it's a male or female, still has its wings but "she" looked like she was looking for a place to start her colony so fingers crossed its a mated queen and she'll drop her wings. I'll post pics later tonight and get your opinions on what she is and if she is in fact a she.

zkublin wrote:May have just got one! I am not great at IDing species smaller than camp, and not sure if it's a male or female, still has its wings but "she" looked like she was looking for a place to start her colony so fingers crossed its a mated queen and she'll drop her wings. I'll post pics later tonight and get your opinions on what she is and if she is in fact a she.

That's great news!!!!!

And he'a dead. I am assuming its a male since it died so quickly. Never had a Camp female die that quickly after capture before. Any easy way to tell if it was a male or female? I never was able to sex them until they dropped their wings.