How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Where and when are you finding queen ants? A section to share nuptial flight schedules by ant species and locality

Moderator: ooper01

YSTheAnt
Posts: 145
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:53 am
Location: Bay Area

Re: How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Post: # 33582Post YSTheAnt
Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:26 am

Ok this is is specific as it gets. First day that it is above 68, P. Imparis will almost always fly. First, make sure they are in your area. They will often nest at the base of trees, but can be found almost anywhere. The workers are a light tan to a dark brown/black. They are active almost all day, but I notice that they are most active at night. Once you have confirmed they live around you, wait for a day that is at least 68 degrees. Sometimes, they wait till it's in the seventies before flying, so don't be discouraged if you don't catch any. Remember, males start flying for weeks, or even a month or two before you can find queens. This is because in order for them to fly, their flight muscles need to be warm enough to function. Since males are smaller, they heat up faster than the queens, which makes them fly much earlier.

Ok, so assuming you found colonies near you, and the upcoming day(s) are going to be in the high sixties (or even better, 70's), start looking after around 2pm. Males will start swarming, usually outnumbering the queens two hundred to one, so keep an eye out for a larger ant. The swarms will be densest at the edges and inside a forest, but they can be found anywhere. They tend to happen around trees or poles. In fact, I saw a few males swarming a tree in front of my dentist office two days ago, in the middle of a busy office complex. Anyway, once you've found a swarm, look around the ground and on the trees/poles. Look for a larger, orange to brown ant. Queens are around 8mm. Sometimes you can tell then apart because of the ball of males fighting over who gets to mate. If you see such a dog pile, collect them all, and once the frenzy is over, your queen will be guaranteed fertile. Apparently, on a good day you can find a queen every five to fifteen minutes. The flights will die down by six PM. I hope this answers any questions you have :smile:
Check out my blog: bayareaants.blogspot.com
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)

PTasker15
Posts: 309
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:41 am
Location: Houston,TX

Re: How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Post: # 33585Post PTasker15
Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:43 am

YSTheAnt wrote:
Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:26 am
Ok this is is specific as it gets. First day that it is above 68, P. Imparis will almost always fly. First, make sure they are in your area. They will often nest at the base of trees, but can be found almost anywhere. The workers are a light tan to a dark brown/black. They are active almost all day, but I notice that they are most active at night. Once you have confirmed they live around you, wait for a day that is at least 68 degrees. Sometimes, they wait till it's in the seventies before flying, so don't be discouraged if you don't catch any. Remember, males start flying for weeks, or even a month or two before you can find queens. This is because in order for them to fly, their flight muscles need to be warm enough to function. Since males are smaller, they heat up faster than the queens, which makes them fly much earlier.

Ok, so assuming you found colonies near you, and the upcoming day(s) are going to be in the high sixties (or even better, 70's), start looking after around 2pm. Males will start swarming, usually outnumbering the queens two hundred to one, so keep an eye out for a larger ant. The swarms will be densest at the edges and inside a forest, but they can be found anywhere. They tend to happen around trees or poles. In fact, I saw a few males swarming a tree in front of my dentist office two days ago, in the middle of a busy office complex. Anyway, once you've found a swarm, look around the ground and on the trees/poles. Look for a larger, orange to brown ant. Queens are around 8mm. Sometimes you can tell then apart because of the ball of males fighting over who gets to mate. If you see such a dog pile, collect them all, and once the frenzy is over, your queen will be guaranteed fertile. Apparently, on a good day you can find a queen every five to fifteen minutes. The flights will die down by six PM. I hope this answaers any questions you have :smile:
Thanks!Questions-Is This After Rain?
Are These Workers Slightly Larger Than A Fire Ant?
Keeping ants for 6 years now.

Current Species: Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Camponotus decipiens,Camponotus snellingi Solenopsis invicta,Nylanderia sp,Brachmyrmex patagonicus,Pheidole obscurothorax,Pheidole moerens,Pachycondyla harpax

YSTheAnt
Posts: 145
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:53 am
Location: Bay Area

Re: How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Post: # 33586Post YSTheAnt
Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:23 pm

Workers are about two or three millimeters, I'm not sure how big compared to fire ants because I have never seen them. As for rain, it honestly doesn't matter. Unlike other ants, P. Imparis seems to fly based solely on temperature, so rain isn't a factor.
Check out my blog: bayareaants.blogspot.com
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)

PTasker15
Posts: 309
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:41 am
Location: Houston,TX

Re: How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Post: # 33593Post PTasker15
Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:09 pm

YSTheAnt wrote:
Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:23 pm
Workers are about two or three millimeters, I'm not sure how big compared to fire ants because I have never seen them. As for rain, it honestly doesn't matter. Unlike other ants, P. Imparis seems to fly based solely on temperature, so rain isn't a factor.
Oh..Is Tommorow, Jan 22. Since Here In Texas It Will Be 68°F At 3:27 When I Go To Look,Will It Be Good?
Keeping ants for 6 years now.

Current Species: Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Camponotus decipiens,Camponotus snellingi Solenopsis invicta,Nylanderia sp,Brachmyrmex patagonicus,Pheidole obscurothorax,Pheidole moerens,Pachycondyla harpax

YSTheAnt
Posts: 145
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:53 am
Location: Bay Area

Re: How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Post: # 33595Post YSTheAnt
Sun Jan 21, 2018 2:13 pm

Can't say for sure, but if they are in your area, you have a decent chance at finding some
Check out my blog: bayareaants.blogspot.com
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)

AntsDakota
Posts: 1283
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:22 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Post: # 35190Post AntsDakota
Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:16 pm

PTasker15 wrote:
Tue Jan 16, 2018 1:52 pm
PT wrote:
Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:07 am
Its A New Year!Also Time For P.Imparis To Fly!Tips To Catch Winter Ant Queens?? :D :D :o Also Today Is Slightly Windy,It Rained The Past Two Days..And Temp.Is Perfect;NEED ANSWERS NOW!
Not To Be Rude...But Answers Not Helping.
I Meant Like Times And Where To Go To Catch Queens
The queens like to land on tree bark.
"God made every kind of wild beasts and every kind of livestock and every kind of creeping things;" (including ants) "and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25

LordEnwar
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:40 pm
Location: Burnaby, BC

Re: How To Catch Prenolepis Imparis

Post: # 35936Post LordEnwar
Mon May 14, 2018 6:25 pm

It's like catching Pokemon, but IRL.

Just wander the tall grass, my friend!

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests