Ants in Peterborough

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

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Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 21303Post Saeyoung
Wed May 17, 2017 7:28 pm

Yup! I don't plan on disturbing them anymore than I already have accidentally. Though I am going to walk over there during the afternoons/evenings to see if they're swarming. They may be a good indicator to help me find a mated Queen. I'm like 99% positive they're Camponotus noveboracensis, and they're only two blocks from my home.

I also found a second kind of Carpenter ant today, I believe it was Camponotus pennsylvanicus from the images I'm seeing on Google versus the worker I was handling to get a look at her, if not they're very similar. I found her on a living tree in the field behind my house, so I don't know where the nest is but I know they're around.

It was 28 Degrees here in Peterborough today with sunny weather all day and winds between 10-14 km/h so I was seeing a lot of ants today. I also got the first sunburn of the season today. Yay! :)

Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 21383Post Saeyoung
Fri May 19, 2017 4:53 pm

I caught another Lasuis Queen today! So far I haven't been able to get a good photo of her as she's pretty skittish. Looks a lot like Lasuis Niger/Flavus. Found her under a rock out in the forest at around 5pm today. Weather was fine, 15-17C Humidity was 64% and winds were5-7km/h according to the weather forecast.

Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 21425Post Saeyoung
Sat May 20, 2017 6:36 pm

I would like to correct my previous statement. I have a friend in the area who's big in to bugs and I saw him today. He told me that the Queen I caught the other day is actually Prenolepis imparis - The winter Ant / False Honey Pot Ant! Neat-O!

Martialis
Posts: 1576
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 5:30 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 21431Post Martialis
Sat May 20, 2017 11:08 pm

Sorry, but I'm not to sure. Prenolepisimparis flights are basically over and their queens look vastly different from Lasius.

P. imparis queen:
Image

A Lasius umbratus queen, the other thing you think she may be:
Image
Keeper of

Selliing:

Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 21435Post Saeyoung
Sun May 21, 2017 3:26 am

Oh no sorry! I meant the second Queen from my post on May 19th. She's the Prenolepis imparis. I thought she was Lasius Neoniger when I found her but I didn't really get a good look at her before I put her in a nice dark place.

Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 22249Post Saeyoung
Fri Jun 02, 2017 9:12 pm

Found a colony of Tapinoma Sessile today!
Image

Martialis
Posts: 1576
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 5:30 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 22252Post Martialis
Fri Jun 02, 2017 9:51 pm

Nice! These seem like they're pretty interesting ants, at least to me. One thing I've noticed when looking at either wild colonies or my own is that if they get on your arms and you brush them off, you smell like blue cheese! The alarm pheromone is pretty strong in this species. :lol:
Keeper of

Selliing:

Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 22276Post Saeyoung
Sat Jun 03, 2017 12:53 pm

I did indeed notice a strange and unpleasant odor when we accidentally broke their home open, good to know that's what happens when I alarm them. I will have to be 'very' gentile with these guys. Don't want my whole house to smell! xD

Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 22908Post Saeyoung
Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:07 pm

There is currently a Nuptuial flight happening for Camponotus in Peterborough, I have seen over 30 Queens just cruising on the side walk right now. Some of these Queens are completely black, some others have red thorax/mesosoma's. Ill try to get pics when they're less agitated, I just put them in to their chambers.

Queens EVERYWHERE near Toronto!

Saeyoung

Re: Ants in Peterborough

Post: # 22919Post Saeyoung
Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:41 pm

Image
Image
Image
Image

These are the Queens I caught today. I believe they're Camponotus /noveboracensis OR herculeanus but I could be wrong (likely). If anyone can ID with these rather choppy pics let me know. Caught today in Peterborough, weather was a scorching 32 C the last two days, first few really hot summer days. I started seeing these girls once the sun started setting at around 6:30 - 7 pm, no winds. They're roughly 2 cm long, they're BIG.

Edited for typos.

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