Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

Moderator: ooper01

How many queens have you caught this summer?

0
16
16%
1
25
25%
5
29
29%
10
17
17%
I'm good 20+
14
14%
 
Total votes: 101

xiangzai94
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2018 4:57 am
Location: Malaysia

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 38346Post xiangzai94
Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:05 am

Hi guys,
I found an ant yesterday during my way back home.
Is thr any way i can share the photo to identify whether is it a male or female?

Thanks.

User avatar
Jadeninja9
Posts: 732
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:00 pm
Location: SF Bay Area, California

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 38364Post Jadeninja9
Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:21 am

xiangzai94 wrote:
Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:05 am
Hi guys,
I found an ant yesterday during my way back home.
Is thr any way i can share the photo to identify whether is it a male or female?

Thanks.
Start your own ID Thread and find out how to post photos by using imgur.com.
Keeper of:
1x Camponotus Hyatti
1x Lasius alienus colonies
1x Tetramorium immigrans

Fayestone
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2018 5:02 am
Location: Derby, England
Contact:

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 45972Post Fayestone
Sun Jul 29, 2018 6:01 am

I’ve found five, although let one go. They were all caught either in my garden or in my sisters garden. I really didn’t have to go far! 😅

My garden has a paved patio, so I would stand back and watch for movement. I was prepared to go searching in the woodland and meadow behind my house, but they were happy enough to come to me.

KimNorway
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:45 am
Location: Norway

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 47020Post KimNorway
Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:03 pm

Nuptial swarms is easy to spot, but I suspect some of the simplest swarms to see here I live, is male-only, Myrmica rubra.
What gender of ant which makes nuptial swarms varies a bit, it seems from a Google. I thought I was capturing a few Queens and leaving 1 or 2 males along them, and seems I got males only from the swarm, similar to gnats, the ants of Myrmica only have male swarms.
I also captured what i *thought* was ants mating, but I doubt they were....

So look for swarms, but don't capture male alates! Look around the swarm, etc. Unless you know the species you look at, got queen-only flights.

Hunter36o
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:57 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 49350Post Hunter36o
Tue Sep 04, 2018 3:48 am

Okay I am from Ireland so our flights can be a little off compared to the rest of Europe. But from June right up to Sunday just gone Lasius Niger's have been flying on and off, very easy to spot the swarms as they are very common here. These generally have the highest peak of swarms around 5 - 6pm making catching queens so easy because they do be still walking around looking for new spot to dig the following afternoon. Housing estates along the path (sidewalk for Americans) seem to be the best bet for black garden ants and for me walking up the hills a small bit was good to find 2 Myrmica queens.

Determination and patience is all you need.
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.

AusAnts
Posts: 121
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2019 5:09 am
Location: Darwin,Australia

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 65754Post AusAnts
Mon Nov 25, 2019 5:09 am

found about 10 iridomyrmex sp Queens over the last 5 weeks or so... Very common species in Australia. might needa join the gan project soon.
2 x iridomyrmex sp Queen:15+ workers
2 x iridomyrmex pallidus: 40+ workers
1 x pheidole megacephala:2 queen 300 workers.
1 x opisthopsis Queen: 14 workers

Fourteen
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:04 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 68831Post Fourteen
Thu Apr 09, 2020 11:07 am

Hello,
I live in central Oklahoma and have been searching since February for any queen ants I can get my hands on. However, I have found nothing. I have walked several different paths after rain on warm days and still, there is nothing around. Anything I should try and do to increase my chances of finding a queen this year?

Thanks

Formicarufa
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2020 4:28 pm
Location: Penzance

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 69204Post Formicarufa
Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:09 pm

Hello

Does anyone know the specifics of a Formica fusca nuptial flight
Formica fusca is very common where I live and I really want to catch a queen this year

Any other tips for Formica fusca

Is Formica fusca supposed to be poligimus
Most of the colonies I find have multiple queens

User avatar
yahammad
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue May 05, 2020 12:06 pm
Location: saudi arabia

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 69794Post yahammad
Thu May 07, 2020 8:50 am

Ants500 wrote:
Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:22 pm
Does anyone have tips for finding queens during nuptial flight, I've tried all summer and found only 1 camponotus queen! It seems like the only way to is just random wandering, is there any other method to finding them?
you are so lucky i spend 4 hours searching per week and it has been over a year i checked the nuptial flight schedule of my region and
I have FOUND NON :(
and please if anyone knows how to catch queen ants in saudi arabia plz tell me here
https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?t=17904
IT'S ANTLOVE FOREVER

Allinator779
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:10 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Catching Queens During Nuptial Flight

Post: # 73712Post Allinator779
Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:43 am

I caught one today. Found it early this morning being chased by a lizard,the lizard took off when it saw me coming to scoop up the queen. :lol:
Queen has yet to be Identified.

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