Hawaiian nuptial flights?

[Harleyvitality]

Hi there, I live in Hawaii and have been searching for new queens for some time now. I do find them randomly, but always when I am unavailable to pick them up. This year I was lucky enough that I found a newly mated queen that had fallen into my pool. She has survived, but her first workers escaped (an extremely tiny hole) and now she is left alone with about 15 brood.

However, I would like to get my hands on other species of ants. last year I captured 5 different Pheidole megacephala queens that had seemingly mated, but none of their eggs would reach maturity. I could not tell if they were eating them, or if they were just not surviving. I would love some Pheidole queens, but I'd especially love some Solenopsis geminata, as it was my favorite species growing up in the dryer parts of the island.

I should probably know the nuptial flight schedules better around here, but it just ends up that I don't. If anyone has any information on the local (Hawaii) nuptial flight schedules, or any queens they'd like to hand off please send me a PM or reply here.

Mahalo!

#antlove

[Batspiderfish]

I'm not certain, but I believe that since none of Hawaii's ants are native, they probably all fly whenever they can.

[Harleyvitality]

It certainly seems that way. I've found all different species of queen throughout the year, but was really hoping they'd have more common times to fly. I swear every time I find a new species of queen, or at least one I don't have at home, I have forgotten my vial and am unable to capture them.

[Slavking]

They fly when ever they can but I tend to find a lot of queens during spring and summer

[HawaiianAntNerd]

Nice to see another ant keeper in Hawaii. Yeah, I have caught the same specie of Ant queen in the polar opposite time of year.

Once in September, once in December. I guess because of how every month is the same, they fly at random times.

[pnhearer]

I'm looking to catch my very first queen. Wish me luck. I'll try to include pictures if I am successful here on Oahu. There are these teeny tiny black ants that I think are kinda cool.