The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

Hi all, I am in eastern Tennessee. Have been on the look out for lasius queens but haven't seen anything yet

im on nine days no rain, its getting hard to even find scouting workers in the parched earth, so i too havent seen lasius.

i see quite a number are flying right now, but i dont see them. rain here comes in september, i hope.

Just wanted to update the thread with some nuptial flight info:
I’m based in southeast Louisiana and after a day of rain, I saw some alates (I believe to be pheidole because of the large-headed workers) clustered around the nest. They have yet to move away from the nest though; not sure when they will mate. Just wanted to give y’all an update of what’s about to fly

Thank you.
imported Fire ants also have big headed workers, I got excited when I started because I saw all these Majors. until I got them under a lens and started working with taxonomy. just FYI.

(can you snag a specimen of one of those big headed majors and take a photo? You can post it on here for Some of the veteran keepers to try and ID. just put it in the right folder)

The rain last night (5-10 mins) was apparently not enough for flights today, I saw zero queens, zero males.

But the following are definitely antsy, with lots of alates waiting for the next storm here. Brachymyrmex, Pheidole, and Solenopsis invicta.

Yesterday We got the first descent rain since August 12th. here in my parts of Louisiana.

What I can confirm flew.
Solenopsis invicta
Brachymyrmex.

What possibly flew, but I didn't see
Aphaenogaster fulva, pica, tennessseensis
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus,novaboraencensis, and americana
Crematogaster
Hyponera
Lasius
Myrmecina americana
Myrmica punciventris.
Neivamyrmex
Nylanderia
Ponera
Stigmatomma


most of these are availible from Louisiana to Virginia. but some are probably just restricted to LA since I have not looked this up

Whats I can confirm is not flying.
Pheidole
Tapinoma

Have you seen Lasius in Louisiana before? All I ever spot are Solenopsis or Camponotus and one colony of Paratrechina the other day. All in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans or Bayou region.

I dwell in an urban environment, so the vast majority of ants i find will be Solenopsis.
I also have only been looking for two months now.

But yes we are supposed to have at least two species of Lasius. as many as 10 species. I have yet to see one.

the most recent survey i read has very large numbers found here.

what i find by frequency. (in case it gives you an idea of expectations for Louisiana. remember i have only been at this for two months, and only collect in urbanity)
Solenopsis (abundant)
Brachymyrmex (abundant)
Forelius (abundant)
Crematogaster (common)
Pheidole (uncommon)
Tapinoma
Ghost Ant
Camponotus (two species, two specimens)
tiny yellow ant (found yesterday not identified yet)

I can confirm the solenopsis findings are abundant. Just walking around LSU campus today and yesterday, I found 3. I’ve found 4 solenopsis total mainly in the evenings, and only one had a wing. I see camponotus but can never seem to find a queen unfortunately.

Intermittent in the Tropical Storm Gordon rain,
Forelius pruinosis flew last night, THEY AREN"T EVEN SUPPOSED TO FLY IN SEPTEMBER. guess you can't believe everything. maybe they are late because of the long period I had of dry.
also Brachymyrmex flew.
(both around dusk so best time to find them was probably midnight, but where I live, thats peak mugging hours.)
today Solenopsis invicta flew, but not with their usual vigor and abundance, only saw three, (usually see 1-2 dozen mated, and many more pouring out of nests)

confirmed to fly today,

2 of the three crazy ant (Nylanderia, not the other two generas) I have identified in the area are flying. (none of these are the invasive ones)

Brachymyrmex patagonicus and depilis both flying.

and of course, Solenopsis invicta flying.

at work we rented a large freight sized dumpster for a remodel, so when the second one came up half empty we lept at it with stuff we are itching to chuck. old 4 ft high spools had rotted away with loads of microfauna living in. There was a Pheidole tetra? (whats the 4 mean, if its hyposotomal border teeth, i have 5), colony in there with almost fully formed drones and possibly queens? so they could be flying soon .