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Post by tuck on Jul 8, 2007 21:58:04 GMT
hello!
I'm new to keeping ants & live in tennessee in the US. I have been interested in them awhile! but what I was wondering is, when are the mating flights in tennessee?
Last year I didn't see a hint of a flight. I would look under stones every once in a while, to see if I could find any unmated queens from a colony, to see if it was about time for a flight yet. Once I saw a colony of orange ants under a small rock and found 2 or 3 winged queens.
Now under the same stone there is a colony of black ants! From what I have read Britain has gigantic flights!!! And, it is the exact opposite here! I discovered a queen at the swimming pool last summer & her first brood died when I accidentally poured too much water in the farm. but now at last, she has 3 workers & 1 pupa & very few larva & eggs. Anyways, sorry if it seems like I have rambled on, but if anyone can help me out I would appreciate it a lot! =)
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 9, 2007 7:43:07 GMT
Hi Tuck, and welcome to the Ant Hill  With mating flights of ants, much of the pertinent reason for their flights depends very much on climatical conditions, and also the particular species. Just because a species like Lasius niger may have a massive mating flight here in Britain, other species in this genus such as Lasius flavus generally have quite small flights in the number of winged ants by comparison. Again, depending on weather conditions and species, many flights such as those of Formica rufa (Red Wood Ant) take place in early June, while other species will fly as late as October. In some years when there are unfavourable conditions, mating flights do not even happen, in which case all alate males and females are killed and eaten by their own sisters within the nest. Such events are rare however, and most years successful matings take place; but the probability is that only 3% of mated queens will establish themselves long enough to found their own dynasty. This means that a lot of predation occurs, and that even a queen that founds a colony has no guarantee of making it until the colony enters its second year. Thus a colony that is started this year, even if it enters winter with a small number of workers, can still die out or be wiped out by a larger colony until it too becomes established enough to prevent its demise. |
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Post by Marshall on Jul 9, 2007 15:19:46 GMT
Hi, Just picking up on what Wood said, I know that the Formica rufa mating flights are in June, in mid june I went to see them, but I saw none 1 male that was. Do you think that I had missed them? , our was I too early.  There was no signs of them even being ready? and none inside the nest well none in the top of the nest ? Marshall  |
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Post by Jenny on Jul 9, 2007 17:36:43 GMT
Being in the right place at the right time is very difficult, and catching a rufa mating flight would be a very outside chance  |
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Post by sithmaster676 on Jul 9, 2007 19:36:41 GMT
in Norfolk we haven't had any mating flights yet, so I'm just waiting to catch a few new queens  Sithmaster676 |
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Post by tuck on Jul 12, 2007 5:38:49 GMT
hey again! well last year I might have spotted a flight because I think I spotted a few winged queens land on some railroad ties on the playground at daycare last summer (see I'm 13 yrs old & I was one of the oldest kids there!) but some of my friends apparently squashed them not knowing what they were.  They just didn't understand! But then we went inside so I couldn't find anymore ants  . This summer maybe I will have more luck! The alates I found last year were sometime in mid to late July, so maybe that is when the flights will happen this year! Also, in my grandparent's back yard, there is a pretty large colony of black ants which I believe to be the same or similar species as the ones in my uncle milton farm. The colony is nestled underneath 3 or 4 rocks placed closely together. But get this...there are naked pupa & cocooned pupa! is that normal? In fact there were so many naked pupa, my nana thought they were termites! haha. She is still learning. ANYWAYS...(I know I love to talk...and sing! haha.) I check under these stones, everytime I come to their house to see if there are any males or alate queens, but there is no sign of them every time. Perhaps the winged sexuals are in a different part of the nest, and the part under the stones are just brood? I hope so because I am almost sure this colony is able & well enough established to produce males/alates. Well thanks for the help! I am loving this forum! the members are so helpful & friendly.  |
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Post by Jenny on Jul 12, 2007 6:15:39 GMT
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They just didn't understand! 
