hedge
Leaf Cutter Ant 
Posts: 70
Likes: 50
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Post by hedge on Jun 27, 2018 18:07:17 GMT
I've seen one winged queen and a few virgin queens just inside the nest entrances in Liverpool just now. Don't know if there's definitely going to be a flight today but it's likely in the next few days so keep your eyes peeled.
Not sure what species they are, probably L. niger though several of the colonies are at the base of tree trunks and the workers look like they have lighter coloured thoraxes.
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Post by UKantz on Jun 28, 2018 9:02:45 GMT
Could be Lasius brunneus, they like to nest in wood.
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hedge
Leaf Cutter Ant
Posts: 70
Likes: 50
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Post by hedge on Jun 28, 2018 14:33:28 GMT
Not the same ones, look like L. niger, but I just spotted this outside work 10 minutes ago.    |
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Post by deansyme on Jun 28, 2018 15:17:01 GMT
Get your test tubes ready!
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Post by tatufmetuf on Jun 28, 2018 16:59:46 GMT
Here (in Belgium, its been some pretty hot days with no rain) the mating flight has already started  I caught 6 wingless Lasius niger queens and I have seen at least 5 dead ones. There are a lot of winged aletes in the Formica nests. And I have found two wingless queens but I don't think the mating flight has really started yet. |
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Post by UKantz on Jun 28, 2018 18:10:12 GMT
Nothing here that would indicate nuptial flights yet :L
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Post by tatufmetuf on Jun 28, 2018 19:28:33 GMT
:/ I have for the first time seen aletes fly off their nest into the sky  both Lasius niger and Formica cunicularia aletes were walking around their nest entrances but I've only seen niger fly off today. I'll surely do a tour of the house outside tomorrow morning to find queens |
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Post by danovsan on Jun 29, 2018 21:08:33 GMT
I have seen some ants foraging outside in the sun. Is there a way to know precisely when the ants will fly?
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Post by jeoff82 on Jun 29, 2018 21:28:00 GMT
I have seen some ants foraging outside in the sun. Is there a way to know precisely when the ants will fly? No there is no way to tell for sure but they normally fly on warm days when there is little or no wind. When Lasius niger start their nuptial flights it is unlikely you will miss it. |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 1, 2018 18:43:55 GMT
There's a Lasius niger flight going on right now. Collected eight queens, I'll probably keep a few for myself and perhaps sell the others cheaply once they've got nice sized colonies going. No Lasius flavus, unfortunately.
Edit: Decided to keep three and let the others go. I "plant" them in flower pots that aren't occupied by other ants in the hopes that they can establish themselves there.
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Post by UKantz on Jul 1, 2018 19:03:55 GMT
Had a little look around my area and there was nothing going on. Hopefully they'll start here soon.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 1, 2018 21:47:01 GMT
Here's one of the queens I decided to keep. She's much calmer now that she's no longer flying or running around to flee the many predators that gather during nuptial flights. Hopefully she'll dig before long and start a colony of her own.  My mum was wondering what would happen to the young drones and queens being captured by workers on the ground, so I explained they'd get eaten by the rival colonies. Soon she was going around helping them get to safety, haha. That sort of behaviour isn't allowed in our garden! |
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Post by tatufmetuf on Jul 2, 2018 10:53:57 GMT
She is pretty ! nice find I liked if my mom was the same ! for her I save them to emprison them after she isn't very happy about it ..  |
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