|
Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 20, 2010 12:22:02 GMT
There have been massive flights once again of Lasius niger. Some of the injured or dead queens with wings attached ended up as food for niger nests, or we picked up a few as fresh food for some of my own ants. Jen did capture 7 healthy newly mated queens, but as I haven't planned on starting any Lasius niger colonies this year I'm not sure what I will do with them? I could sell them on cheap to UK members I suppose, and if anyone is interested I will only charge them £2 which will include P&P in the price. If anyone wishes to buy all 7 together they can have the lot for £15 all inclusive; but I will sell them singly too. I know this is a very common species and many can pick them up for free, but the offer is there for those who may not have these ants in the area.
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 20, 2010 15:04:23 GMT
Just picked up another 3 fully mated queens on the path 7 feet (2 metres) from my front door. So now I have a total of 10. Still no signs of anything from the flavus nests though, despite it being very hot and humid this afternoon, but we will remain on ant watch as it should not be long off before we get clouds of Lasius flavus alates within walking distance of our door
|
|
|
Post by tomorrownight on Jul 20, 2010 15:13:05 GMT
have the M. rubra flown yet, I noticed they had male alates in the nest but not many so wondered if they had left already and I'd missed it, that would be sad!
also, I found a L.niger nest with a couple of males left, whats going on there?
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 20, 2010 15:22:36 GMT
Myrmicine ants like rubra tend to fly quite late into July and August, often during mid to late afternoon and early evening even. So chances are you haven't missed them Tomorrownight, it is more probable they just have not happened yet, depending on which part of Britain you live in
|
|
shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
Posts: 1,738
Likes: 819
|
Post by shane on Jul 20, 2010 15:54:17 GMT
I'm not 100% on this but can you feed your ant Colonies dead L.niger males and would you have to wash them for mites weird question I know but needed to know.
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 20, 2010 18:50:15 GMT
I'm not 100% on this but can you feed your ant Colonies dead L.niger males and would you have to wash them for mites weird question I know but needed to know. Not a weird question at all as it does raise a valid point ;D You can feed dead male or female ants to other ants, of any species, as even ants from the same colony will often collect and eat their dead alates. As long as they are freshly killed there is no need to worry about mites, as the bodies of dead ants are not infested by mites for several days until after they died
|
|