Thursday, June 10, 2010

Ant Chat: Episode 20 Just Some Anting

    

Did some anting earlier in the day. Kind of threw this episode together really, but enough happens of interest that I think it's worth watching. I sort of present a theory about Camponotus nuptial flights but trip over my words a bit. Basically what I was trying to say is ants that over winter their alates, such as Camponotus, (some Formica, and some Myrmica) have the benefit of flying earlier than species that produce their alates to fly in the same year. Because Camponotus (and others) have all their alates up and ready to go they deplete all their alates in the course of one or two good weeks over the year. Where as other species that produce their alates to fly that year, example: most Formica, Tetramorium, Lasius, other Myrmica, and Crematogaster etc... tend to have longer seasons. Colony location has a lot to do with how fast the brood is developing. Alates will be in different stages by the time the first of them start flying.