isopog's Favorites

Found within 10 miles of where a historical montanus record was noted, and the pattern heavilly reminds me of some mid-atlantic montanus photos I’ve seen. Plus the iris appeared more brown, but it is hard to tell since I had to recover the third photo from a bad smudge on my lens.

So, this is a polyergus bilateral gynandromorph! ½ worker caste (red), ½ alate (black). The mandibles, eyes, single wing, and antennae are the more obvious caste traits reflected in each half of this individual. Found them shortly after leaving the colony possibly (I found one a few feet away).
See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124878696
& https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124879042

Lifer and 3rd VA iNat record. Too many to count, but probably 50+ total individuals. I will post all audio recordings separately, due to low numbers of observations and iNat data.

WARNING: OAK TOADS MAY CAUSE HEARING LOSS.

In a pit on the underside of a small piece of concrete, also occupied by a Solenopsis molesta colony. With springtail prey. Much darker/purpler than another Strumigenys I saw nearby.

Workers were found in a makeshift termite bait made of a PVC pipe with holes drilled into the side, it was buried in the ground (the top of it was surface level so you could access the inside and a stone was placed on top to act as a cover) and pine wood was put inside, the wood was rotting when I checked it. Termites (Reticulitermes sp.) were present and workers were seen walking in the tunnels that the termites made in the wood. Workers were also seen on the inside and bottom of the PVC pipe.

Very happy to have found these and definitely wasn't expecting to.

Blacklighting at Ron Ehmann Park. Temps in the low 70's, moon around 28% although it hadn't risen yet.

I had two blacklight setups going in this area, both pretty close to each other. This is from the first sheet described below.

First sheet lit by a Bioquip blacklight connected to car jumper thing with a 12 volt socket. Other observations from this sheet: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=25.66646251245836&nelng=-80.34778778459454&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.665797682335846&swlng=-80.34960381903161&user_id=joemdo

Second sheet lit by two cheapy DJ blacklights. Other observations from this sheet: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=25.666405455623483&nelng=-80.3494471898476&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.665740625182814&swlng=-80.35126322428466&user_id=joemdo

All observations from tonight: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=25.667572521960977&nelng=-80.3455038041323&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.664913203986394&swlng=-80.35276794188059&user_id=joemdo&verifiable=any

Info about the cheapy DJ blacklights used on the second sheet, great for getting started with blacklighting: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/damontighe/11836-diy-moth-light

Here's a video showing the DJ blacklights in action at the Pinecrest campground (Big Cypress) during Summer 2019: https://youtu.be/tavmTa7WoPk

Blacklighting project for Florida on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/blacklighting-florida

I came out here because there is a cold front coming and wanted to take advantage of the warmer weather and darker night before the front rolls in (temps are supposed to drop to the 30's in a couple days- first time in over 10 years).