How to catch ants

3. Let's break off a dacayed branch of a tree
In regions south of the Kanto District, there are ants that live under the skin of a decayed branch or tree. When you break off a branch and ants emerge, take the broken branch back home in a bottle or a bag. Examine a tree nut and soil mass by cutting it.

Try to break off a dacayed branch.
If you find ants, then take the branch back home.

4. Let's catch a female
If you find a winged ant attracted to an indoor light at night, it is the day of the mating flight. This is your chance to catch a female.



Next morning, look under stones or at the base of any trees near house. You can catch a female, which is easy to recognize because it is larger than the workers.



Don't put many ants in one container.
Pack sheets of tissue paper in an empty film can or small medicine bottle to roughly half fill it. When you collect ants, put them in the can or bottle. This can avoid possible injuries to the ants.
  • The season when the female flies out
    The measure is Tkyo District

    + Camponotus japonicus Middle & late May
    + Camponotus obscuripes Middle & late May
    - Polyrhachis lamellidens From September to October
    + Lasius japonicus From July to August
    - Lasius fuliginosus From July to August
    + Paratrechina flavipes From late May to June
    + Formica japonica From middle June to August
    - Polyergus samurai Early July
    + Tetramorium tsushimae From July to August
    + Crematogaster matumurai September
    + Crematogaster osakensis September
    + Pheidole fervida From August to September
    + Messor aciculatus From late April to erly May
    + Aphaenogaster famelica July
    + Brachyponera chinensis From June to July
    + Ant species that can be kept only by raising females.
    - Ant species that can not be kept without nursing ants.


    Mother of Camponotus japonicus raising her eggs