30 replies to this topic

[BugFinder]

On 4/26/15, my buddy David and I went anting in Hollister and we collected a Camponotus vicinus.  There were actually two queens but one escaped down the hole of the nest before we could collect her, but we did collect about six workers to help her get started.  We also collected some brood from a different nest to give her a good head start.  The colony has taken to caring for the brood.  They seem to be voracious eaters, quickly devouring the crickets I put in the nest for them.  I think these girls have become my favorite colony.  I really like them alot because of how huge they are.
 
Now that I have Camponotus Vicinus and Tetramorium Caespitum, and several species in between, I can say that I really like the big ants the best.

[Foogoo]

On 4/26/15, my buddy David and I went anting in Hollister and we collected a Camponotus vicinus.  There were actually two queens but one escaped down the hole of the nest before we could collect her, but we did collect about six workers to help her get started.  We also collected some brood from a different nest to give her a good head start.  The colony has taken to caring for the brood.  They seem to be voracious eaters, quickly devouring the crickets I put in the nest for them.  I think these girls have become my favorite colony.  I really like them alot because of how huge they are.
 
Now that I have Camponotus Vicinus and Tetramorium Caespitum, and several species in between, I can say that I really like the big ants the best.

They were just out wandering? What time of day? I'm in the same boat, I find the large species more interesting and seem to have more personality.

[Irishmate03112002]

Hello from SF, yeah i would also be really interested to know the details on how you caught the queen?  Any updates pictures on the colony?  Thanks.

[BugFinder]

Hi Irishmate, looks like we're neighbors!  I'm from San Jose.  We should go anting together sometime.

 

I found her by turning over rocks in an area where there are alot of these colonies.  It turns out on a cool morning the colony carries the brood out of the nest and puts them under a rock warmed by the sun to warm up.  It's a great opportunity to catch a queen, some workers, and some brood to get a good start instead of just catching a new queen and waiting for her to lay eggs.

 

I don't have any photos of them yet, I'm trying to square away a lens that hopefully will allow me to take some better photos of them.

 

I have the queen, one worker, and one or two larvae.  That's all that's left of what I collected, but they seem to be doing well, she's just not laying yet for some reason.  I'm worried I haven't been providing her food that she really likes and I'm thinking that may be why she hasn't laid eggs yet, but I suppose she could be infertile.

[Irishmate03112002]

I have a Camponotus Essigi queen in the founding stages of a colony.  She stopped laying eggs after her first batch of six.  One day, after months of no activity, i decided to try her with a termite.  She proceeded to lay 15 eggs after devouring the little bugger.  Could be a coincidence but maybe you should try the colony with one. I'm very new to this so i could be very wrong.  Yeah i live in the east bay in a town called Clayton, right on the base of Mt. Diablo.  I would be totally down to ant it up.  Started to think i was the only one in the bay area.

[Irishmate03112002]

I'm surprised to find out that Camponotus live under rocks, shows how little i know.  Thanks for the info.  

[BugFinder]

 Started to think i was the only one in the bay area.

 

There is a few of us here in the bay area bud!

[BugFinder]

Yesterday I moved the last two ants I have of this sp. (1 queen, 1 major) into a nucleus because the test tube was running low on water, and the plastic box I had them in was getting really filthy.  I fed them in the new nest and they've been eating really well (the major transferring food to the queen, she doesn't feed herself, but she is eating) but they haven't found their way into the nest yet, just hanging out in the outworld.  They seem to be doing ok.

 

I'm concerned that after 3 months with this queen, she hasn't laid any eggs.  Is that normal?

[Ants4fun]

Not normal... My Camponotus colonies laid eggs within one day of relocation into captivity...

[BugFinder]

Thanks ants4fun.  I wonder what's wrong.

[dspdrew]

A lot of the Camponotus I get do this after getting their first generation of workers. Some of them just never lay any eggs again.

[cpman]

I've also had Camponotus that produce an initial generation then struggle to produce more past that despite the protein they get.

[BugFinder]

What do you recommend I do to encourage her to produce if she's able to?  stick to insect diet?  Make her home dark?

[Crystals]

I have had many species, whom after their first workers arrive, will wait until after hibernation to produce their next batch.

You can always boost her again just to ensure she gets through the winter with at least one worker.

 

I see this in all Camponotus I have ever caught.

[BugFinder]

I don't think the ants here hibernate.

[Crystals]

I don't think the ants here hibernate.

True, I live where we get 7 months of snow.

Do your local ants have some sort of dormancy period?

 

Maybe try putting them in a slightly cooler area for 2-3 weeks.  Around 18C (64F)?

Not sure what to suggest, as I do not know what your wild colonies usually do.

[BugFinder]

Thanks.

[BugFinder]

I was so shocked to look in at her today and discover a large pile of eggs!  What a surprise!!  They weren't there yesterday, so she must have laid them last night or today while I was at work.

 

They aren't white, kind of yellow.  

 

I'm so excited!!  I'll post photos as soon as I can.

[Ants4fun]

Congrats!

[BugFinder]

I'm so happy she finally laid eggs, but I don't understand why she waited 3 months.