59 replies to this topic

[Crystals]

Dean sent me this Crematogaster queen on May 18.  She had some larvae and eggs at the time.

The first 2 nanitics eclosed on May 27.  I can hardly believe how small they are, measuring around 2mm in length.  I hope the later generations are a fair bit larger, or else I am going to have fun containing them.

Currently there are 12 nanitics, a few larvae, and quite a few eggs.

[dean_k]

Glad they are doing well so far. I sent you two of healthier ones and I kept one with the least brood. Mine has 5 nanitics with 20ish eggs right now after the queen fattened up. Her gaster is huge now.

 

Their size is about the same as Lasius workers, I think. But the workers are certainly cuter since they point their gaster at you when they feel brave and threatened. When they don't feel brave and threatened, they just run like hell.

[AntTeen804]

The crematogaster cerasi colonies in my backyard has large workers.

[Crystals]

I attached their test tube to a small foraging area loaded with dozens of live fruit flies.  The queen is using the extra protein and sugar to attempt a massive population boom.  There are at least 40 workers and a lot more brood.

 

[dean_k]

Have you seen the workers pointing their gasters at you yet?

[Crystals]

pointing their gasters at me watching them through the glass? Or at my fingers when holding the test tube? No.

Pointing their gasters at any threat, real or imagined that is in the nest or outworld?  Yes. 

 

They have a bad habit of dragging all food into the nest and leaving it there for quite some time.  I can see I will have to slowly upgrade their nest size when the time comes.

They are always active and running around.  Their brood grows faster than I expected, so I suspect this colony could hit a good size quite quickly.  Much faster growth than my local species.

[Crystals]

I did not expect to have to update this journal so soon.  Apparently having a constant source of live fruit flies and hummingbird nectar has triggered a growth explosion.  I am counting over 150 workers and the brood pile is so big you can't see the queen when she is inside of it.  One day they will realize that they do not have to keep all of their garbage in contact with their brood....  I await the day that epiphany crosses their minds.

 

[Myrmicinae]

Cute ants. 

 

I think I have only found a Crematogaster queen once... and she was on the other side of the window.

[William. T]

Nice colony! Mine had a boom around the time yours did.

[Roachant]

Very nice colony! Would love to have some but I never found a queen.

[Crystals]

I can't believe this....

Over 250 workers... 

 

[dermy]

Wow that growth is insane . I can see they still like to keep their trash by the larvae

[Crystals]

About a week after the previous post I noticed that they piled a bit of garbage against the wet cotton.  This caused a very slow "flood".  With the slowly approaching water drop, the workers went nuts and moved all brood, workers, and queen into the outworld.  I took the opportunity to attach a new test tube.  Interestingly enough, they never left any garbage in the new test tube ever since.

 

 

Can you count them?  Me neither.  I am at a loss of words to describe this colony.  Their growth is crazy, despite the fact that I haven't really increased their protein.  They are little sugar sponges; I actually had to refill their nectar feeder because they emptied it (as opposed to me thinking it was too old and changing it).

I will have to upgrade them to a new nest in the near future.

 

[dermy]

Wow! That colony looks like it needs it's own room soon

[LC3]

I counted around 210 gasters including the queen and dis including pupae.

[drtrmiller]

I counted around 210 gasters including the queen and dis including pupae.

 

Funny, I only counted 205.

[Roachant]

I counted around 210 gasters including the queen and dis including pupae.

 
Funny, I only counted 205.

205 plus tax... (Canadian here ).

[Crystals]

There are way more than that in there. They are on both sides of the glass, thus blocking view to the ones on the far side. At a rough count there is over 350 actual workers in the test tube (there are 2-3 layers of workers over the eggs).  Not counting the 100+ in the tubing and foraging area.   

[dermy]

There are way more than that in there. They are on both sides of the glass, thus blocking view to the ones on the far side. At a rough count there is over 350 actual workers in the test tube (there are 2-3 layers of workers over the eggs).  Not counting the 100+ in the tubing and foraging area. 

That's a lot of ants in a just a few months from a Single Queen

[Alexant]

Wow...just wow.