1787 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

Dumped them into a new tests tube, most of the brood and queen was in the new tube but a few brood and workers clung to the cotton of the old setup.
A couple of workers came back and collected the brood, and then later try to drag the two stubborn workers across.
One of the legs got caught on the cotton, so the draggingw as all in vain

So I tipped it again and a couple of taps sent them across.
The last one I had to use featherweight forceps and grabbed her

I think the workers were dying from dehydration as the cotton wasn't quite wet in the old setup.
I squirted two of them with water and they stirred a bit, but still very weak.
They may yet live.
The third one is clinging onto the water dam and had a drink so she seems OK now

As for the dumped cocoon that should have eclosed, no idea, they still haven't opened it yet

[CoolColJ]

My 100 or so worker Strobe colony has one ant that is way larger than all the other workers, but not quite the size of the queen/alate.

I wonder what it is... don't think it's a drone....

About 2mm longer and twice the thickness

[CoolColJ]

Camponotus cf nigriceps 19mm queen, 20+mm when bloated
20mm test tube - heat cable
10 workers - 5 cocoons, 3 large, 3 medium, 15+ small larvae/eggs

So one worker did eventually die, they dumped her body up the front.
They also kept dumping this cocoon out the front even though it looked like it was close to eclosing with a clearly visible and dark worker inside.
I kept dumping it back onto their brood pile.
And voila she has eclosed this morning!

There are still two more workers that look really weak and close to dying...
I assume these are just natural deaths but all within 2-3 months of birth...

Two more cocoons ready to eclose, so no net change in population if they end up dying
One is getting opened right now

Edited by CoolColJ, April 23 2019 - 9:03 PM.

[CoolColJ]

Autumn 25th April 2019

Camponotus cf nigriceps 19mm queen, 20+mm when bloated
20mm test tube - heat cable
11 workers - 4 cocoons, 3 large, 3 medium, 15+ small larvae/eggs

Only 1 confirmed dead worker, but once the two other weak looking ones are dumped at the front I will now for sure
Another worker eclosed, so up to 11 now, and another should soon.



Pheidole antipodum 14-15mm queens x 4
All setups 20mm test tube and a styro foam double chamber entrance

Heat cable
Queen 8 - former partner of Dual queen setup 1
40+ workers - some large larvae, medium stack of brood
Queen 9 - former partner of Dual queen setup 1
10+ workers - small pile of brood

Queen 4 with red dirt
15+ nanitics from donated brood, small clump of unhatched 4-5 month old 15+ eggs
Queen 5 - bare test tube
100+ workers - some large larvae, massive teaspoon sized brood pile

RIP dual queen setup 1 started fighting!
Like the other pair one queen had the other in a jaw lock, grabbing her mandibles and hanging on
So I had to separate the one with the slightly nipped right antenna out and gave her about 10 workers and a couple of mini majors.
And a small pile of brood, most are minor worker pupa, but some larvae and eggs as well
4 Large major larvae remain in the original setup

[CoolColJ]

Camponotus cf nigriceps 19mm queen, 20+mm when bloated
20mm test tube - heat cable
9 workers - 4 cocoons, 3 large, 3 medium, 15+ small larvae/eggs

So the 3 sick workers did end up dying and dumped to the front, while two workers eclosed.

[CoolColJ]

Autumn 27th April 2019

Camponotus cf nigriceps 19mm queen, 20+mm when bloated
20mm test tube - heat cable
10 workers - 4 cocoons, 2 large, 3 medium, 15+ small larvae/eggs

Back to 10 workers after another cocoon eclosed, and another one spun.
It looks like those 3 recent deaths may be just from old age even though the nanitics were only 2-3 months old...
or dehydration

[CoolColJ]

Colony update - Autumn 28th Aprl 2019

Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant) 10mm queen
Atom C nest inside circular outworld
100? workers, 20+ cocoons, tons of brood

I counted at least 80 workers, and most likely over 100 now
I removed the heat cable from the side of the nest, and let them chill over winter, slow down their growth and let the queen rest up.
And save me getting them a new nest until way later

There are two massive workers in this colony!
You can see one in this pic on the lower right
Halfway between the queen and the other workers.
She could pass off as a major, and used as a replete

click



Melophorus sp.- black orange 7-8mm queen
Acrylic founding nest - heatcable
6 workers - brood?

Still no brood......but with winter coming up, most likley wait till spring.
Sigh two seasons and still at 6 workers...


Polyrhachis rufifemur 9mm queen
16mm test tube - heat cable
1 worker - 1 cocoon, 1 large, 2 medium, 4 small larvae

1 large larvae gettting close to cocooning
So far so good, the cocoon should be getting close to eclosing, and hopefully it's not opened early and or born deformed like the past 3...
With 4-5 month long brood times, every one is important!

They have such a weird non linear growth rate. Brood stays small for months and then suddenly shoots up in size over a week.




Camponotus suffusus bendigensis 17-18mm queen 1
20mm Test tube - heat cable
10 workers, 2 large, 1 medium larvae, 5 small larvae/eggs

Not doing that well, after they ate their last few cocoons, but they finally have 2 more large larvae.
Last batch before winter



Camponotus aeneopilosus aka golden tail sugar ant - 12mm queen
16mm test tube - styrofoam double chamber setup - in styrofoam and heat cable incubator
15 large larvae

her larvae are finally looking large enough to coons. Still has taken months, suprised by that when the first one that brither a drone didn't take that long.


Camponotus cf nigriceps 19mm queen, 20+mm when bloated
20mm test tube - heat cable
10 workers - 3 cocoons, 2 large, 3 medium, 10+ small larvae/eggs

So much brood, I'm impressed by the fertility of this queen.
Even after 3 workers dying this week, they are going well.

But I most likely will sell them next week





Myrmecia fulvipes, bull ant, 17-18mm queen
20mm test tube - in small outworld
1 worker

no eggs

Colobopsis macrocephala 9mm queen
16mm test tube - in styrofoam and heat cable incubator
5 workers 1 large larvae, a few small larvae/eggs

Going well. The workers looked to have chewed the ends of the queen's wings
Will be selling them, if no buyers I will release them




Pheidole antipodum 14-15mm queens x 4
All setups 20mm test tube and a styro foam double chamber entrance

Heat cable
Queen 8 - former partner of Dual queen setup 2
40+ workers - some large larvae, medium stack of brood
Queen 9 - former partner of Dual queen setup 2
10+ workers - small pile of brood

Queen 4 with red dirt
15+ nanitics from donated brood, small clump of unhatched 4-5 month old 15+ eggs
Queen 5 - bare test tube
100+ workers - some large larvae, massive teaspoon sized brood pile


Queen 5 is getting harder to keep them inside the test tube when feeding.
They are quite aggressive and get super alarmed like meat ants!
So I have shoved a piece of balled up tissue inside the test tube to help
Now they guard the tissue ball instead of the cotton plug, allowing me to seal it back up eventually.

Growing well, they have enough brood to fill a tea spoon

Largest colony queen 5 in the foreground and queen 8 at the back.


Cheeky workers of queen 5 have dug a little chamber into the cotton dam...



Original members of dual queen setup2, queen 8 have 4 large larvae already



Queen 9, the separated queen from the above former dual colony with her small share of the brood and workers.
Has a good amount of eggs, so she will do ok.
She has one small major eclose this week.

Edited by CoolColJ, April 28 2019 - 5:42 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Keep the Colobopsis! (please)

[CoolColJ]

Keep the Colobopsis! (please)

No interest from buyers

[CoolColJ]

Autumn 30th April 2019

 

Starting to get quite cool, winter not far off now...

 

 

Camponotus suffusus bendigensis 17-18mm queen 1
20mm Test tube - heat cable
10 workers, 1 cocoon, 2 large,  5 small larvae/eggs

 

Hey first cocoon spun in a while.

Please do not eat it like the last 3, thanks in advance!

Edited by CoolColJ, April 30 2019 - 5:00 AM.

[CoolColJ]

Camponotus cf nigriceps 19mm queen, 20+mm when bloated
20mm test tube - heat cable
10 workers - 3 cocoons, 4 large, 15+ small larvae/eggs

Ugh, I just watched a worker open a premature cocoon and drag out the half developed pupa and I guess will eat it
Maybe just winter approaching things....

It's like a daughter killing her baby sister..

[CoolColJ]

Autumn 2nd May 2019


Polyrhachis rufifemur 9mm queen
16mm test tube - heat cable
1 worker - 1 large, 7 small larvae

RIP another cocoon, WTF is wrong with them!
I saw the remains on the recent honey I fed them.
Opened early and killed like the last 3-4, I've lost track

[CoolColJ]

Sold my Camponotus nigriceps colony, pending payment

I got offered $400AUD for my Myrmecia fulvipes queen and worker.....
I am thinking about it

[Rstheant]

No, you must be kidding.

[ponerinecat]

Sold my Camponotus nigriceps colony, pending payment

I got offered $400AUD for my Myrmecia fulvipes queen and worker.....
I am thinking about it

 

Not enough for you?

[CoolColJ]

Definitely enough for me, but they are so cute, and kinda rare....
I am thinking hard about it

[Rstheant]

Sold my Camponotus nigriceps colony, pending payment
I got offered $400AUD for my Myrmecia fulvipes queen and worker.....
I am thinking about it

 
Not enough for you?

Of course that’s enough, except they are so cute.

[Acutus]

WOW!! I just saw about 100 new reasons to move to Australia!! What awesome ants! 

[CoolColJ]

Autumn - 7th May 2019

 

Camponotus suffusus bendigensis 17-18mm queen 1
20mm Test tube - heat cable
9 workers, 2 large, 5 small larvae/eggs

 

Oh man they ate their only cocoon again, must be the 4th one in a row now...

And the first nanitic has passed away as well... they already pulled her legs off

She lived for 4.5 months

 

I Just fed them 2 days ago so I have no idea why they would kill and eat another 2 week old cocoon....

Edited by CoolColJ, May 6 2019 - 11:43 AM.

[Kaelwizard]

How are the Pheidole workers so small compared to the queen? Are they going to get majors the same size as her or something?