108 replies to this topic

[Kalidas]

(y)Congrats!
 Hope things continue to go well with the Acromyrmex.

I hope so too!I can't wait for the first nanitics the suspense is killing me

[AntsCalifornia]

I wish I could have these species, gotta wait for next year when I have my license though, my parents don't want to drive me. Good luck with those queens, its good to see that they're doing so well!

[Kalidas]

Wow haven't updated in 5 days! So this is the fungus now. It's got like a little tower growing out of it, that started two days ago as a little fluff and became that. But I am worried as you can see the fungus has quite a bit of orange on it. It's still pretty white but that orange worries me. I have read and seen in other journals that orange is not a good color. I'm hoping it's just the color of the substrate being broken down by the fungus(like how the leaves and rose petals turned black).

Edited by Kalidas, November 10 2018 - 12:37 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

Oftentimes fecal excretions are orange, but keep an eye on it.

[Kalidas]

Oftentimes fecal excretions are orange, but keep an eye on it.

So it may not be a problem at all? I mean that would make sense the queen has to poop, and I never seem to see poop anywhere. Also her eggs I suspect are now larvae because I see them on different spots on the fungus as if the queen is moving them and they look more jelly bean shaped and not so much "egg shaped" and if I'm right they gotta poop too.

[YsTheAnt]

Larvae actually poop once in their larval stage, before they pupate. That's the black spot in cocoons! This species doesn't spin them so I believe they just poop then pupate. In my experience ant poop is an orangey brown liquid, which leafcutters use as a supplement to theur fungus.

[Kalidas]

Well I hope you're right. I will keep an eye on the fungus and hope it does'nt die. Otherwise I may have to see about buying more from Drew and hope I can figure out what happened and fix it

[Kalidas]

Good news everyone(any of you ever watch Futurama?), The fungus is looking a lot healthier. Most of the orange is covered in white hairs and I even see new white fluff balls.

as you can see the orange is barely noticeable anymore.


Close up, as you can see the fungus is looking much better.


She's very curious.


I like big butts and I can not lie.




Backend of the fungus. Seriously no matter what position I took the pictures she was there to stare at me.


And here is the REALLY good news. More eggs! I count six!


Yup still eggs.


Her close up.

So yeah fungus is looking much better, there's new eggs, and she looks busy and healthy as ever. Only issue is now I can't find those two larvae she had anymore. I'm hoping they are just some place on the fungus that I can't see, she liked to move them around a lot.

[ANTdrew]

Exciting news! I hope they continue to prosper!

[Rstheant]

The mandibles are huge! Perfect for chewing leaves. But I don’t think you want to try getting bit by those, don’t you?

[AntsCalifornia]

Definitely not!

https://www.youtube....h?v=HtLddZHaXOk

[Kalidas]

I am not going to try lol.

Though the ants in that video are Atta Cephalotes and they have what's known as super majors. Those ones have pretty big mandibles but what makes they really scary is those big heads. Those heads are bulging with massive muscles that allow those mandibles to bite with such strength it can draw human blood. Luckily(and sadly ) Acromyrmex Versicolor don't get majors like that. Acromyrmex are (as far as know) not polymorphic, while Attas have 4 castes of ant workers, minums(for garden tending, minors, majors,and the super majors

[FSTP]

I watch Futurama and I approve of this thread.

[Kalidas]

I watch Futurama and I approve of this thread.

Well I'm glad you like it. Gonna probably update tonight again

[Kalidas]

 

The lady herself

 

 

I added cornflakes today, that's what that yellow crap is on top

 

 

Tending the garden

 

 

Good the eggs are still there.

 

 

Here she is smelling her eggs, what a good mother

 

 

The back of the fungus

 

That orangeish brown? probably her feces

 

 

The royal toilet

 

 

 

 

Its a lot easier to see the eggs here

 

 

Egg close up

 

 

 

 

She has come to say hello

 

 

She got camera shy

 

 

This picture really shows off how beautiful she is

 

 

Is that the missing egg?

 

 

Oh well hot dang, there it is!

 

 

So yeah eggs are accounted for, fungus is growing, she's adding substrate to it and she's looking healthy. So far decent progress

Still can't find those dang larvae, I' hoping I'm just blind and they will pop up later.

[YsTheAnt]

Acromyrmex does have majors actually, and they can get quite large.

[Kalidas]

Acromyrmex does have majors actually, and they can get quite large.

REALLY?! I thought only Atta had majors and super majors. That is awesome news! Thanks for the info

Double checked the wiki(which I should have done earlier lol)

"Morphologically they are sandwiched between Atta and Trachymyrmex. Atta have very large colonies, strong worker size polymorphism, and a smooth gastral dorsum. Trachymyrmex have smaller colonies, usually smaller monomorphic workers, and a tuberculate gastral dorsum. Acromyrmex have intermediate colony sizes, strong worker polymorphism (but the major workers are not as highly differentiated as Atta majors), and the gaster is tuberculate. Single workers of Acromyrmex can be difficult to differentiate from Trachymyrmex in a key."

Neat! I also like that their nest doesn't get to Atta size nests... That would make keeping these bad girls in a house quite a challenge

Edited by Kalidas, November 13 2018 - 8:20 AM.

[Rstheant]

Definitely not!

Yes, I said that after I watched that video. Man, Coyote Peterson has COURAGE. I could never do that. The most painful thing I have experienced, was a Pogonomyrmex sting.

[Kalidas]

Quick update. The queen is doing good, the fungus is looking great and is responding well to the cornflakes, and the number of eggs has increased greatly in a single day. So all is well

[ANTdrew]

That's excellent! I'm rooting for these guys. Once you get past the complexities of keeping their fungus alive, it seems like feeding them is relatively easy. Cornflakes! LOL