680 replies to this topic

[Temperateants]

Eight or nine weeks is enough for new queens to get them to lay eggs.

Thanks!

[antsandmore]

man they don't have to hibernate/have diapause for as long as I thought! just founding queens right?

[ANTdrew]

man they don't have to hibernate/have diapause for as long as I thought! just founding queens right?

I hibernate my mega-colony about three months. The founding queens do fine with way less time.

[Canadant]

How's the big colony? How are they in the nucleus? I'm thinking of getting a nucleus for mine in tbe near future. Small colony looking good.

[ANTdrew]

The mega-colony is doing great. Still in sleepy time, but I'll be waking them up in the next few weeks. I'll be giving them a new outworld initially and a new expansion nest soon.

[ANTdrew]

Update 3-8-2021

 

I sold my newest colony yesterday to another member on this forum. They are off to such a great start with 26 workers and a mountain of brood. I bid them Godspeed!

 

 

In other great news, one of the slacker queens finally laid some eggs! I'm hopeful to get another colony going. A second queen is pretty close to getting her first workers as well.

 

Crematogaster to the right:

 

[tdlnx]

Gorgeous colony! 

[ANTdrew]

Update 3-23-2021

 

After a four months diapause in my parents' cold basement, I finally brought my mega-colony home on Saturday 3/20. I took advantage to clean their outworld and vacuumed up a lot of trash and lots of dead workers. It was a significant amount of dead workers, but I'm not too concerned because it is still a relatively small percent of the colony, and they probably died of old age. I left the Nucleus III at room temp for a day, and then I taped on a mini heat pad on the back. They are kind of slowly warming up, but I'm seeing more activity and more ants coming to the nectar feeder. I'm looking forward to big things from this colony this year.

 

In other news, I sold one of my new colonies to another FC member on Saturday. A third queen now has larvae, and she is on hold for AleeGuy. More to come!

Edited by ANTdrew, March 23 2021 - 5:44 AM.

[Lillyrose]

Wow! What a read!

Your colony is amazing. I can't wait to read more.

[ANTdrew]

Photo Update 3-25-2021

 

Sigyn and her Divas are waking up nicely after a few days being heated. My house temperatures are also rising, so they are getting quite active. They are emptying out their nectar feeders and responding nicely to protein. So far, I have fed them two mealworms on 3/23 and two crickets on 3/24. This photo is the front of their Nucleus III; the vast majority of the colony are crammed in the back by the heat pad. The thing is pretty dingy after a year of them living in it, but it is a great formicarium. These ants sure love their H E A T.

 

[Canadant]

Photo Update 3-25-2021

Sigyn and her Divas are waking up nicely after a few days being heated. My house temperatures are also rising, so they are getting quite active. They are emptying out their nectar feeders and responding nicely to protein. So far, I have fed them two mealworms on 3/23 and two crickets on 3/24. This photo is the front of their Nucleus III; the vast majority of the colony are crammed in the back by the heat pad. The thing is pretty dingy after a year of them living in it, but it is a great formicarium. These ants sure love their H E A T.

Finally! There they are. Lookin' good. Lookin' awake. I'm glad you posted this. I will eventually get a nucleus for my girls too. The only problem with keeping ants is the interior of the formicarium tend to get a little grimy. My tetramorium wreaked havoc on theirs.

[Lillyrose]

What kind of heating pad do you use?

I love your girls

[ANTdrew]

Update 3-30-21

 

All is well in Crematogaster-ville, and these girls are rearing to go. Once I finish a few more tweaks, I will hook up a new big outworld for them to give them some more room. They are devouring any protein I give them, and chugging Sunburst like it's Super Bowl Sunday. More and more of the eggs that over-wintered are hatching, but they still don't have tons of brood yet. I'm hoping that will change soon.

 

Chug, chug, chug!

 

These girls would happily live at 98F if they could. This is them on their heat pad:

 

They found a tiny gap in the overhanging rim I have lined with fluon. I was lazy and put down some mounting putty to stop them, but they just kept on chewing at it, so I plug it up with a dollop of silicone. It didn't even faze them, and they are still trying to chew at it days later. They must put down a distinct pheromone that says: "Possible escape point! All hands on deck!" You got to admire their persistence.

 

Here are some fun GIFs I made of the Divas.

 

 

I love this colony. Until next time...

 

 

 

[Lillyrose]

I bet they love those tunnels :-) it looks amazing. I was thinking tube tunnels would help give them space buy maybe escape points lol.

[ANTdrew]

Update 4-12-2021

 

Another exciting chapter began for my Divas this weekend as I attached a large, new outworld to their current setup. This is the CrematoTemple outworld I shared in the FormicarIums and Outworlds thread a while back. I went kind of whacky-tacky with the design, but it was a lot of fun to make. They currently have three outworlds to wander in: the Nucleus' foraging area, the first DIY outworld, and this new one.

 

 

They went wild with excitement when they discovered the new space and were literally tripping over each other to get into it to explore.

 

 

This colony is getting so huge, it's actually kind of scary watching them. I really hope I can keep them going and contained, but from FeedTheAnts' experience I know full well what can happen with this species if a breach were to happen. I just give thanks every day they are still with me, even if the Sword of Damocles hangs over the whole experiment.

 

In other news, I sold a third of my new colonies to AleeGuy on Saturday. I bid them Godspeed!

[ANTdrew]

Update 5-6-2021

 

It's been a while since I updated this journal, but not much has changed other than growth, growth, and more growth. This colony is really huge now, and their efficiency at processing protein is pretty impressive. They also go through Sunburst like there is no tomorrow. I had some extra large glass test tubes, so I put one up in one of their outworlds for more nesting space. I also ordered a new lid for the their Nucleus which has the removable vent. That is a great investment if you are ordering from THA. I just wish the hole under the vent was bigger, so I could access more. It is good for quickly dropping in food, though. I think I will be ordering a second Nucleus III to attach to their current one very soon. 

 

They pile up brood in their outworld right next to the heat pad. It's hilarious when the pile tumbles down every once in a while. They pull all the pile down at night.

 

 

Some strange rites on their CrematoTemple:

 

 

 

[Kaelwizard]

I wonder what kind of rituals are going on on that temple.

[Chickalo]

I wonder what kind of rituals are going on on that temple.

Probably offerings to the gods of the big four: Creams, Toes, Gasters, and Misspellings

[Antkeeper01]

 

I wonder what kind of rituals are going on on that temple.

Probably offerings to the gods of the big four: Creams, Toes, Gasters, and Misspellings

 

you missed one the biggest of them all the great Heat pad oh and another the great food giver

[NPLT]

 

 

I wonder what kind of rituals are going on on that temple.

Probably offerings to the gods of the big four: Creams, Toes, Gasters, and Misspellings

 

you missed one the biggest of them all the great Heat pad oh and another the great food giver

 

The Great Metallic Claw of Food.