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ANTdrew's Crematogaster Divas Journal -Reboot!

Started By ANTdrew , Oct 20 2018 5:49 PM
antdrew crematogaster journal divas

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#541 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 19 2021 - 10:13 AM

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Maybe you could suck up the alates and some workers with an aspirater and put them in a smaller nest outside?

That's actually an awesome idea!


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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#542 Offline Roachant - Posted August 20 2021 - 5:18 AM

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Wow, this journal is impressive! I just ordered a crematogaster queen and I hope I have as much luck as you do!


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#543 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 20 2021 - 8:14 AM

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Wow, this journal is impressive! I just ordered a crematogaster queen and I hope I have as much luck as you do!

Learn from my mistakes, and you’ll be set. Good luck!
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#544 Offline Boog - Posted August 20 2021 - 12:24 PM

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Yeah, I'm wondering what I'll do when my Camponotus colony starts getting alates. I guess I'll observe their initial whereabouts and am thinking about separating them from the colony if it seems appropriate. I'll use a little keyboard vacuum that's gentle enough to suck up the ants then either put them in a nest or freeze the poor buggers as feeders for other colonies, maybe?


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My Youtube channel: Ants Navajo               Keeping- Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Tapinoma sessile x 2, Pheidole sp x 2
 
"We may be witnesses to a Biblical prophecy come true - 'And there shall be destruction and darkness come upon creation and the beasts shall reign over the earth.'" - Dr. Harold Medford

#545 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted August 20 2021 - 12:44 PM

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Yeah, I'm wondering what I'll do when my Camponotus colony starts getting alates. I guess I'll observe their initial whereabouts and am thinking about separating them from the colony if it seems appropriate. I'll use a little keyboard vacuum that's gentle enough to suck up the ants then either put them in a nest or freeze the poor buggers as feeders for other colonies, maybe?

just release the alates in a nupital flight


1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489

#546 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 20 2021 - 12:46 PM

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Yeah, I'm wondering what I'll do when my Camponotus colony starts getting alates. I guess I'll observe their initial whereabouts and am thinking about separating them from the colony if it seems appropriate. I'll use a little keyboard vacuum that's gentle enough to suck up the ants then either put them in a nest or freeze the poor buggers as feeders for other colonies, maybe?

I’ll try this outdoor satellite nest idea and report back to you guys. Ideally, it will give them an opportunity to fly and join the local gene pool. I’ll cry tears of joy if that happens.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#547 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted August 20 2021 - 4:12 PM

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Yeah, I'm wondering what I'll do when my Camponotus colony starts getting alates. I guess I'll observe their initial whereabouts and am thinking about separating them from the colony if it seems appropriate. I'll use a little keyboard vacuum that's gentle enough to suck up the ants then either put them in a nest or freeze the poor buggers as feeders for other colonies, maybe?

just release the alates in a nupital flight

 

Thing is you would have to either know exactly when flights will happen or just be prepared and hope you don't miss them.


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#548 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 20 2021 - 4:51 PM

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Yeah, I’m finding it’s really not that simple.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#549 Offline futurebird - Posted August 22 2021 - 4:41 PM

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Don't alates need workers to feed them? or will they drink nectar from a feeder on their own? I've heard that male alates can be pretty useless at self care. 

 

As for the colony being paused they may be waiting for the pheromone signal from the other colonies that it's time to fly... but being inside they can't get it. 

 

Perhaps with the reproductives removed they might move on? 

 

Or if you know of local flying colonies try to catch some wild males and expose them to their scent? The males set the whole thing off in some species flying first... but IDK about crematogasters. 


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Starting this July I'm posting videos of my ants every week on youTube.

I like to make relaxing videos that capture the joy of watching ants.

If that sounds like your kind of thing... follow me >here<. 

#550 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 23 2021 - 6:24 PM

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I have a big update coming, but suffice to say, my Divas staged a nuptial flight.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#551 Offline Boog - Posted August 24 2021 - 12:22 AM

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gallery_4140_1763_51059.jpg


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My Youtube channel: Ants Navajo               Keeping- Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Tapinoma sessile x 2, Pheidole sp x 2
 
"We may be witnesses to a Biblical prophecy come true - 'And there shall be destruction and darkness come upon creation and the beasts shall reign over the earth.'" - Dr. Harold Medford

#552 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 25 2021 - 8:32 AM

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*
POPULAR

Update 8/25/2021

 

My beloved Divas have come full circle! I followed through with DDD101DDD's simple, yet elegant idea of creating a satellite setup outside with some of my queen alates and workers to care for them. I made the satellite in an old AC outworld I had. I removed the top and fashioned a base for a stick to reach up above the rim using Perfect Cast. I lined the edge and rim with fluon and added about 15 queens and thirty or so workers.

 

A wild colony was putting out males on the day I added them, and some of the queens were trying to fly, albeit unsuccessfully. I left the setup outside after day one, not knowing if it would work or not. I had my first day of teaching on Monday, and when I returned, I found some great signs! All the workers were still in the setup, but all but three of the queens were gone! The only logical conclusion is that they were able to climb up the stick and perform a nuptial flight! Who knows what will become of them, but one can always hope and dream for the best!

I've continued adding in additional queens when I can aspirate them out of their Nucleus outworld.

Attached Images

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Edited by ANTdrew, August 25 2021 - 8:35 AM.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#553 Offline Daniel - Posted August 25 2021 - 12:17 PM

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That's awesome!
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#554 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 25 2021 - 12:40 PM

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That's awesome!

Thank you, my friend. At least several new queens flew out today.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#555 Offline TacticalHandleGaming - Posted August 25 2021 - 2:41 PM

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I love that you actually got your elates to fly. So freaking cool. (y)


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Currently kept species

L. neoniger, P. occidentalis, C. modoc, C. novaeboracensis, C. vicinus, T. immigrans, A. occidentalis, S. molesta, P. imparis, M. kennedyi, M semirufus, F. pacifica, P. californica, M. ergatogyna.

 

Previously kept species

T. rugatulus, B. depilis.

 

Looking for

Myrmecocystus pyramicus, Myrmecocystus testaceus

Pheidole creightoni, Pheidole inquilina, Crematogaster coarctata, Crematogaster mutans

My youtube channel.  My ant Etsy store - Millennium Ants

#556 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 25 2021 - 3:26 PM

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I love that you actually got your elates to fly. So freaking cool. (y)

I’m elated!
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#557 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted August 25 2021 - 4:07 PM

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I love that you actually got your elates to fly. So freaking cool. (y)

I’m elated!
That pun deflated my sense of humor lol
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My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#558 Offline nurbs - Posted September 1 2021 - 3:37 PM

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Haha that's cool.

 

Update 8/25/2021

 

My beloved Divas have come full circle! I followed through with DDD101DDD's simple, yet elegant idea of creating a satellite setup outside with some of my queen alates and workers to care for them. I made the satellite in an old AC outworld I had. I removed the top and fashioned a base for a stick to reach up above the rim using Perfect Cast. I lined the edge and rim with fluon and added about 15 queens and thirty or so workers.

 

A wild colony was putting out males on the day I added them, and some of the queens were trying to fly, albeit unsuccessfully. I left the setup outside after day one, not knowing if it would work or not. I had my first day of teaching on Monday, and when I returned, I found some great signs! All the workers were still in the setup, but all but three of the queens were gone! The only logical conclusion is that they were able to climb up the stick and perform a nuptial flight! Who knows what will become of them, but one can always hope and dream for the best!

I've continued adding in additional queens when I can aspirate them out of their Nucleus outworld.


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Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/

#559 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 2 2021 - 8:06 AM

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Update 9-2-2021
:congratulate: Happy Nuptial Day to you, Happy Nuptial Day to you, Happy Nuptial Day, dear Sigyn, Happy Nuptial Day to you...
Three wild years have passed since I found my Crematogaster queen, Sigyn, scuttling across a picnic table on this date in 2018. The colony has had great success, and even staged a nuptial flight this year. This is a tribute to this top-notch colony on this anniversary of sorts. Here's to many more years!

Current state of their Nucleus:
IMG 0828

A look at their new outworld and CrematoTemple:

IMG 0829

A tour of the whole sprawling setup:

IMG 0830

And finally, a YouTube video of a queen flying off from my patio setup:


Edited by ANTdrew, September 2 2021 - 11:20 AM.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#560 Offline azzaaazzzz00 - Posted September 4 2021 - 3:04 PM

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Wooooooooooo! Cograts, Sigyn!! :D  :D  :D


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Been keeping ants since January of 2021

Always try new things, even if its hard, hard is not impossible. We are smart and it's good to be smart but not too smart for your own good.
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