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[ANTdrew]

I also found three new Crematogaster queens on 8/18. I’ll be selling all three if folks are interested

[ANTdrew]

Update 1-11-2025

The forum is in a much deeper diapause state than normal, so I figured I might as well add some colony updates. My Crematogaster mega-colony are currently hibernating in my parents' unheated basement. I kept them unheated in my kitchen all the way until January this year, but I figured a shortened winter rest period would do them some good. I detached their large outworld from the main nest in order to drive them over to my parents' house. It's always a crazy experience driving with thousands of ants next to you. I'll leave them in diapause until March probably.
Unfortunately, two of the new Crematogaster queens I found in August have died in their test tubes. At least one is still hanging on. It will be fun starting her colony up in a few weeks time. Stay tuned!

Here’s the colony riding shotgun:


Back side of their UtahAnts nest. Quite a lot of brood, much of which will probably turn out to be alates come spring.

Edited by ANTdrew, January 11 2025 - 3:42 PM.

[rptraut]

Hello ANTdrew;

 

It's unfortunate you lost two of your three new Crematogaster queens and makes me wonder if they're just as variable as the queens here.    I've lost many queens in the founding process, and I'm reminded how much we should treasure the successful ones. 

RPT

[ANTdrew]

Update 2-25-2025

 

Welcome to year seven of my Crematogaster journal! Queen Della and her mega-colony remain in diapause in my parents' basement. I think I'll probably pull them out and drive them back to my house at the start of March. I'm also excited to update on my newest queen which has been heated in a DIY incubator box (just an old plastic container that had pastries in it with heat cables running around it) for about two weeks. I haven't been checking her much, but the last time I did, I found a sizable egg pile, so she is well on her way to starting a new colony of these wonderful ants. I'll put this new colony up for sale soon, but it will be fun raising them in the meantime. Stay tuned!

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Yayyyyyyy, One of the Crematomasters have risen!

[ANTdrew]

Update 3-11-2025

On Saturday, March 8th, I drove my mega colony back to my house to begin their third growing season. They had a great season last year, adding thousands of new workers and producing their first batch of queen alates. I’m hopeful for more good things this year for this colony. Their winter losses weren’t too bad, and they bounced back to action quickly. So far I’ve fed them some dubia roach chunks, a tiny bit of steamed tilapia, and a big pile of fruit flies. They have a couple sizable brood piles currently. I’m heating them with a mini heat pad attached to the back of their UtahAnts nest via rubber bands. Wherever that pad touches the glass, there are huge dogpiles of ants. Though I’ll always miss my first colony, Sigyn, this colony has grown dear to me.

Brood piles:


Nest views:

Edited by ANTdrew, Today, 7:33 AM.