11 replies to this topic

[Ferox_Formicae]

So I just came back from my park again and holy crap there were so many ants! I collected three colonies, Camponotus castaneus, Formica pallidefulva, and the one I am supper excited about, Strumigenys louisianae! I can't believe I found a colony!!! I also found several massive Camponotus castaneus colonies with lots of alates, some of which I collected. I also found a target species of mine finally, Camponotus americanus, a very gorgeous species of ant. There were so many ants it would take me hours to write down the entire story! I plan to update you guys on the colonies soon. Oh, and the colonies from the last post are doing good and are in their new homes. I pulled an all-nighter trying to finish them. I will post pictures of the colonies soon and I am going to make a journal for my Srumigenys louisianae colony.

[David19]

Nice finds! What part of South Carolina do you live?

[Ferox_Formicae]

Nice finds! What part of South Carolina do you live?

I'm in the Sandhills.

[David19]

I'm from the SC Foothills.

[David19]

Have you ever tried raising Trachymyrmex Septentrionalis?

Edited by David19, November 6 2018 - 11:53 AM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Have you ever tried raising Trachymyrmex Septentrionalis?

I've been looking for them for so long now and it's definitely one of my target species to find, but I have unfortunately never collected and, although I saw a nest once while I was out cycling. I plan on coming back to that nest soon. I do plan on raising them though. I even have a nest design for them once I do collect a colony.

[David19]

They are a lot of fun. Be sure everything you use is sterile! If not the fungus could be killed due to fungal infection. It has killed everyone of my fungus gardens. Next year I am planning on harvesting some fungus from a mature colony for my 3 queens that I have.

[Ferox_Formicae]

They are a lot of fun. Be sure everything you use is sterile! If not the fungus could be killed due to fungal infection. It has killed everyone of my fungus gardens. Next year I am planning on harvesting some fungus from a mature colony for my 3 queens that I have.

You are lucky that you are able to find them, I wish you the best of luck with them. Also, thanks for the advice.

[David19]

Thanks! I wish you the best of luck with finding some as well! 

[Ferox_Formicae]

In went back to the park yesterday and I found three more ant colonies, a founding colony of Pheidole navigans that I found under a rock while I was walking to the park, a large colony of Pseudomyrmex pallidus with nearly 10 queens that I found in a hollow twig on the forest floor, and a medium sized colony of Brachyponera chinensis that I also found in a hollow twig. I'm not sure if I got their queen though. It seems like every time I go to the park I come back with several ant colonies! Maybe next time I'll find another colony of Strumigenys...

Edited by CloudtheDinosaurKing, November 7 2018 - 12:33 PM.

[David19]

I had no idea Pseudomyrmex pallidus can be found in the state of South Carolina! That's so cool!

[Ferox_Formicae]

I had no idea Pseudomyrmex pallidus can be found in the state of South Carolina! That's so cool!

I find them all of the time along with Pseudomyrmex ejectus, and I hear Pseudomyrmex gracilis can also be found here, although I'm pretty sure they're more of a southern species.