149 replies to this topic

[TennesseeAnts]

I think your C. discolor are actually C. decipens. (Probably spelled that wrong.)

Edit: I think you should keep some Formica. They are good a size, and grow quicker than Crematogaster cerasi.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, April 26 2019 - 8:00 AM.

[FeedTheAnts]

I think your C. discolor are actually C. decipens. (Probably spelled that wrong.)

Edit: I think you should keep some Formica. They are good a size, and grow quicker than Crematogaster cerasi.

 

I've thought that they may be Camponotus decipiens, but I'll keep calling them C. discolor until I look into it further. 

 

On another note, I've been looking at the workers from my two Crematogaster colonies through a microscope, and it's certain that the smaller colony is C. cerasi. The Valentines are a little harder to identify, but I'm still leaning towards C. ashmeadi. I'll be looking at some of The Valentine's workers later to try and confirm an ID.

 

Formica will start flying in June and July here, and I plan on keeping any queens I come across, and maybe even starting a polygamous colony of F. subsericea.

[ANTdrew]

What specifically you looking for to ID your Crematogaster?

[FeedTheAnts]

What specifically you looking for to ID your Crematogaster?

The hairs on their mesosoma and the angle of their spines. I'm no pro but there are a few keys when it comes to identifying species within the genus Crematogaster.

Edited by FeedTheAnts, April 26 2019 - 10:39 AM.

[Kaelwizard]

I think your C. discolor are actually C. decipens. (Probably spelled that wrong.)

Edit: I think you should keep some Formica. They are good a size, and grow quicker than Crematogaster cerasi.

Crematogaster grow faster than Formica. Formica are larger and therefore would take longer to grow.

[FeedTheAnts]

 

I think your C. discolor are actually C. decipens. (Probably spelled that wrong.)

Edit: I think you should keep some Formica. They are good a size, and grow quicker than Crematogaster cerasi.

Crematogaster grow faster than Formica. Formica are larger and therefore would take longer to grow.

 

This is true, Crematogaster are much faster growing than Formica. I actually raised a Formica colony from just a few workers and it took much longer for them to reach the 1000 mark than my Crematogaster colony did. After a certain point they grow at the same rate, but definitely when you are just first founding them then Crematogaster are more explosive than Formica.

[TennesseeAnts]

Not for me. Crematogaster take forever to get workers. Formica take one and a half months.

[ANTdrew]

Two of my Crematogaster took roughly six weeks to get their first workers after I took them out of hibernation. A third just got her first pair of workers, three months later because she ate her first batch of eggs.

[TennesseeAnts]

My smallest cerasi colony has 9 workers already!

[FeedTheAnts]

Crematogaster ashmeadi(The Valentines) - 5/2/2019
This is a video update, because it's easier to show the colony's growth this way. I'd estimate their population at 2000-2500

 

[Acutus]

Awesome video!   

[ANTdrew]

Yes, truly awesome! It seems you have their escaping under control now - what have you done differently to contain them?

[FeedTheAnts]

Yes, truly awesome! It seems you have their escaping under control now - what have you done differently to contain them?

I gave them a second outworld.  It seems that having the foragers split between two containers keeps them from swarming the barrier. Also, the barrier is about four inches thick.

[FeedTheAnts]

Woohoo! The mini hearths finally came, and I love them. All of my colonies(except The Valentines) have been moved into one. I was disappointed when I moved the Camponotus chromaiodes out of their wooden nest. It was the first time I've gotten a full view of the colony in a while, and for some reason they've lost workers. Their current population is only 13... about 11 less than my last count. I think it may have happened because their nest got completely bone dry. I've been so busy that I haven't been adding water to their natural nest  

The Valentines' brood have changed from a majority of eggs and larvae to a majority of pupae. I love it when this happens because it makes the nest look fuller with brood in general, and also means that they are close to a population boom. It would be cool to have a colony break into the 3000-5000 worker range, especially one raised from just a queen.

 

 

[Acutus]

Very Nice!!! I sure hope I can get my little Crematogaster Colony looking like yours!! Not sure of the species on mine though.

Edited by Acutus, May 17 2019 - 10:32 AM.

[T.C.]

Growth is looking good.

[ANTdrew]

Any updates, FTA?

Can you offer any advice on hydrating a vivarium? I have the flat stone you mentioned, and last night I used one of my kids' toy cups that has these drippy holes in it to simulate rain drops. I dripped a half cup of water. The issue I see is that the soil I used from my yard is straight up heavy clay, so the water penetrated maybe only an inch down or so. I run into the same issue when I'm watering my garden, actually. I guess I could just drip more water. I'm worried about overdoing it though.

[FeedTheAnts]

Any updates, FTA?

Can you offer any advice on hydrating a vivarium? I have the flat stone you mentioned, and last night I used one of my kids' toy cups that has these drippy holes in it to simulate rain drops. I dripped a half cup of water. The issue I see is that the soil I used from my yard is straight up heavy clay, so the water penetrated maybe only an inch down or so. I run into the same issue when I'm watering my garden, actually. I guess I could just drip more water. I'm worried about overdoing it though.

It's okay that it only penetrates about an inch. In my expeirience it ends up soaking all the way to the bottom, it just takes a while. One thing about clay is that you will find that even though not much water reaches the bottom of the vivarium, the clay will retain it very well. Even when the setup looks bone dry, the dirt deepest down still holds water.

[FeedTheAnts]

Camponotus discolor

Both queens have pupae now

 

Crematogaster ashmeadi(The Valentines) 

The population boom is well under way! I'd estimate around 3200 workers at least, and there I still way more brood on the way.

 

Camponotus chromaiodes

Two new workers have eclosed, but the colony has also lost its only major. The queen's kicking it into high gear with egg production though, so maybe the colony will grow a little before the year is over.

 

[TennesseeAnts]

Do the Valentines have any alates yet?