189 replies to this topic

[Kaelwizard]

Did you get any P. imparis queens this year? My queen has eggs now.

[Mettcollsuss]

Prenolepis imparis

2ND YEAR EGGS!

 

There aren't many of them, about 5, but I'm really excited! I haven't been doing anything special. I've just given them the same care as any other colony, and expecting them to die off, considering how hard they are to get to lay.

 

The three queen setup has some pupae now.

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Crematogaster cf. cerasi

I attached a second small outworld since their Atom outworld is already getting crowded. The queen is looking very plump.

[Kaelwizard]

I keep my P. imparis queen in a vial with sand in it. She laid after one week. I would estimate 6-7 eggs. How long did it take for yours?

[Mettcollsuss]

I keep my P. imparis queen in a vial with sand in it. She laid after one week. I would estimate 6-7 eggs. How long did it take for yours?

About 2 weeks, I'd say

[Mettcollsuss]

Just gonna dump a bunch of photos I took recently here.

 

F. obscuriventris trophallaxis

mmm tasty

 

C. cerasi about a week ago

c. cerasi today, very plump

 

Aphaenogaster doing well in the new nest

a worker carrying her sister just about to eclose

 

My ponera queen died

[Mettcollsuss]

I fed my C. pennsylvanicus a mealworm, but it wasn't as dead as I thought it was, so I turned around to grab my tweezer to finish it off, but by the time I got back it had crawled into the nest. The began evacuating into the outworld (the majors eventually brought it down). Cool photo though.

[TennesseeAnts]

Your pennslyvanicus are doing great! I've had mine for just over a month and they all have dark pupae!

[Mettcollsuss]

Prenolepis imparis

I was expecting the eggs to be eaten right away or something, but not only are the eggs still there, the pile's growing. I'd say like 50 eggs at the moment.

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Camponotus pennsylvanicus

I've lost track of their numbers. I'm estimating around a hundred. Most of the workers and older brood have moved to the THA Talus, but the queen, her guards, and the younger brood are staying in the acrylic nest. I gave them a slice of cherry this morning. They really like it and it's still covered with ants several hours later.

[TennesseeAnts]

There was a Tetramorium immagrans flight here in Tennessee. I just got a Lasius interjectus queen too.

[Mettcollsuss]

Prenolepis imparis

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

 

Lasius cf. neoniger

[ANTdrew]

How do you take such amazing photos?? Dang!

[TennesseeAnts]

He uses a great macro lens I assume.

[Mettcollsuss]

No macro lens, actually. I just use an Olympus TG-5 camera plus a flashlight for lighting.

[TennesseeAnts]

Update?

[TennesseeAnts]

I literally just realized you have a YouTube channel.

[TennesseeAnts]

But it's update time now. (Please)

[Mettcollsuss]

Tetramorium immigrans
Most have moved them into a THA Phalanx. Well over a thousand workers now. Thinking of selling these guys.

[Mettcollsuss]

Tetramorium tsushimae

I caught a T. tsushimae queen yesterday. I didn't think they were in Chicago, but here we are.

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Crematogaster cf. cerasi

Came back from my trip to find the queen dead 

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Crematogaster cf. lineolata

Queen also died while I was away. 

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Formica obscuriventris

Over the past month all workers died off except for two remaining obscuriventris workers. They are acting super stressed out and I can't tell why. I'm giving them plenty of food. I'm keeping them at a good temp. Queen refuses to lay, and they've eaten all their brood

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​Tetramorium immigrans

Might not sell them after all. Very fun to watch now. The new nest makes observation easier and is brining out new behaviors. There are a lot more workers than I thought. Maybe like 2-3k. Large brood piles. Their main brood pile is right next to the glass so it's easy to see. They also seem to like to stick larvae to the walls and stalactites, which is cool.

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I'm about to go on a trip for a couple weeks, so I won't be active, but I'll likely come back with lots of queens 

[ANTdrew]

Damn, that’s sad, man. I followed those Crematogaster since you first found them.

[Mettcollsuss]

Tetramorium tsushimae

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Temnothorax sp.

One of my friends found an acorn ant alate and gave her to me. Not sure what species. I think she's infertile.

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Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Growing nicely. Good on nest space for now, but are gonna need a new outworld soon.

 

Workers swarming a tube of Sunburst Nectar

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Aphaenogaster rudis

Doing well. Healthy. Not very clean ants though. They've made a ramp of debris along the back wall.

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Tetramorium immigrans

Easily into the thousands (there's more than it looks like in the photos). They're loving the new nest. I wonder if they'll produce alate brood soon.

 

I caught dozens of queens over the last two weeks. I have so many that I don't have enough tubes for them all individually, so I have all of them in ~5-6 queen setups. Even so, I still have like a dozen tubes of them.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, July 25 2019 - 12:31 AM.