145 replies to this topic

[ANTdrew]

4-25-2019

One of my goals for this season was to find and raise a Camponotus colony as all my other ants happen to be rather tiny. I had a hunch that these would fly on 4/18 because they had already started flying in locations just a bit south of me, and we were predicted to hit 80 degrees that afternoon. Sure enough, I started seeing winged C. chromaiodes queens landing and scuttling about my yard around 5:30pm. I managed to catch two of these and set them up in test tubes.

Later on, I went to church for the Holy Thursday service, but beforehand I walked down a nature trail that is adjacent to my church. I didn't manage to find any more queens there. After the service, I explored yet another nature trail, but this too yielded nothing. I did manage to find two more wingless queens in the comfort of my own yard, though. Honestly, the vast majority of queens I've found have been in my own yard, which I attribute to all the native plantings I've done and the natural greenway that runs behind my property.

I have all four of these queens in a shoebox on top of a wineglass holder in my kitchen. I really like keeping ants in my kitchen because it gets nice and warm whenever we cook. I haven't checked any of them in a week, but I look forward to peeking in on them tonight. As I do with all of my queens, I'll be giving these girls names from Norse mythology.

Edited by ANTdrew, June 3 2020 - 9:50 AM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I hope these queens lay eggs soon! I have five queens, but only three of them have laid eggs and I've had them for over two weeks. I certainly hope the other two queens are fertile. Good luck with these!

[TennesseeAnts]

Remember what I have taught you! Lots of heat, crickets and sugar water! They don't mind being checked on frequently though.

Edit: Also, once you get past the agony of the founding stage, growth is close to that of Formica.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, April 25 2019 - 11:31 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Remember what I have taught you! Lots of heat, crickets and sugar water! They don't mind being checked on frequently though.

Edit: Also, once you get past the agony of the founding stage, growth is close to that of Formica.

Yes, sensei CrematoMaster!

[TennesseeAnts]

And Campomaster!

[ANTdrew]

Updaaaaaate!
I donated one of my huge Tetramorium colonies to my local nature center yesterday, and their resident ant expert emailed me saying he would give me a C. Castaneus colony in exchange! That’s my dream species for sure, so I may need to morph this into a general Camponotus journal.

[TennesseeAnts]

Noooooooooooooooo! I was supposed to get one first! There was even a flight last night! No queens spotted though.

[ANTdrew]

4-26-2019

 

I opened up the shoebox I have these queens in last night to check on them. One of the four has a neat pile of eight or so eggs. The two winged ones don't show signs of being mated, so I may release them the next time we hit 80 degrees.

 

I love the common name of these ants: ferruginous carpenter ant. I look forward to many more opportunities to use that colorful word in my day-to-day speech.

[FeedTheAnts]

Noooooooooooooooo! I was supposed to get one first! There was even a flight last night! No queens spotted though.

I'll probably beat both of you! There is a huge rainstorm going on right now and I'm hoping that these fly.

[ANTdrew]

Bro!!!

[ANTdrew]

I win! I just got my eleven worker C. castaneus colony this afternoon!

Edited by ANTdrew, May 1 2019 - 12:51 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

I win! I just got my eleven worker C. castaneus colony this afternoon!

Dang, I was hoping to catch some this weekend after the rain

Congrats anyways though. Keep us closely updated on this colony. I really hope someone can get a colony past the beginning stages.

[Acutus]

Well I can't beat you on the castaneus colony but I can join ya!! Just waiting to get a flight up this way. Hopefully tomorrow!

 

The ferruginous ants are awesome!!! I'd also like to start one of these from scratch even though I have the colony.

[ANTdrew]

Photo Update 5-2-2019

 

 

Well, my dream is reality. I picked up this small 11 worker colony of C. castaneus from a fellow ant keeper at the nature center where I donated Angrboda, my second huge Tetramorium colony. They are still in a tubs and tubes set up for now, but I plan to put them in a small terrarium soon with deep clay/loam soil, decaying wood, and a rock to nest under. I'll be naming her Gunnlod after a giantess in Norse mythology who was set to guard the mead of poetry. I think this is a fitting name because the queen is GIANT compared to my others, and they are all the golden color of a good mead!

 

 

Several workers came out in the evening to feed on a cricket. Overall, these are vastly different from my other ferocious, explosive, and tiny ants. I sincerely hope to do well by them.

Edited by ANTdrew, May 2 2019 - 5:50 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Update 5-3-2019

 I did my weekly check on my newly found chromaiodes queens, and a second one of the four has laid eggs. She is one of the winged ones I didn't think were mated, go figure.

 

 Also, my buddy's ant-phobic wife managed to find yet another chromaiodes queen in her house last night. The queen is in pretty rough shape, but I got her in a TT set-up with a drop of Sunburst to see if she revives. When it rains it pours!

[TennesseeAnts]

I'm sad now... I was supposed to get them first!

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, May 3 2019 - 5:12 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Your time will come, Sensei.

[Rstheant]

Lol, I have know idea why you keep calling him that.

[Acutus]

 

Photo Update 5-2-2019

 

 

 

Well, my dream is reality. I picked up this small 11 worker colony of C. castaneus from a fellow ant keeper at the nature center where I donated Angrboda, my second huge Tetramorium colony. They are still in a tubs and tubes set up for now, but I plan to put them in a small terrarium soon with deep clay/loam soil, decaying wood, and a rock to nest under. I'll be naming her Gunnlod after a giantess in Norse mythology who was set to guard the mead of poetry. I think this is a fitting name because the queen is GIANT compared to my others, and they are all the golden color of a good mead!

 

 

 

Several workers came out in the evening to feed on a cricket. Overall, these are vastly different from my other ferocious, explosive, and tiny ants. I sincerely hope to do well by them.

 

Very cool!! My Queenless colony isn't very active (I attribute this to lack of a queen?)  there's probably 75-100 workers. the food disappears and the brood is growing so I know they are doing something. they may be late nocturnal ants.

My Chromiades are active all the time but at night it's insane!

[ANTdrew]

Lol, I have know idea why you keep calling him that.

AntDude counseled me through the dark times of my Crematogaster colonies, so I dubbed him honorary CrematoMaster, and thus my sensei, lol.