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ANTdrew's Camponotus Species Journal

Started By ANTdrew , Apr 25 2019 10:29 AM

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145 replies to this topic

#121 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted July 7 2020 - 6:58 AM

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Supposedly we have subbarbatus here in Michigan but I can't say I've ever seen one, let alone a queen. Very cool though.

I am also in Michigan and I have yet to find them. I have found plenty of C. nearcticus though. Apparently we have C. discolor here too but I have yet to find them. (C. discolor look similar to C. floridanus)
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#122 Offline Polyacanthus - Posted July 7 2020 - 6:59 PM

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I too have a milkweed patch. My wife sings "my milkweed brings all the bugs to the yard." I commonly see insects there that I've never seen before. Maybe the subbarbatus will come!

#123 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 8 2020 - 2:16 AM

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If you plant it, they will come!
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#124 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 9 2020 - 10:57 AM

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Update 7-9-2020

 

Bit of bad news in this update. I went to feed my Camponotus on Monday and found my nearcticus queen had kicked the bucket. Her two workers were still alive, so I released them. That sure was a short run with that species. RIP


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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#125 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted July 9 2020 - 11:03 AM

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Nearcticus seem to always die.
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#126 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 9 2020 - 6:06 PM

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My guess is that they really need a smaller tube, like Colobopsis. Maybe a cut in half hollow twig glued to the inside of the test tube would be the most ideal, for both viewing, and ant survival.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#127 Offline Antkid12 - Posted July 10 2020 - 4:13 AM

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My guess is that they really need a smaller tube, like Colobopsis. Maybe a cut in half hollow twig glued to the inside of the test tube would be the most ideal, for both viewing, and ant survival.

Good thing I have mine in a skinny tube!


Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#128 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted July 10 2020 - 5:44 AM

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My guess is that they really need a smaller tube, like Colobopsis. Maybe a cut in half hollow twig glued to the inside of the test tube would be the most ideal, for both viewing, and ant survival.

In my experience they really like to live in places they can barely squeeze into. Like a centimeter thin wooden square or in between to big squares of old shingles. I think they also nest in dirt, but I assume the tunnels would be really thin. With that being said, I think they would nest in any environment, as long as it is really thin (height is what’s thin, so more like short - tunnels in wood were quite horizontally wide and there wasn’t a lot of tunnels for the size of the colony so I can assume they don’t like a lot of height and they really like to squeeze together).
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#129 Offline CatsnAnts - Posted July 10 2020 - 5:48 AM

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My guess is that they really need a smaller tube, like Colobopsis. Maybe a cut in half hollow twig glued to the inside of the test tube would be the most ideal, for both viewing, and ant survival.

In my experience they really like to live in places they can barely squeeze into. Like a centimeter thin wooden square or in between to big squares of old shingles. I think they also nest in dirt, but I assume the tunnels would be really thin. With that being said, I think they would nest in any environment, as long as it is really thin (height is what’s thin, so more like short - tunnels in wood were quite horizontally wide and there wasn’t a lot of tunnels for the size of the colony so I can assume they don’t like a lot of height and they really like to squeeze together).

 

I agree. I found a queen if this species in a hollow twig that wasn’t even big enough for her to turn around in.


Spoiler

#130 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 10 2020 - 5:48 AM

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That makes sense, but why would more space kill them so quick?
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#131 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted July 10 2020 - 6:15 AM

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Just a wild guess, perhaps they’re extremely sensitive to air circulation?

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#132 Offline FeedTheAnts - Posted July 10 2020 - 7:56 AM

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Perhaps they have secrets that should never get out. When they perceive that they've been captured they recite their oath of allegiance and crunch the cyanide.


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I accidentally froze all my ants 

#133 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 6 2020 - 10:19 AM

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Update 8-6-2020

 I've been steadily selling these colonies off because I realized that Camponotus just aren't my style, plus all my customers only seem to want the big ants. I still have a C. subbarbatus colony that is doing really well, however. I have them in their original test tube placed in an old byFormica outworld. When I lifted up their tinfoil cover today, I saw they already have their first major! She's almost as big as the queen. They have lots of other brood on the way, as well. Maybe I should hang on to these after all?

 


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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#134 Offline TechAnt - Posted August 6 2020 - 10:20 AM

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I vote hang-on for this colony, I think this species is awesome. Plus it looks like they are doing very well in your care as you said, I think you would be able to get these girls to a large colony.

Edited by TechAnt, August 6 2020 - 10:22 AM.

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My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#135 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 6 2020 - 11:48 AM

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I say keep the C. subbarbatus. Their colonies don't get huge, so they should be able to stay in a pretty small setup (when compared to Crematogaster). Their majors look super cool too!


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#136 Offline Wegmier - Posted August 6 2020 - 12:19 PM

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Yellow camponotus. Yellow camponotus!
I love those Castaneus workers, they remind me of my own C. turkestanus ants. I hope your two new queens fare well


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1 x Lasius niger -  https://www.formicul...-wegmier/page-6

1 x Lasius flavus - https://www.formicul...flavus-wegmier/

4 x Camponotus fedtschenkoi - https://www.formicul...-wegmier/page-2

#137 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 6 2020 - 12:42 PM

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Yellow camponotus. Yellow camponotus!
I love those Castaneus workers, they remind me of my own C. turkestanus ants. I hope your two new queens fare well

Sadly, I think neither are mated. One died, and the other has eggs that don’t develop. Castaneus are just about the nicest looking ants around.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#138 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 6 2020 - 1:02 PM

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I think subbarbatus look better than castaneus. that's just me though.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#139 Offline Antkid12 - Posted August 6 2020 - 1:05 PM

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I think subbarbatus look better than castaneus. that's just me though.

Same.


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Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#140 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 2 2020 - 8:20 AM

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Update?


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We don’t talk about that
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