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Acutus' Camponotus castaneus Update THRIVING! 2/14/20

Started By Acutus , May 16 2019 8:10 PM

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#41 Offline Acutus - Posted July 12 2019 - 2:37 PM

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We were talkin' about activity and the underground activity has definitely picked up! This is also during the day only 6 foragers in the Out World.

 


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Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

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Formica subsericea

#42 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 13 2019 - 2:22 AM

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Mine actually ate a June beetle while I was asleep. Whoah!
Anecdotally, these love beetles of all kinds.

Edited by ANTdrew, July 13 2019 - 2:56 AM.

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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.

#43 Offline Acutus - Posted July 13 2019 - 8:14 AM

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Mine actually ate a June beetle while I was asleep. Whoah!
Anecdotally, these love beetles of all kinds.

 

Yeah and right now is a great time to get beetles they're all over! :D I just started a colony of Dubia Roaches too! :D


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#44 Offline Acutus - Posted July 21 2019 - 1:23 PM

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So the colony is doing Great in the new Tar Heels Ants Mini Hearth XL! they really seem to be thriving! There's activity all the time in the nest area and I haven't been around at night to observe any nocturnal activity but the foos definitely is being taken. In addition to honey, which they don't seem to eat as much as my C. chromaiodes, crickets and june beetles along with fruit flies are accepted readily! 

It's very cool to watch them hunt down the fruit flies! :D

 

Of the 5 Queens I collected only one has ever laid eggs and she is now on her second batch. The first just never progressed. After seeing how well the colony has done in the Mini Heath XL I decided to get a Mini Hearth and put the Queen and her eggs in there! :D the transfer went well and the Queen collected the eggs back and is caring for them. I guess now it's a watch and wait thing. Fingers crossed!!! :D       (sorry so blurry didn't realize)

 

20190720 163608
 
20190721 143317

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#45 Offline Acutus - Posted July 22 2019 - 9:58 AM

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Crossing my fingers but I think the Queen has turned a corner!! :D Yesterday I put in a dead fruit fly and she ate it! today I added 2 more and she's eating them now!!!  :yahoo:


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Currently keeping:

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#46 Offline Acutus - Posted July 22 2019 - 6:40 PM

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I can't get over how much better these gals seem to be since moving them to this Mini Hearth XL!  (y)  (y) Looks like I got a lot of new workers too! might need to think about expansion in the not too distant future!! :D

 


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Currently keeping:

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#47 Offline Acutus - Posted July 24 2019 - 5:11 AM

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Got to see my first ever Callow Super Major! :D Thought I'd share some pics! :D Seems like in this colony I see a couple new workers everyday! May need to start thinking about attaching another Mini Hearth for expansion! :D

 

20190723 170754
 
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20190723 170754crop

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Billy

 

Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

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Formica subsericea

#48 Offline Acutus - Posted July 29 2019 - 1:08 PM

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Ok so I had put out a poll asking if I should expand the existing C. casaneus colony and overwhelmingly voters chose YES!!! Thanks to the 10 of you that responed!  :lol:  :lol:

 

So I got 2 new Tar Heels Ants Mini Hearths today and decided to go for it! :D

 

expansion1
 
And in True Camponotus Castaneus form they pretty much ignored it!  :lol:  :lol:  They'll appreciate it one day right?  :facepalm:
 
expansion2

 


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#49 Offline Acutus - Posted July 29 2019 - 2:25 PM

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Uh oh! Can it be? 1 , 2 , wait for it, Yes! 3 Brave Souls!


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Currently keeping:

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Formica subsericea

#50 Offline Acutus - Posted August 6 2019 - 11:44 AM

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Repletes?? I just wanted to ask am I seeing this correctly? Remember this is my first year and I haven't seen this in either of my C. chromaiodes colonies either.

Do I slow down on the food? I posted both pics Red is normal, Blue is what I think are Repletes.

 

P1020522
 
P1020522marked

 

 

Ok so just a small update on the Mini Hearth expansion they are slowly taking advantage of the new space! :D they also enjoyed the Half-Cicada Feast! :D

 

 

 


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Currently keeping:

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Formica subsericea

#51 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 6 2019 - 11:50 AM

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Yup. Repletes they are! Less pronounced than in Myrmecocystus, but Camponotus do have repletes.
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#52 Offline rbarreto - Posted August 6 2019 - 12:24 PM

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I don't believe they are true repletes. More similar to Prenolepis imparis.

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My other journal featuring Formica Bradleyi.

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#53 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 6 2019 - 12:51 PM

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I don't believe they are true repletes. More similar to Prenolepis imparis.


A replete is any ant that is used as food storage.
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#54 Offline rbarreto - Posted August 6 2019 - 2:00 PM

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You know for some reason I had it dead set in my mind that repletes were a separate caste whose sole purpose was food storage. I read the link below and now I'm pretty sure you're right.
https://www.antwiki....ste_Terminology
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#55 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 6 2019 - 3:29 PM

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Those are some happy looking ants! Well done! I really miss my colony.
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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.

#56 Offline Acutus - Posted August 6 2019 - 4:04 PM

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https://www.antwiki....ste_Terminology


Cool article!

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#57 Offline Acutus - Posted August 6 2019 - 4:06 PM

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Ok so the article above says they store "liquid food". Does that meany only like water or honey? Or is it digested liquified food?

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Currently keeping:

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Camponotus castaneus

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#58 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 6 2019 - 4:13 PM

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Ants can only intake liquids. The larvae, however, do have the ability to digest solid foods. What little protein the adults need comes from the larvae, as they regurgitate some liquid food for the ants. The workers can drink the liquids from prey though.
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#59 Offline Acutus - Posted August 6 2019 - 4:15 PM

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Thanks Ant_Dude! Maybe this explains why this colony seems to take very little honey

Edited by Acutus, August 6 2019 - 4:16 PM.

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#60 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 6 2019 - 5:11 PM

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Thanks Ant_Dude! Maybe this explains why this colony seems to take very little honey


That is exactly why they take very little honey at a time.
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