77 replies to this topic

[TennesseeAnts]

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

Yeah, any ant can become a replete at any time in its adult life. But Myrmecocystus do it a special way. Their abdominal tergites have a fold of tissue underneath each segment. The workers that are chosen to become repletes are filled up with food, the tissue unfolds and the abdomen grows in volume. But, unlike Myrmecocystus, other ants can go back to normal after being emptied. Myrmecocystus can't because their tissue isn't elastic I guess. (I don't quite understand why they can't, but that is what I gather from articles and posts on here).

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, August 7 2019 - 7:14 AM.

[Acutus]

 

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

Yeah, any ant can become a replete at any time in its adult life. But Myrmecocystus do it a special way. Their abdominal tergites have a fold of tissue underneath each segment. The workers that are chosen to become repletes are filled up with food, the tissue unfolds and the abdomen grows in volume. But, unlike Myrmecocystus, other ants can go back to normal after being emptied. Myrmecocystus can't because their tissue isn't elastic I guess. (I don't quite understand why they can't, but that is what I gather from articles and posts on here).

 

 

Nature is amazing though!!

[ANTdrew]

Nature truly is. I think C castaneus as a species survives by being super cautious. They would much prefer filling up a few workers and hunkering down in the nest than to risk losing workers out foraging.

[TennesseeAnts]

Nature truly is. I think C castaneus as a species survives by being super cautious. They would much prefer filling up a few workers and hunkering down in the nest than to risk losing workers out foraging.

All Camponotus make repletes.

[Acutus]

 

Nature truly is. I think C castaneus as a species survives by being super cautious. They would much prefer filling up a few workers and hunkering down in the nest than to risk losing workers out foraging.

All Camponotus make repletes.

 

 

that's interesting too! my C. chromaiodes colonies never stop taking honey for more than a day and I've never seen Repletes. Admittedly the THA Mini Hearth XL made it much easier to notice but I'm going to look closer and see if I can see any in the 2 C. chromaiodes colonies.

[ANTdrew]

Nature truly is. I think C castaneus as a species survives by being super cautious. They would much prefer filling up a few workers and hunkering down in the nest than to risk losing workers out foraging.

All Camponotus make repletes.

Of course. My point is that C castaneus take this to an extreme. This is why when I had to choose which colonies to keep to stave off divorce, I let go the ants I never see doing anything.

[Acutus]

 

 

Nature truly is. I think C castaneus as a species survives by being super cautious. They would much prefer filling up a few workers and hunkering down in the nest than to risk losing workers out foraging.

All Camponotus make repletes.

Of course. My point is that C castaneus take this to an extreme. This is why when I had to choose which colonies to keep to stave off divorce, I let go the ants I never see doing anything.

 

 

Id've chose Divorce! 

[ANTdrew]

Hmmm, maybe I made the wrong choice. My fundamental error was putting the most secretive and cautious Camponotus species in a big terrarium. They had their repletes under a rock all the time, and I only saw workers every ten days or so. When Tapinoma started invading and setting up a sattrlite nest in the terrarium, I knew it was time to let go.

[Acutus]

Hmmm, maybe I made the wrong choice. My fundamental error was putting the most secretive and cautious Camponotus species in a big terrarium. They had their repletes under a rock all the time, and I only saw workers every ten days or so. When Tapinoma started invading and setting up a sattrlite nest in the terrarium, I knew it was time to let go.

 

This colony never seems to have many workers outside the nest. Only maybe 6 even when they were most crowded. More come out when I feed them but it takes a bit sometimes for them to spread the word. Many times there is only one worker out but there's a lot of activity underground! These THA Formicariums seem perfectly suited for them. makes sense though because Mack test them with C. castaneus!

[ANTdrew]

Mack is the man! I had the funnest coversation with him the other day about containing my Crematogasters.

Edited by ANTdrew, August 8 2019 - 11:03 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

What did he say?

[ANTdrew]

What did he say?

I summarized what he told me in my divas journal.

[Acutus]

Well this sucks! Lost 2 founding queens yesterday!     One was my C. castaneus the other was a C. pennsylvanicus. I think it's my fault, actually I'm sure it is. I moved them to a warmer location and I think now the thermometer I was using is defective and wasn't giving me the proper readings. I think they were too warm and succumbed to the heat.

 

Going to buy a Temp gun today and check all the places my ants are so I'm sure!

 

My c.castaneus colony is still doing nicely but seems I'm not doing so well on the founding stuff!

[ANTdrew]

Damn, sorry brother. It’s tricky business starting up a founding queen. Keep at it though and keep learning. It’s all we can do in this hobby.

[Acutus]

Hey All!! Sorry I disappeared. Just life in general got busy. Most of my ants are doing pretty well but my C. castaneus are literally thriving!
I didn't have access to the forum so I didn't really hibernate. The ants slowed down and took less food but were still fairly active. The colony has actually expanded and is ready for some more room! It currently resides in a Tar Heels Mini Hearth XL and a Mini Hearth connected. I'm going to add another Mini Hearth real soon and from the pics you'll see why! Queen is in upper right of first pic!
Hope to be on more and will update on others as I can.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Edited by Acutus, February 14 2020 - 12:15 PM.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

You should see the amount of larvae my Camponotus has! It's insane! You'll need to see my journal when I post some pics of them!

[Acutus]

You should see the amount of larvae my Camponotus has! It's insane! You'll need to see my journal when I post some pics of them!

 

 which Camponotus?

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus, they have a LOT of brood