43 replies to this topic

[jeffpbalderston]

Formica moki can be easily found around the Sacramento valley floor and surrounding cities as well. Usually populated in or around oak trees in larger parks but at the same time I am a bit disappointed in not finding a single queen yet? Nice colony dspdrew! This species is a must for next year and I will be putting them up top of my list.......

[dspdrew]

I got very lucky when I found this queen, and very lucky that this only Formica queen I found last year is still alive and well. I still don't know exactly when they normally have their nuptial flights.

[Gregory2455]

I found two of these queens in Idaho, and a couple parasitic species...

[Gregory2455]

Do you have picture updates?

[Gregory2455]

Do you need to hibernate these? Or is that optional?

[dspdrew]

No I don't think they need to be hibernated. I find most of them in places that don't get very cold in the Winter.

[dspdrew]

Update 2-12-2015

 

I decided to hibernate these, so I moved them into my fridge about a week ago.

[dspdrew]

Update 4-17-2015

 

I took them out of hibernation today and put them in one of my small ant farm boxes.

[dspdrew]

Update 4-30-2015

 

It took them a while, but they have finally dug somewhat of a nest. I just boosted them with 25 or so pupae of what I think are Formica aerata. They took interest in them pretty quick. Later that night, I noticed a big pile of brand new eggs laying there in the pile of pupae I just gave them. I'm so glad the queen is finally laying eggs again. Maybe the hibernation helped. Maybe the dirt nest helped a bit too.

[dspdrew]

Update 5-12-2015
 
I found another colony of Formica moki under a log up near Crestline, California two days ago. I managed to collect the queen, 40 workers, and some eggs.
 
The only thing I had to put them in at the moment was one of my small ant farm boxes. A large one would have been great, but all I had were a few small ones.
 

[dspdrew]

Update 6-1-2015

 

The colony I found three weeks ago just lost their queen.

 

My original colony has lost most of their workers.

[Lamarr]

Update 6-1-2015

 

The colony I found three weeks ago just lost their queen.

 

My original colony has lost most of their workers.

 

That's unfortunate to hear. What do you think caused the die-offs?

[ooper]

Where does one get fruit flies? Must I "farm" my own?

[Ants4fun]

I get mine from Petsmart or perco.
The ones there are flightless.

[dspdrew]

 

Update 6-1-2015

 

The colony I found three weeks ago just lost their queen.

 

My original colony has lost most of their workers.

 

That's unfortunate to hear. What do you think caused the die-offs?

 

 

I think it might have been mold.

[dspdrew]

Update 7-9-2015

 

I sort of forgot about this colony for too long, and the dirt in their nest got a little too dry. It looks like all but one (which I think is the queen) has died. I rehydrated the nest, so hopefully she can recover.

[dspdrew]

Update 7-13-2015

 

The queen is still alive so I moved her back into a test tube for now. I boosted her with a callow worker from one of the Formica francoeuri colonies that recently lost their queen. The next day she had already laid a few new eggs.

[dspdrew]

Update 7-28-2015

 

The eggs have been eaten, and the boost worker is dead.

[dspdrew]

Update 8-5-2015

 

The queen is now dead and covered in mold.

[YsTheAnt]

How did you go about collecting the small colony? 

Edited by YsTheAnt, December 19 2017 - 10:40 AM.