221 replies to this topic

[NickAnter]

They have so many larvae and pupae, that their worker count will more than double in a little over a week. They also have about 50 eggs. They should, in a month, be over 100 workers.

Edited by NickAnter, October 15 2019 - 6:05 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

What did I tell you? Insane growth. Good luck!

[NickAnter]

Yep. I seriously need put them in an outworld. Sadly, I don't have an outworld. Oh, quick question, can these climb fluon? Might be able to get a outworld today or tomorrow. Probably not though.

[TennesseeAnts]

They can if there is not adequate ventilation.

[NickAnter]

So basically, it just needs to be dry? If so, then no problem.

Edited by NickAnter, September 3 2019 - 9:42 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Yup. Btw they need tons of protein. They love fruit flies especially. Sugar water and possibly Sunburst was the superior sugar source for my colony.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, September 3 2019 - 9:40 AM.

[NickAnter]

Yeah, I give them part of a mealworm very often. I now feed them a sugary mixture: 50% honey, 25% sugar, and 25% water. They love it. They also really like the mealworms.

[TennesseeAnts]

Mine liked crickets too.

[NickAnter]

Well, they have an outworld, by way of a snap cap vial with a hole in it which the test tube fits in. I put some sand in there, and they are trying to dig in it. They have also put quite a bit of sand in their tube. Not sure why, maybe to control heat, or if they prefer it to the plastic. They have about 75 pupae, and some repletes. I gave them some honey this morning, and they went insane for it. There were up to 8 workers at a time on one small drop. When one had its fill, another would take its place. Also, their tube is disgusting, due to the mealworm pieces in there. However, they don't seem to mind. I am temted to try to grow a chia seed in their outworld, using one of their small holes. Might add a bit of color. My only worry is that they will make a large enough tunnel in the sand if I moisten it, that they could move the colony out of view. I think if I only use one drop of water, on the seed, that it will work though. Also, there is a nylanderia colony in our front yard that has yellowish brown workers. Extremely light in color. Sadly, my colony is not of that color morph, as it seems to be fairly uncommon. Maybe next year I will get one. Soon, they will have 100 workers.

Edited by NickAnter, October 15 2019 - 6:07 PM.

[NickAnter]

They are at about 75 workers, and still have about 30 pupae. They also have about 150 eggs and small larvae. I have been feeding them my honey mixture, and mealworm pieces. They have also been piling sand on condensation, probably to prevent drownings. I am going to try to start on the the firebrick formicarium soon. I could, if my dad lets me use his drill, finish it today.

[RushmoreAnts]

Pics?

[NickAnter]

Sadly good pics are impossible. They have plastered a lot of sand in the tube, and they move so fast, that my phone won't focus under magnification. I could take a picture of the setup zoomed out if you would like though.

Edited by NickAnter, March 16 2020 - 7:16 AM.

[NickAnter]

Ughhh. Tempted to just buy a THA formicarium and savethe waiting. My dad has like a million projects, so because he has to used the giant saw to cut a third out of the large firebrick, I have to wait. I suppose I could try to move them into a large glass tube. The only thing is, after that, it would be harder to move them into a permanemt formicarium.

[NickAnter]

Id say they are at or over 100 workers, with about 250 more on the way. I have placed them in a proper outworld, and put a large, glass tube in, so that eventually, they can move in. When they move into the glass tube I will be able to get good pictures. They swarmed over a mealworm today, and several workers completely filled themselves on mealworm guts. Also, they seem to designate repletes at birth, because some workers, as soon as they are born, are filled with food. Their repletes seem to fill up on both protien, and sugars. I am still just giving them mealworms and my sugary mixture. I would just dump them into the glass tube, but that would mean that sand would get in, making the move pointless, as the new would get dirty. I will update this again when they move into the glass tube.

[NickAnter]

I dumped them into the outworld.  Soon, they will move into the clean tube. I know this sounds rash, but they were not going to move out of the old tube, and I am impatient, hence the dumping.  I have read quite a bit about how this doesn't seem to bother colonies that much, so they should be fine.

[NickAnter]

They seem to be having a civil war.  Only a few workers are being fought though.  I feel so stupid now.  Hopefully they survive.  won't check on them for a few days. The queen is only residing in the plug, and I feared that she was stuck, so I tried to blow in the hole and they freaked out.  Will update in a week.  There somehow appears to be less brood, after I blew, though I don't see how that happen, I did not inhale and I don't think they are capable of eating 30 pupae.  At least they are all moved into the tube.

[NickAnter]

Well they are doing fine. Somehow the queen escaped, and I found her on my desk, and put her back where she belongs. She fully moved into the tube, and they are doing fine.

[NickAnter]

Still gaining workers daily. Here is a mediocre pic of them feeding:

[NickAnter]

They still have insane amounts of brood, and never stop eating. They seem to never refuse protien. However, as the have so many repletes, their sugar intake has gone down.

[NickAnter]

Wow, they must have hit a worker point where they become agressive. When I put in a half dead mealworm, workers would be eating from it, while other would be grabbing on to the flailing legs, and spraying formic acid. Within minutes, there was over 30 workers in the outworld, swarming around. At times the mealworm had up to 25 workers on it. After that I gave them some honey, and twelve workers were on that. They have about 100 eggs, and about 30-35 pupae/large larvae.

Edited by NickAnter, October 15 2019 - 6:09 PM.