199 replies to this topic

[NickAnter]

So, I know I said that I wouldn't update until next week, but the queen that has only one and a half antennae, is becoming very bloated. But, I gave her no sugar water. That means she is getting ready to lay eggs, and hopefully lots of them! Anyway, all of the trio are bloated on sugar water.

[NickAnter]

She laid an egg!    None of the others did, sadly.

[NickAnter]

Winged queen has one egg, and queen that was fed no sugar water and has full antennae has two. First queen to lay still has one. I will take pictures when they get large larvae. I am so glad that they are doing well, not many people in California keep Lasius, but I think they are really cool.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I agree

[RushmoreAnts]

When did you put your's in?

Sorry for the late response; I got them from a friend, and before I got them, they were kept in a garage, and the weather got down to fridge temps in mid October, so about 4 months now.

[RushmoreAnts]

not many people in California keep Lasius, but I think they are really cool.

A shame.... I also have a high opinion of them, yet not as high as yours, for they don't make up 75 percent of all ants in your area.   

 

 

[NickAnter]

In my area, besides mine, they make up zero percent of diversity around a 40 mile radius from my house. So, they are quite exotic here.

[NickAnter]

Queen that had two eggs now has at least six.  I think the winged queen is infertile, she completely ignores her egg.

[madbiologist]

Just wondering, since your updates are coming every day or so, perhaps you're checking on the queens too much? The recommended amount of checking is once a week at most, so this could stress out the queens and cause them not to lay.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[NickAnter]

Maybe, but, I find that some queens actually get used to it, as some of them seem to be.  I checked on my Nylanderia queen every day, and she never had any problems.  Though, I am tempted to agree, and I won't be checking on them for a week.  Some of the queens did get stressed, due to the sugar water soaked cotton balls. Trying to get them out was a pain, so that has been the reason for most interruptions.

[NickAnter]

I know I said I wouldn't be checking, but I have done an experiment, and I have checked on a queen with eggs, and without, every day, and they have either laid eggs, or not eaten any. So, I checked on them all today. I think the fist queen that laid is the infertile one. She is the only one with eggs everywhere. All the others made neat piles. All queens gasters have largened. The trio has no more eggs than the rest. I believe the unfed, fully healthy queen is even beginning to get larvae.

[NickAnter]

Okay.  I have determined this to be americanus.  Reason being the all important hairs on the scapes. So. Crypticus has all appressed hairs, and, it would seem as if these hairs are decumbent, not appressed.  Therefore, as americanus just doen't have erect hairs, I would assume it can have decumbent hairs. Correct me if I am wrong.

[NickAnter]

So much for that. I am certain that I have multiple species. The dead one that a put under a microscope is missing, so I don't know which ones are americanus. One queen, the winged one, is different from the queen which was found as a dealate. It has a flatter body and a larger head. I am now even questioning the genus of the one found as a dealate. Even though these were found in mid August, I am wondering if she may be Prenolepis(there is a variant in the eastern sierras which flys late). That would explain why her gaster was able to swell to such a size. Note, sadly, due to the positioning of the dealte in the tube, to gain focus, I had to zoom out:

Edited by NickAnter, February 17 2020 - 12:28 PM.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Aren't most Lasius's care common enough to be used by different species? I don't see many glaring differences in the queens so they should be pretty similar, but I don't know that much about Lasius yet...  

[NickAnter]

Oh, the care is the same, I am just curious. I will try to get some better pictures later this week. Probably on Wednesday or Friday.  I will also try to get a picture of the two side by side to show the head difference.

[NickAnter]

Hmm. I don't think that there ever was a larva, and there still is none. And they are being heated. They have had eggs for about twenty days. Hopefully somehow not magically infertile, because I saw some mate, and then drop to the ground. The trio has about 100 eggs in one massive pile. Hopefully they will start hatching soon. If that trio colony gets 100 nanitics, I will be amazed. I think it more likely that they will end up eating about half to save up resources. I had no idea it would take longer than this for them to get larvae!

Edited by NickAnter, February 28 2020 - 6:43 AM.

[ForestDragon]

just because the guy was in there doesnt mean he didn't finish lol

[RushmoreAnts]

Hmm. I don't think that there ever was a larva, and there still is none. And they are being heated. They have had eggs for about twenty days. Hopefully somehow not magically infertile, because I saw some mate, and then drop to the ground. The trio has about 100 eggs in one massive pile. Hopefully they will start hatching soon. If that trio colony gets 100 nanitics, I will be amazed. I think it more likely that they will end up eating about half to save up resources. I had no idea it would take longer than this for them to get larvae!

The majority of the eggs are probably trophic and/or will be consumed. 30-50 nanitics is my guess, but I could always be wrong.

[NickAnter]

Queen 1(alate): 1 larva!

Queen 2(dealate): that was not fed) 5 larvae

Queen three(broken and infertile): Scattered eggs

Trio: 100 eggs. No larvae

Queen 4(dealate with extremely swollen gaster) 20 eggs with no larave.

 

Thank goodness they have larvae. Skinny little things they are too, they look nothing like those of Nylanderia.

[RushmoreAnts]

They get fatter as time goes on.