387 replies to this topic

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I forgot to describe the new worker: she is black, but with orange legs, antennae, and mandibles. The orange muzzle gives her a really distinctive look. I use "worker" in the loosest possible manor; she just sits around while the queen does the heavy lifting.

[TennesseeAnts]

I have not ordered any atom nests, but I love my discus.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I should do a general update for people who have never read my journals.

 

Tetramorium immigrans: Brood boosted colony of over a hundred workers, about 14 months old, which is housed in a Mini Hearth. In addition to the brood boosted pupae, there are currently almost as many larvae in the nest, all produced by the queen herself, apparently as a reaction to the increased worker numbers after the brood boost. A Myrmecophilus pergandei ant cricket lives alongside them in their nest.

 

Lasius aphidicola: Colony of about 50 Lasius americanus host workers, a Lasius aphidicola parasitic queen, and a large pile of small larvae, all children of the parasite queen. The colony resides in a Mini Hearth XL and was collected in June. They will accept food but mostly just sit around all day.

 

Camponotus cf. caryae: Queen with one worker and possibly a couple of larvae. The worker just hatched yesterday. They are currently living in a test tube filled with wood chips. In case you were wondering C. caryae is very similar to C. nearcticus, but has a distinctive orange color scheme. The majors look like C. nearcticus with the colors of C. floridanus (Though not quite as vibrant.). Captured in late June.

 

Camponotus nearcticus: Single queen living in a wood filled test tube. No brood that I can see. Caught a day before the previous queen.

 

Formica pallidefulva: Two queens living in a test tube together, caught late July. They have multiple pupae and large larvae.

 

Formica pallidefulva: Queen living in a test tube alone, caught late July. Has no brood as far as I can tell.

 

Formica cf. neogagates: Queen living in a test tube, caught late July, no brood.

 

Formica subsericea: Queen living in a test tube, caught August. Has no brood yet. I'm trying to sell her.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The Camponotus nearcticus queen is dead. Can't say I'm surprised, given that she never laid any eggs. I have good news to; the Formica cf. neogagates queen has some eggs. I'd love to keep a colony of these. They are so shiny, like a mirror.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The Formica subsericea queen laid some eggs!

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Sadly the Formica subsericea queen ate her eggs.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The Mini Hearth came for my myrmentoma. I'll just call them that because I really don't know if they are Camponotus caryae or C. nearcticus. It's just the queen and worker, no brood, and at the moment they are sitting in the outworld. They've been to the nest, and the queen took a drink there, they just haven't moved in yet. A heating cable also came with the same order. I set it up and so far I have been having issues with the Tetramorium obsessing over the corner of their outworld that was touching the cable, soaking up the heat. I moved it so it touched their favorite nesting spot instead, and will monitor their behavior. Expecting a population boom from them.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Sadly, the myrmentoma worker died last night. I don't know why; they were about 2.5 inches away from the heat cable (It made condensation and they didn't really seem to like it that much.), Tarheel Ants tests all his formicaria with live ants before shipping, and there wasn't anything unusual yesterday. I'll put the queen into a test tube and use this Mini Hearth later for my Formica. I guess it isn't that surprising; from what I've read here, Camponotus tends to be one of the more tragic genera. 

[TennesseeAnts]

It isn't though. This has been a really weird year for Camponotus.

[RushmoreAnts]

It isn't though. This has been a really weird year for Camponotus.

True. Although my Camponotus died due to all the nanitics dying before any more could replace them (hibernation held them up), and the queen had forgotten how to take care of brood. She died a couple weeks after the last worker did. 

 

So anyways, my colony did die, but it wasn't exactly a strange death.

Edited by AntsDakota, September 6 2019 - 4:21 PM.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I connected the Formica pallidefulva test tube to the Mini Hearth. So far nothing has happened. I think they got so used to me checking on them that they just don't care what I do.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 7 2019 - 6:31 AM.

[ForestDragon]

I connected the Formica pallidefulva test tube to the Mini Hearth. So far nothing has happened. I think they got so used to me checking on them that they just don't care what I do.

what's funny is all my formica(incerta and subsericea) are both fine with me checking on them and the subsericea doesn't even bother to move

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I just dumped them into the outworld, I don't think they were gonna move from that test tube. They have six pupae, one of which is orange, and one of which is a cocoon, as well as one large larva and two small ones.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The Formica cf. neogagates queen has a steadily growing pile of eggs.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Yesterday I caught a Lasius neoniger queen and a Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen with about 12 pupae and one worker which eclosed after I caught her. Half of her brood is from another queen who bolted when I uncovered her chamber. I might sell the carpenter ants.

[TennesseeAnts]

Don't sell them yet! Keep them. They will grow to a massive colony like mine!

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Don't sell them yet! Keep them. They will grow to a massive colony like mine!

Well, I really do need the money, and since I kind of know the guy I'd be selling them to, it's not like they would be gone from my life forever.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The myrmentoma queen died.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

One pallidefulva queen moved into the nest yesterday, and today I coaxed the other one and the brood she guarded down the tube. Now they are both together.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Two C. pennsylvanicus workers have hatched so far, but both have died. Not sure why. On the other hand my Lasius neoniger has perhaps a dozen eggs scattered across her test tube.