387 replies to this topic

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I took the Myrmica off the heat cable and they are way more active. I fed them a cricket leg and they dragged it into the test tube. I finally got the Lasius to eat protein by jamming a cricket leg down the entrance tube to their nest. They seem super excited; they haven't eaten anything in months because they aren't smart enough to forage. I also gave the Tetramorium the cricket those legs came from. Guess what happened. 

[ANTdrew]

Whole Foods or any store that sells bulk seeds

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The Pogonomyrmex took an ironweed seed! They had previously brought in some of the more shriveled ones, which I am not sure they can eat, but this time, I saw a worker take in one of my pre-peeled seeds (If that's what you would call it.), which would definitely be palatable to the larvae. I also just added another test tube to the Myrmica setup, which now looks like one of those fancy double lightsabers from Star Wars. Here's to hoping they like the new one better then the old gross one.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Whole Foods or any store that sells bulk seeds

Whole Foods it is then.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Are the Tetramorium really attacking the plastic plant...

I'm pretty sure they are...

[ANTdrew]

Are the Tetramorium really attacking the plastic plant...

I'm pretty sure they are...

Man, check my Tetrararium journal. They straight up killed all moss, lichens, and plants I put in their tank along with every living thing other than springtails.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

 

Are the Tetramorium really attacking the plastic plant...

I'm pretty sure they are...

Man, check my Tetrararium journal. They straight up killed all moss, lichens, and plants I put in their tank along with every living thing other than springtails.

 

They're biting and stinging at the part of the fake plant that is very close to where the ants go; maybe they are trying to clear the vegetation and make their trail more efficient. I don't think you can sting a piece of plastic to death but I guess they beg to differ. Speaking of your journal I'm actually trying to build such a terrarium for them, bu I don't have charcoal yet.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 21 2019 - 6:30 PM.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Pogonomyrmex eating honey.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Their favorite nesting spot is actually the connection tube between the nest and outworld. I assume that's where that larva was for the 3 hours I though they had eaten it.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Got a whole bunch of seeds from the hippie food store (Not Whole Foods, a different one.); flax, millet, and chia. They haven't taken any yet. The queen laid some eggs! I can see what I think are two eggs inside the nest. It doesn't surprise me, she looks very physogastric. What's more, I caught a Tapinoma colony, but when I tried to contain them in a test tube setup, all the Tapinoma queens and most of the workers got out into my room, including the one I already had. Now I have my very own free range ants.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

They like the chia seeds best. It figures, they cost like 4 times more than the other ones.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Fed the Myrmica and managed to spot 4 queens at the same place and time! This colony also has a decent brood pile which is certainly better off than when I caught them. I'm pretty sure some of the eggs might be new. I might make a dirt setup for the Pogonomyrmex, and use the Mini Hearth for something else. They seem to want sand and dirt to mess with. Really interesting to see them carrying big piles of loose sand with their psammophores, and, in true ant fashion, shoving it all into some random corner where they never even go.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I emailed Tarheel Ants about my blocked off water tube, and he told me he would ship a new Mini Hearth tomorrow! Apparently the issue can be fixed by jabbing an unfolded paper clip down the tube, but this is apparently difficult to pull off.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 22 2019 - 1:34 PM.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

General Update:

 

Tetramorium immigrans: Large colony of a couple hundred workers in a Mini Hearth. I've had them for over a year, and they have a massive brood pile, eating anything I give them. I am currently looking to find a new nest for them, as the old one is disgusting by now. I also have two queens of this species, one with a couple workers and small brood, the other with a bunch of eggs.

 

Lasius aphidicola: A queen and about 50 L. americanus host workers, living in a Mini Hearth XL. They have a large pile of larvae, which are growing slowly. They don't forage much, but appeared ravenous when I placed a cricket leg directly into their nest. Maybe they aren't smart enough to forage, or maybe they just liked the cricket better.

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus: Queen with 7 workers and some brood, in a test tube attached to one of those AntsCanada test tube outworlds. I think I might sell her if someone asks.

 

Crematogaster cerasi: 5 queens, all in test tubes. Will sell a couple if I end up with multiple colonies next year. They won't lay eggs until the spring.

 

Lasius neoniger: Single queen in a test tube. She has over a dozen eggs, all scattered about.

 

Lasius brevicornis: 5 queens together in a single test tube. They will lay eggs in the spring.

 

Brachymyrmex depilis: 6 queens together in a single test tube. No eggs yet, they might be waiting for spring.

 

Myrmcia cf. punctiventris: 4 queen colony with about 36 workers and some brood, which has grown since I caught them. They are in an AC test tube/test tube portal setup, like the Camponotus. I quite like this colony, it is a genus you don't see too often.

 

Myrmica sp.: Single queen in THA test tube with insert, no eggs. Much bigger than the cf. punctiventris queens.

 

Formica pallidefulva: 2 queens, 2 workers, 1 pupa. Yet to lay a second batch of eggs, despite me feeding them. maybe they will wait for spring. Living in a Mini Hearth.

 

Formica cf. neogagates: Queen in a test tube. Keeps eating her eggs. Might just let her go.

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis: Colony from THA, living in a Mini Hearth. They have 3 workers, a small larva, and one or two eggs which were laid after I got them. They brought in a big pile of chia seeds along with a couple of flax seeds. The queen occasionally forages; this is a semi claustral species.

 

Pictures coming soon.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 23 2019 - 3:56 PM.

[Kaelwizard]

Mack told me the big seeds are wheatgrass btw. That’s the kind that I give mine.

Edited by Kaelwizard, September 23 2019 - 4:30 PM.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The P. occidentalis have loads of eggs now! It looked like maybe 10? I couldn't really see where each egg ended and the next one started, but the pile was much bigger when I got home today. The third F. pallidefulva worker arrived today as well, leaving them with no brood.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I prepared a terrarium for my Tetramorium, following the Ants Australia tutorial exactly except for the charcoal, which I didn't have. Is this OK? How dry should the soil be before I add the ants? I watered quite a lot to make sure the dirt would all settle.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I decided it had dried enough and placed the opened Mini Hearth onto the soil. Hundreds of ants are already exploring, they will probably move in soon.

[DDD101DDD]

Nice! Can you take a picture of the terrarium?

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Sure, but I'm to lazy to do it right now. It's a pretty small one, you know, one of those plastic terrariums from the pet store. About 4x6 inch, I think.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 24 2019 - 4:48 PM.