29 replies to this topic

[Maculata]

I have 1 out of 6 queens with fungus.  It's small but already has eggs in it.

The other 5 queens have no fungus (it's been 5 days).  How long should I wait for fungus? How big should the fungus be before sharing?  

 

Album: Acromyrmex versicolor

35 images

0 comments

 

Edited by Maculata, October 29 2019 - 9:13 PM.

[dspdrew]

Did it grow that in a test tube?

[Maculata]

Inside the inner box of your starter Formicariums.  I had about 10 in test tubes last year but nothing succeeded.  Today the queen incorporated some bits of a red cactus fruit.  

Edited by Maculata, August 17 2019 - 12:39 PM.

[Maculata]

Drew,

I have reread your Acromyrmex versicolor post. How large should the fungus be before pulling a bit off and putting it next another queens eggs? Will it stick to the wall? I have been thinking of using flame sterilized tweezers for the transfer. Are there any good papers on growing these? I have read one or two last year but you seem to have more versicolor experience. Also in the desert, do you have a feeling on the depth of established colonies? Thanks

[Maculata]

Fungus grows, prefered food is bits of a small red cactus fruit ( soft inside is orange ).  Larger round black spots are seeds from that fruit. 

 

 

Album: Acromyrmex versicolor

35 images

0 comments

 

Edited by Maculata, August 24 2019 - 10:08 PM.

[Maculata]

 

Preferred food:  small red cactus fruit ( soft inside is more orange ).  

 

Edited by Maculata, August 25 2019 - 2:38 PM.

[Maculata]

How easy is it to pull off a bit of fungus?  It's hanging from the top, I am afraid if I try to pull a bit off with tweezers, it will just drop off.

 

Successful fungus queen.  I think there is an egg with a dark center visible in the fungus looking like it's growing.  

 

Queen with eggs but no fungus.  The eggs so far are unchanged.   

Edited by Maculata, August 26 2019 - 9:53 PM.

[Maculata]

Shared fungus with one queen, stuck a bit near her eggs.  She did not successfully develop fungus (may have just stuck the fungus on the fruit and let it dry out)

 

Shared fungus with second queen, exchanged lid with a little fungus near her eggs.  She did developed the fungus a little bit using cactus but seemed not very productive - added green leaves from sever plant near where captured.  She immediately started to work the fungus with green material.  Will update. 

 

First queen larva development remains robust

Edited by Maculata, August 31 2019 - 10:57 AM.

[RushmoreAnts]

Looks like you didn't even need our help.

[Maculata]

I read many of the historical posts so you guys helped a lot.  

[Maculata]

Another question....  How long can the colony go without a source for leaves/fruit?  I will be out for 2 weeks.  Does lowering the temp help (slow metabolic rates)?

[Vendayn]

I wouldn't mess with the temperature or the humidity if its at a point the fungus is growing healthily. It does better with a stable temperature.

 

With that said, I found anything below 70 degrees and the fungus "melts" and turns mushy. I had my colony too low at one point as I was testing temperatures and 69 degrees was far too low of a temperature.  But the colony did grow a ton slower in the low 70s.

 

If the water supply lasts 2+ weeks, then if enough substrate it should be fine with a small colony. I'm not sure I'd mess with it too much when its healthy. The fungus is very finicky I found.

[Maculata]

I had someone feed them after 1 week.  At two weeks the fungus looked a bit poor; however, a day after feeding again the fungus looked better and the first nanatic is at work.

 

[Maculata]

Colony doing well up to +20 workers, started second Fungus in adjacent chamber.  I can no longer remove the cover so the pictures are harder to take and are thru 1 or  2 layers of plastic.  The pictures are thru a tiny opening (you can see the whitish arch).

 

Album: Acromyrmex versicolor

35 images

0 comments

[Kalidas]

Oh man they look they are doing amazing. These ants quickly became my favorite after they were my first queens I caught last year.

If you ever have another issue where you are running out of ruffage to give them, a temporary food they may accept is corn flakes. My most successful queen LOVED Cor flakes above anything else in fact.

Awe man I really wish I hadn't missed the flights this year. Good luck friend

[Maculata]

Two closeups....

 

I collected and have frozen as many of the cactus fruit as I can find.  Have not tried any other foods since the cactus fruit worked.  I had tried many different nice green fresh leaves only to read a scholarly article that says that most desert plants are well protected from leaf cutting ants (adapted natural pesticides/fungicides).  A. versicolor has adapted to eating 90+% dead dried leaves or seeds after the pesticides have dissipated.  I think I believe it - the only plant that was ever subjected to leaf cutting in my yard was an exotic. There was a couple flights in Tucson this year.  Grabbed them the morning after rain when they were founding new colonies.  In far South East Tucson / Vail, there are clouds of 100,000+ of these when they hatch.   I am in the foothills and see only a few.  

 

Edited by Maculata, October 28 2019 - 8:41 PM.

[Kalidas]

Yeah pretty much all species of Acromyrmex like dried plants better. There's another forum I belong to called Leaf Cutter Ants Forums and the site admin (a guy who professionally keeps and sells leaf cutters to zoos) had posted something about that. Atta like wet plant matter Acromyrmex like dryer ones

[Maculata]

A showoff...

 

 

The second chamber under development

[Zeiss]

If this is turning into a journal for your colony, I suggest changing the topic's title.

 

Looks like they're doing great.

[Maculata]

Temperature of colony since inception.  I think I am going up the temp by about 5 degrees, I am concerned the lows are getting too close to 70F.

 

Orange = Original Chamber (Concerned about temp of this one)

Blue = New Chamber (Recently moved heater nearer)

 

Edited by Maculata, October 29 2019 - 10:44 PM.