17 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

Ok, so I caught one of these queens foraging alone (Normal Semi-Clausteral Species Behavior) in the mountains around Simi Valley in early June. She started in a setup in which she thrived, but I feared for cave-ins while I was in Idaho. I moved her into a setup she hated. She did not lay eggs at all for two months, but was still eating normal. About a week ago, I moved her into a mix between the two setups, a test tube with some wet sand on the bottom, and started giving her fruit flies instead of meal worms and seeds. She is once again thriving and has finally laid eggs for the first time in almost three months. 

Edited by Gregory2455, February 20 2019 - 10:26 PM.

[Alza]

oh wow

[Gregory2455]

Yes, she has made the largest comeback of any queen I have had. I am sure she is fertile, because she has had multiple small larvae in the first setup, but the initial cave-in which she escaped and tempted me to move her killed them all.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 9/22/2014

Larvae! As last time, she got to the point of having small larvae. Two little larva, and more coming out of her massive egg pile! Lets hope she does not lose them as she did in the beginning.

[Gregory2455]

Discontiniued

The queen just died, leaving her two massive, and well fed plump larvae orphans...  

This was my last queen, and there is really no visible cause of death, but this is being discontinued for the next year at least, unless I decide to dig up a colony...

[Alza]

she must have been a very nice queen. I'm going to refer to her as Orihime. 

[Gregory2455]

Orihime is dead Alza. Orihime has been dead for two weeks.

[Alza]

Was she the type that would dash, and do track inside the test tube? or was she one of the peaceful queens

[Gregory2455]

I do not know what you mean. I observed her doing these dramatic movements, which other than her, only my Acromyrmex did, where she would climb up the cotton, and try to grab the ceiling of the test tube. Really, there wasn't any other behavior she showed that any of my other ants did not show.

[Alza]

with the Pogonomyrmex (CSG) SP i had, they had three types of queens. The ones that do track, the calm ones, and the ones that try to eat the cotton.

[Gregory2455]

They all do that at different times. I had a Pogonomyrmex rugosus queen, who was usually calm, then I panicked her with light, and she ran all over, and then proceeded to braid cotton. Unless behaviors persist, they do not mean anything.

 

What does "Pogonomyrmex (CSG) SP" mean? Stop coming up with your own scientific terms.

[Alza]

let me rephrase that first part, Pogonomyrmex (Californicus) SP. I'm guessing that's how it would be put because dsp's Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) SP. is like that

and (CSG) as in californicus sub group 

[Gregory2455]

Yes, I suppose groups and subgenera are the same, but do not take my word for it.

[Alza]

Alright. Also do you remember what Orihime's mixture for sugar water was, if you gave it to her ever. For next year i want to know what subnitidus like 

[Gregory2455]

Yes, I am trying to get Pogonomyrmex subnitidus next year as you are, the mixture was 1 part sugar to 10 parts water.

Edited by Gregory2455, October 21 2014 - 5:43 PM.

[Alza]

thanks a lot! you don't realize how much your helping me 

[Gregory2455]

1 part sugar to 10 parts water.

As I have told you for the twentieth time...

thanks a lot! you don't realize how much your helping me 

Sure thing.

[Gregory2455]

I caught a Pogonomyrmex queen yesterday and I have not ruled out the possibility of her being this species yet, so this journal has a chance of being re-continued.