279 replies to this topic

[Aaron567]

Pseudomyrmex leptosus are rather strange in that they seem to kill their ejectus host queen whereas other workerless inquilines would not, and therefore can survive off of their hosts for a much longer time. Perhaps P. leptosus may be on their way to evolving temporary parasitism.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Sounds cool, you should open up a shop. No one has really explored artificially cavity formicariums

I've certainly been thinking about that.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

 

Sounds cool, you should open up a shop. No one has really explored artificially cavity formicariums

I've certainly been thinking about that.

 

well, its is certainly up to you.

[Ferox_Formicae]

The Strumigenys silvestrii queen has died. 

 

The formicarium for my smaller Camponotus castaneus colony has been completed and the colony has been moved in. The exterior is a bit messy, but the inside looks pretty nice, especially when lit from the hole in the top. The ants are looking pretty happy in their new formicarium, and next time I find a wild nest, I will be collecting some pupa and boosting my colony. I will be showing pictures soon.

 

Two of the artificial cavity nests have been placed in the wild, one high up in a Water Oak tree where I've seen colonies of Colobopsis obliqua and Pseudomyrmex ejectus, and another partially buried at the base of an Eastern Redcedar where I've seen colonies of two species of Strumigenys, S. membranifera and S. louisianae. I'm hoping that possibly colonies will move into these cavity nests, and many more will be placed over the next few weeks and I plan to leave them there until May or June, but no later than late July.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I found the first ever Gnamptogenys triangularis ever found in South Carolina, and even better, she's a queen!!! I cannot believe it! They're rare enough as it is in Florida and other states where they've been introduced to, but here I am finding one in an entirely new state!!! I plan on housing her in a test tube with some soil in it and feeding her pre-killed greenhouse millipedes.

[TennesseeAnts]

Sooooo jealous! I wish you the best of luck!

[ponerinecat]

Yay, another new state record. Day in the life of Ferox Formicae. Next he'll find a population of nomamyrmex esenbecki in Canada.

[TennesseeAnts]

Yay, another new state record. Day in the life of Ferox Formicae. Next he'll find a population of nomamyrmex esenbecki in Canada.

I wouldn't put it past him....

[camponotuskeeper]

I found the first ever Gnamptogenys triangularis ever found in South Carolina, and even better, she's a queen!!! I cannot believe it! They're rare enough as it is in Florida and other states where they've been introduced to, but here I am finding one in an entirely new state!!! I plan on housing her in a test tube with some soil in it and feeding her pre-killed greenhouse millipedes.

can you get a picture of the queen?

Edited by camponotuskeeper, November 7 2019 - 7:19 PM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

 

I found the first ever Gnamptogenys triangularis ever found in South Carolina, and even better, she's a queen!!! I cannot believe it! They're rare enough as it is in Florida and other states where they've been introduced to, but here I am finding one in an entirely new state!!! I plan on housing her in a test tube with some soil in it and feeding her pre-killed greenhouse millipedes.

can you get a picture of the queen?

 

Yeah, here you go:

 

[ponerinecat]

nice

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I found the first ever Gnamptogenys triangularis ever found in South Carolina, and even better, she's a queen!!! I cannot believe it! They're rare enough as it is in Florida and other states where they've been introduced to, but here I am finding one in an entirely new state!!! I plan on housing her in a test tube with some soil in it and feeding her pre-killed greenhouse millipedes.

According to AntWiki this species is resistant to cyanide, being able to survive in a collection jar full of the stuff for 12 hours, while other ants died within 5 minutes. Apparently it's an adaptation to deal with millipede poison.

[camponotuskeeper]

I found the first ever Gnamptogenys triangularis ever found in South Carolina, and even better, she's a queen!!! I cannot believe it! They're rare enough as it is in Florida and other states where they've been introduced to, but here I am finding one in an entirely new state!!! I plan on housing her in a test tube with some soil in it and feeding her pre-killed greenhouse millipedes.

According to AntWiki this species is resistant to cyanide, being able to survive in a collection jar full of the stuff for 12 hours, while other ants died within 5 minutes. Apparently it's an adaptation to deal with millipede poison.

that sounds like an absolutely insane adaptation, I wonder if scientists could apply that to other organisms. They survived for 3 hours and we’re dead by 12 hours.

Edited by camponotuskeeper, November 7 2019 - 7:53 PM.

[ponerinecat]

Its because some millipedes will release a non fatal to humans version of cyanide gas. We have them here, and before I knew that I would handle them freely. Always did think they smelled odd. I'm pretty sure there's also some beetles which have become near immune to cyanide as a result of hunting millipedes.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

How's the Gnamptogenys queen doing?

[Ferox_Formicae]

How's the Gnamptogenys queen doing?

She seems to be doing very well and was eating the millipede I gave her.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

 

How's the Gnamptogenys queen doing?

She seems to be doing very well and was eating the millipede I gave her.

 

Any eggs yet? Gnamptogenys are a favorite of mine.

[Ferox_Formicae]

How's the Gnamptogenys queen doing?

She seems to be doing very well and was eating the millipede I gave her.

Any eggs yet? Gnamptogenys are a favorite of mine.

I’m not seeing any yet.

[Aaron567]

How did you obtain the greehouse millipedes? I'm trying to use them as the food for my Gnamptogenys queen but am having trouble finding them.

[Ferox_Formicae]

How did you obtain the greehouse millipedes? I'm trying to use them as the food for my Gnamptogenys queen but am having trouble finding them.

Well I didn’t use a Greenhouse Millipede this time, but I find Greenhouse Millipedes to be common under objects, especially in moist areas. I don’t think you need Greenhouse Millipedes in particular.