157 replies to this topic

[Kaelwizard]

My next door neighbor has C. novaeboracensis. I probably with get them too. His colony has like 4 workers.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

NOTE TO ALL CAMPONOTOUS KEEPERS IN TEMPERATE REGIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN FALL: YOU WILL HAVE TO PUT YOUR ANTS INTO DIAPAUSE!!! THIS IS ESENTIAL FOR THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THE COLONY!!! USE THIS LINK ( http://tarheelants.b...pecies-q-a.html) TO HELP YOU DIAPAUSE YOUR ANTS!!! I WILL HELP YOU WITH DIAPAUSE IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS!!! Also, sorry about all caps, just needed to catch your eye . Welcome to the end of the end of the normal ant season (except if you have Prenolepis Imparis).

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Hello all! If you've read my ant journal, you will know I caught a queen recently! However, since I have seen 2.5-3 inch C. Pennsylvanicus queens in my area, I am wondering what species she is.
Area of collection: in my driveway, she crawled to me
Date of collection: August 13th, 2019
Size: Hard to tell. Looks to be 1 and a half inches
Look: Large gastor with a lot of golden hairs (you should see some of her pics on my phone!) with a midsection of 1 centimeter? Head looks like an in-between of a polymorphic and non-polymorphic ant species

I will try to get the pics off my phone, anyways, she laid eggs on the night 2 days after collection. She was a dealate when I caught her, I think she's fertile, but it's too early to tell, and I don't know if she's hiding eggs in her cotton ball. Any help is much appreciated!

[TennesseeAnts]

Umm. My largest Camponotus chromaiodes colony (500 workers) will not be hibernating this year. They already did from July to last week in 80 degree temps. Camponotus don't need cold temps to hibernate, and will do so in warm temps if they need it. My colony now has 50 new eggs and about 250 growing larvae, with some pupating.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, October 16 2019 - 4:14 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Actually, a lot of my Camponotus colonies still have eggs, larvae and pupae, all developing nicely. Only my small chromaiodes and my large pennslyvanicus colony are ready for hibernation.

[Kalidas]

So gonna be new to Camponotus, honestly I am new to anything that isn't leaf cutters lol, my first queens (last year) were Leaf cutters. Gonna be trying something a bit more manageable this year. Probably gonna buy a Camponotus CA-02 queen from Drew soon.

So here are my questions, I have this idea for the future (when the colony is much larger so got a while). I thought it might be cool to set up an aphid infested plant into the out world, really get a good close up look of their signature "animal husbandry".

The idea would be to take a kind of upside down "cup" with a hole for the plant to grow through. The upside down "cup"(still trying to figure out what this "cup" will be maybe a plastic planter...) will create a barrier so the ants won't want to make a nest in it, but allow for dirt and the roots to grow. Probably would cover the cup in some substrate.

Could something like this work? Any ideas of how this could work that maybe I'm not seeing? Also since my ants have to stay more or less out of sight in a mini closet I have next to my stairs (GF does NOT want to see the ants she's pretty bugphobic) I would need to add a grow lamp for said plant. This shouldn't be a problem though right?

Edited by Kalidas, October 16 2019 - 4:21 PM.

[DDD101DDD]

So gonna be new to Camponotus, honestly I am new to anything that isn't leaf cutters lol, my first queens (last year) were Leaf cutters. Gonna be trying something a bit more manageable this year. Probably gonna buy a Camponotus CA-02 queen from Drew soon.

So here are my questions, I have this idea for the future (when the colony is much larger so got a while). I thought it might be cool to set up an aphid infested plant into the out world, really get a good close up look of their signature "animal husbandry".

The idea would be to take a kind of upside down "cup" with a hole for the plant to grow through. The upside down "cup"(still trying to figure out what this "cup" will be maybe a plastic planter...) will create a barrier so the ants won't want to make a nest in it, but allow for dirt and the roots to grow. Probably would cover the cup in some substrate.

Could something like this work? Any ideas of how this could work that maybe I'm not seeing? Also since my ants have to stay more or less out of sight in a mini closet I have next to my stairs (GF does NOT want to see the ants she's pretty bugphobic) I would need to add a grow lamp for said plant. This shouldn't be a problem though right?

A problem I can see is that the ants might take substrate from the cup and block off the areas where you would normally see them in their formacarium.

[Kalidas]

Hmmmm okay good to know, there are probably tons of other better options than substrate

Edited by Kalidas, October 16 2019 - 4:35 PM.

[ANTdrew]

They could also chew through either the cup or the stem of the plant to gain entry to the dark, damp soil underneath.
Members on here have had Camponotus chew through even the hard plastic plugs in AntsCanada setups.

[Kalidas]

Thanks for that input Antdrew

I wonder if Orbeez would be a good way to give the plant water without being a good source for nesting.

If you have never used them they are tiny plastic balls that fill up with water and slowly disperse the water to plants. I don't think they would be good for nesting at all

Or maybe a cup of just water with toothpicks pieces through the plant(like we used to do with potatoes as kids) maybe even use thin popsicle sticks if the toothpicks are too thin to be used as a bridge, would want some kind of bridge to the plant.

Edited by Kalidas, October 16 2019 - 4:54 PM.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Thanks for that input Antdrew

I wonder if Orbeez would be a good way to give the plant water without being a good source for nesting.

If you have never used them they are tiny plastic balls that fill up with water and slowly disperse the water to plants. I don't think they would be good for nesting at all

Or maybe a cup of just water with toothpicks pieces through the plant(like we used to do with potatoes as kids) maybe even use thin popsicle sticks if the toothpicks are too thin to be used as a bridge, would want some kind of bridge to the plant.

Orbeez sounds like a good sponge, however, you have to make sure they are no where near the humidity the ants like when they are drying/dispersing water. I don't know about the bridge however, sounds kind of risky in my opinion (especially if the queen crosses it and falls off). Make sure there is a "catching area" so they ants don't die if they fall off.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Also, about the bugaphobic GF, just get an assigned ant room so she will never go in and thus see the ants. I made a ant room, and I haven't had any problems with bugaphobic people flipping out . Just a suggestion though.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

And the Aphid infested plant would have to be mature, and you would have to keep the aphid population under control, so, I am sure we can work everything out before your colony is big enough to use this expansion. I will try to help whenever I can, and I am sure the wonderful people of this thread will be more than wiling to help! You truly are in good hands, Camponotous wise !

[Kalidas]

Well with the Orbeez I could just rehydrate them before they get to that "sweet spot for them". As long as that stays up it should work, I can't imagine ants would want to beat in the stuff it's almost nearly water, maybe even add a little too much water to deter them further but not Soooo much they drown?

If only that were an option. We are very poor to be fair. We have my preschool teacher salary and she doesn't work, she stays home to care for my son with autism
We live in a one bedroom apartment above my grandparents house there isn't an extra room sadly.

Oh yeah of course the plant would need to be mature, and I would need to do the occasional "culling" of the herd... Or replace plants.

[ANTdrew]

Many plants can grow in straight up water.

[Kalidas]

Many plants can grow in straight up water.

Yup for sure can. But I am liking this Orbeez idea. I think it's a good way to keep the plants watered while being an undesirable nesting material. Plus open water could lead to DROWING of the ants if any fall in. Not so much with Orbeez. But it is a pretty great option if the Orbeez thing doesn't in fact work.

Either way I really like this idea and will share the progress with everyone once I get it going. Maybe I can figure it out and more people can try it

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I am considering building an outworld and the Orbeez idea does sound very interesting. I should test this out.

[Kalidas]

I am considering building an outworld and the Orbeez idea does sound very interesting. I should test this out.

Yeah I like the idea. Another one I had was to use air plants. Need no standing water just needs sun some how and some water misting.

What would you do with the Orbeez?

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Just fill a plant pot with Orbeez, some fertilizer and the plant. Then see if it grows without water. People at the store are going to be looking at me like I'm crazy when they see me with a giant pack of Orbeez

[TennesseeAnts]

My huge Camponotus chromaiodes colony is still going strong with more and more eggs and larvae each day. Some larvae are pupating, and there are probably 400 larvae... Earlier this year, they produced 2 HUGE majors larger than anything I've seen before, from any Camponotus. The largest major is pushing 18 millimeters, and the smaller of the 2 is just under 17 millimeters. I'll try to get pics.