28 replies to this topic

[Ender Ants]

October 25, 2019: The Egg Pile

Capture Date: July 2019 - Last Queens Caught This Year

 

Figured I should make a Brachymyrmex journal since I've kept numerous colonies. So to start off, here's my largest polygynous colony so far, at 10 queens. The mold was actually a dead queen, put in when moving the colony on accident. 

 

 

Edited by Ender Ants, October 25 2019 - 9:47 PM.

[antwatcher606]

I also have a lot of Brachymyrmex queens(about seven) but fear to put them all in one group. Thinking when the workers arrive they will kill the queens.

[Ender Ants]

I also have a lot of Brachymyrmex queens(about seven) but fear to put them all in one group. Thinking when the workers arrive they will kill the queens.

Yeah, I've never tried combining colonies if they already have workers because they could kill the other queen. I should try that out and experiment though since I always catch a bunch of this species. 

[TylrsAnts]

Wow...
What camera do you use? Those pictures are really good.
Caught 6 pheidole queens that are housed together have 13+ pupa and one worker eclosed just today! Any tips?

[Ender Ants]

Wow...
What camera do you use? Those pictures are really good.
Caught 6 pheidole queens that are housed together have 13+ pupa and one worker eclosed just today! Any tips?

I use a Canon SL2 camera, or a Canon 200D. Even though Pheidole is polygynous, there is always a possibility that the workers could kill off some of the queens. Thank you!

[TylrsAnts]

Found out that my pheidole were either morens or navigates, both species that practice oligarchy. Workers started to o harm some queens. Please help!
Sorry, navigans

[Mdrogun]

 

 

Even though Pheidole is polygynous, there is always a possibility that the workers could kill off some of the queens. Thank you!

 

 

"Pheidole" is not polygynous. Many species within the genus are strictly monogynous. In fact, on the Eastern half of the continent, almost all of our Pheidole spp. are monogynous. With the exception being Pheidole morrisii and Pheidole dentata. Even then, it's only in certain localities that cover a tiny portion of their range. As a whole, it'd be easier to say that "Pheidole" is not polygynous, at least in the East.

 

The genus Pheidole is one of the most diverse genera in the world. To be able to say that any one behavioral characteristic holds true for ALL species within it is naive at best. 

 

I have seen this "fact" about Pheidole being spread by many people and it's really gotta stop. It is so blatantly false. It doesn't help that many Pheidole spp. are pleometrotic, which leads to people initially being mislead. Pleometrosis is commonly found in the Myrmecinae subfamily, and not even a characteristic exclusive to Pheidole spp.

 

Pheidole spp. can be polygynous, I'm just trying to point out that it's factually wrong to say that all species are, and that there are places where the vast majority of Pheidole spp. present are monogynous. 

[Ender Ants]

 

 

 

Even though Pheidole is polygynous, there is always a possibility that the workers could kill off some of the queens. Thank you!

 

 

"Pheidole" is not polygynous. Many species within the genus are strictly monogynous. In fact, on the Eastern half of the continent, almost all of our Pheidole spp. are monogynous. With the exception being Pheidole morrisii and Pheidole dentata. Even then, it's only in certain localities that cover a tiny portion of their range. As a whole, it'd be easier to say that "Pheidole" is not polygynous, at least in the East.

 

The genus Pheidole is one of the most diverse genera in the world. To be able to say that any one behavioral characteristic holds true for ALL species within it is naive at best. 

 

I have seen this "fact" about Pheidole being spread by many people and it's really gotta stop. It is so blatantly false. It doesn't help that many Pheidole spp. are pleometrotic, which leads to people initially being mislead. Pleometrosis is commonly found in the Myrmecinae subfamily, and not even a characteristic exclusive to Pheidole spp.

 

Pheidole spp. can be polygynous, I'm just trying to point out that it's factually wrong to say that all species are, and that there are places where the vast majority of Pheidole spp. present are monogynous. 

 

My fault at that, I meant to say 'most species', but I did not know the majority were not polygynous. Looks like I've been a victim to this information for a while. 

[Ender Ants]

May 25 & 26, 2020: First catches of the year

 

This year, I decided to catch as many queens as possible to create large colonies.

On the 25th of May, I caught 18 Brachymyrmex patagonicus queens. 10 in one, 5 in another, and 1 for a natural setup. 

On the 26th of May, I caught around 38 queens. 15 in one, 13 in another, three 3-queen colonies, and 3 for a natural setup. 

(wow took me about 10 minutes to make sure my math was right)

 

I made a separate journal for the natural setup, and you can check it out here: https://www.formicul...-setup-journal/

 

 

 

Edited by Ender Ants, May 30 2020 - 4:58 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Holy mother of Brachymyrmex!

[RushmoreAnts]

Seems just like Solenopsis molesta here.

[Ants_Dakota]

Seems just like Solenopsis molesta here.

Are they the same size, AntsDakota?

[RushmoreAnts]

Seems just like Solenopsis molesta here.

Are they the same size, AntsDakota?

About. Yet we also have Brachymyrmex depilis, yet it’s not as common.

[Ender Ants]

June 10, 2020: Egg Pile Galore

Follow me on Instagram for more active updates on all my colonies: 

https://www.instagram.com/ender_ants/

 

Current Colonies: 

x3 3 Queen w/ eggs

x1 5 Queen w/ eggs

x1 10 Queen w/ eggs

x1 From 15 Queens to 9 Queens w/ eggs

x1 15 Queen w/ eggs

x1 From 20 Queens to 19 Queens w/ eggs

 

So all of these colonies have eggs. Huge piles of eggs thanks to all of these queens. 

 

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3 Queen Colony:

All three of these colonies have eggs. They don't usually kill each other when there's this many queens, but we'll see how all of my colonies turn out.

 

 

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5 Queen Colony: 

The only five queen colony is doing pretty well. 

 

 

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10 Queen Colony:

Not much to say other than that's a lot of eggs.

 

 

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15 Queen Colony:

I had two 15 queen colonies. One of them went down 9, but I think some of them were weak when I put them in so they died, or got killed off.

 

 

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19 Queen Colony:

This was originally a 20 queen colony. If you look closely, there is one dead queen starting to mold on the glass. 

 

Edited by Ender Ants, June 10 2020 - 3:24 PM.

[RushmoreAnts]

Hopefully I can find some depilis this year. Are they as productive as patagonicus?

[Ender Ants]

Hopefully I can find some depilis this year. Are they as productive as patagonicus?

Not sure, I haven't seen them in person before. I would think so because they're a small species.

[Ender Ants]

June 28, 2020: Cocoons 

Feel like this is getting too hectic. Not sure why I spend this much time counting queen ants. 

 

 

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3 Queen Colony: 

Lots of cocoons and eggs.

 

 

 

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5 Queen Colony: 

Also lots of pupae.

 

 

 

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9 Queen Colony (was 10):

Some pupae, and some eggs.

 

 

 

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Other 9 Queen Colony (was 15) 

This colony has a few pupae and eggs.

 

 

 

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12 Queen Colony (was 15) 

Brood of all kinds in this household.

 

 

 

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15 Queen Colony (surprisingly no deaths)

Compared to the other large colonies, this colony hasn't had any deaths yet. Hopefully it will be that way until more workers arrive.

 

 

 

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19 Queen Colony (was 20) 

The larger colonies develop slower than the smaller colonies. Even though there's a lot of eggs, this colony is still at the egg/larvae stage, compared to the "all cocoon" 3-5 Queen colonies. 

 

 

 

[Ender Ants]

July 7, 2020: The Tiniest of Nanitics 

Finally, the first workers have been born, at least, in some colonies. 

 

Current Colonies: 

3 Queens & 20 Workers

5 Queens & 40 Workers

9 Queens & 30 Workers (Originally 10)

9 Queens w/ cocoons (Originally 15)

12 Queens w/ larvae (Originally 15)

15 Queen still w/ eggs

19 Queens still w/ eggs (Originally 20)

 

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3 Queen Colony: 20 workers strong 

 

 

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5 Queen Colony: 40 workers powerful

 

 

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9 Queen Colony (Originally 10): 30 workers, not bad

 

 

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2nd 9 Queen Colony (Originally 15): Stuck at cocoons & larvae

 

 

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12 (Originally 15): Stuck at the larvae stage 

 

 

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15Q Colony: Still surprised there haven't been any deaths yet

 

 

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19Q Colony (Originally 20): Not surprised they're still at the egg/larvae stage

 

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Conclusion Thoughts: 

If you can tell, the colonies still not yet at the cocoon stage had a lot more queens. Thinking about testing this out again, but with a petri-dish setup, as I've been meaning to make one for a while. If anyone has suggestions for what I should do with the colonies that haven't passed the larvae stage, I'm all antennae!

[TechAnt]

Awesome!

[Ender Ants]

August 9, 2020: Deaths & Fails

 

Current Colonies: 

7 Queens & 20+ Workers (Originally 3)

8 Queens & 30+ Workers (Originally 3)

9 Queens & 30 Workers (Originally 10)

11 Queens & 20+ Workers (Originally 4)

 

First off, way too many queens to count, so some of these colonies are off my at least 1-2 queens. I have added queens from the 13Q and 9Q colonies to other test tubes. Specifically these ones.

 

 

 

The reason for this was because they did not get past the egg stage, and some were already dying. Once they were added to the other colonies (already with workers), some were getting attacked, while others weren't. Hopefully they will accept the ones that do survive.