154 replies to this topic

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.2.24

Today I put a few hydei fruit flies in the big outworld (whose contents continue to be ignored by the fraggles).

This time the one worker in the outworld was kind of intrigued by the smell, and was running around trying to attack fruit flies. It wasn't working out well. Fruit flies just jump away and they're safe. I think the worker gave up.

[justanotheramy]

From pictures, fruit flies don't seem that much smaller than house flies?
My ants expect me to kill but not crush their fresh flies. Their preferences are very specific. If I can permanently paralyse them, even better.

[OhNoNotAgain]

From pictures, fruit flies don't seem that much smaller than house flies?
My ants expect me to kill but not crush their fresh flies. Their preferences are very specific. If I can permanently paralyse them, even better.

 

Actually I think fruit flies are quite a bit smaller? They are just a bit bigger than my smallest ants and considerably smaller than my bigger ants.

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.3.2

 

Fraggles LEARNED!!!   Dumping fruit flies directly into the nest might've done the trick - helping the colony as a whole realize fruit flies are food, even if the stupid foragers didn't believe it at first.

 

I had a fruit fly accident while trying to feed my new slings and had to dump fruit flies into fraggles' two outworlds (they have a mini-hearth outworld and I've temporarily hooked them up to a bigger THA medium-sized outworld).

 

Before I knew it (while I was distracted) fraggles were grabbing fruit flies and hauling them into the mini-hearth. I watched one drag a fruit fly all the way down the tubing, spraying as she went (her coworkers were like "Duuuuude, stop with the spraying. I can't even get close to you. Phew!").

I saw one dead fruit fly at the front of the nest. Then another worker came down from the mini-hearth outworld carrying another fruit fly. The two dead bugs were laid side by side in the nest and I think ants were starting to eat them.

 

This is in stark contrast to the dead fruit flies I saw lying around forgotten in the big outworld some days ago.

The speed at which the workers caught the flies must be improving because I didn't even see the chase happen. (Also these fruit flies were more dazed, probably from being in fridge too long.)

 

EDIT: I think some still haven't gotten the memo as a couple dead fruit flies are now close to the indoor (in-the-nest) trash pile, but it's like the ants aren't sure if they are trash or food. I did just watch another worker excitedly bring home another fruit fly from the large outworld, though, so slowly hopefully they are learning and not just deciding fruit flies must be put in the indoor trash, not the outdoor trash (they have another trash pile in the big outworld).

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, March 2 2020 - 9:54 AM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.3.15

 

I finally decided to move the fraggles out to the new THA Fortress a few days ago (because everyone tells me they need a large outworld, but I don't want to have a long tube connecting their mini-hearth to the large outworld once I turn up the heat for them; therefore, it's time to give them a built-in bigger outworld). I connected the mini-hearth to the Fortress and, using various incentives such as bright light next to the mini-hearth, or flooding it a bit with water, I convinced them to move out over the last two days. Made the last two stragglers move out today.

 

Unfortunately, although the Fortress is shallower, somehow there's a deep part near the water tower and I can't see the queen.

 

But I did get a pic of a median or major going out into the outworld. Guessing this is the oldest one .... FINALLY old enough to feel brave I guess. (2nd pic below, dark head.) Checked my notes and I guess she's about 3.5 months old.

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Edited by OhNoNotAgain, March 15 2020 - 11:48 AM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.3.25

 

Fraggles, as much as they have historically been confused by some other forms of protein in their outworld(s), definitely know what to do with dead black flies.

 

This is the scene from today's fly feast. Note the major/median that came out to join the party.

 

Also, in the THA Fortress they have ants up in the second level, though none so far in the third.

 

 

 

 

 

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[justanotheramy]

Well, who doesn't like dead black flies? 

[ForestDragon]

Well, who doesn't like dead black flies? 

I know right, I put them in my breakfast smoothies for a little protein boost and that CRONCH

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

*puts them on pizza and tells little cousin it's seasoning* 

[TheAntGuy]

That larger one is a major btw, you can tell by the head.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

and the darker coloration (but head size is the major deciding factor)

[Canadant]

Beautiful ants.

[AntJohnny]

Them are one of the coolest looking ant species I have ever seen! Definitely my favorite looking species now. Ants canadas golden empire doesn't even come close to as cool looking as that colony.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

and they're non-invasive!

[OhNoNotAgain]

So head shape is the same for medians as with the small workers? Or ?

 

I haven't updated much with these guys as nothing much is happening. It didn't help that I've had a Veromessor highway tube draped on top of the fraggles Fortress for almost a week straight.

 

I will say it's interesting how, when I remove the red film over the Fortress nest, all the fraggles in the upper rooms flee downstairs like roaches (the pest kind, not the feeder kind) fleeing when a light goes on. It's kind of funny and sad at the same time. It's like living water rushing down a drain.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, April 7 2020 - 1:03 PM.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Workers (minors) have narrower and smaller heads (not as much as a drone but that'll come up another time). Medians or fully grown workers have a wider and bigger head because of it's size and is like a mini-major. Majors have really big and wide heads and are bigger and Supermajors are like majors but even bigger. I hope this clears it up for you. Another factor is coloration with your species. The darker the head, the more it is a median, major, supermajor or queen

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

look at your younger generations (gen 1 and two) and then look at the head of the median. There is a darker shade to the head and a bigger size of the worker along with a bigger head. Then look at your queen (she should have the darkest head currently because of the lack of majors and supermajors).

[OhNoNotAgain]

look at your younger generations (gen 1 and two) and then look at the head of the median. There is a darker shade to the head and a bigger size of the worker along with a bigger head. Then look at your queen (she should have the darkest head currently because of the lack of majors and supermajors).

 

Actually nope, the queen's coloration is uniform and she is the same color as the minor workers. It's hard to tell her apart at quick glance. (See photo in first page.)

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, April 7 2020 - 2:42 PM.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Ok, well the bit about the queen was incorrect but the rest should be. Sorry if I confused you even more...

[OhNoNotAgain]

Actually Ant Guy says it's a major, not a median, so um....   Could you two have it out somewhere and let me know who's right lol