Also, great pics! Hope to see more soon lol
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OhNoNotAgain's Camponotus fragilis and RIP Acromyrmex versicolor (desert leafcutters)
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OhNoNotAgain
, Jan 16 2020 7:38 AM
154 replies to this topic
#81
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Posted August 25 2020 - 3:19 PM
TheAntGuy
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Check out my journals, instagram, and youtube channel.
Insta: @theantguy17
Youtube: The Ant Guy
Insta: @theantguy17
Youtube: The Ant Guy
#82
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Posted August 25 2020 - 4:33 PM
Antkid12
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Looks great!
Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp. possibly infertile 
, Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi! 
Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen
Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii
#83
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Posted August 27 2020 - 7:49 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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2020.8.27
(oops wrote in wrong journal)
Just a very quick note that I moved the fraggles to a different room, in preparation for moving all or most of the ants out of the dining room.
It's a bummer but not enough space on the dining room table for a freaking Nucleus AND Labyrinth etc....
Edited by OhNoNotAgain, August 27 2020 - 7:58 PM.
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#84
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Posted November 6 2020 - 6:42 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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2020.11.6
So just because it's been ages since I updated, here are some photos from today. I will say it's much harder for me to see them and check on them due to where I am keeping them at the moment... the formicarium is heavy and uh ... where they are is kind of crowded so I can't really get them out right now.
Haven't heated them so they aren't overflowing the Nucleus, and now with the heat plummeting for winter, they might start eating brood again.
In this pic, you can see they are primarily in the bottom layer of the Nucleus, with a few in the second layer.
And just because, I put my crappy lamp behind them. Looks like an ant cave:
And here's how they look as a tunnel of ants:
- Boog, TechAnt, TestSubjectOne and 1 other like this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#85
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Posted November 6 2020 - 10:55 PM
TechAnt
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That’s a lot of ants.
My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen
#86
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Posted November 7 2020 - 7:51 AM
ANTdrew
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I love the cave photo. Awesome colony.
Edited by ANTdrew, November 7 2020 - 7:51 AM.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#87
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Posted November 12 2020 - 8:09 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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Belated, but here at last: C. fragilis gaster tapping / stridulation. Was fun to have a "conversation" or "argument" with an ant.
Edited by OhNoNotAgain, November 12 2020 - 8:20 PM.
- Fatatoille and m99 like this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#88
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Posted November 12 2020 - 9:10 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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Today, by the way, I looked at the C. fragilis, and their gasters were stuffed full of pale white food.
That can mean only one thing. They are eating brood again.
I uploaded the only video I have of this happening - from back when they were in a mini-hearth, and silly me thought they might be helping a pupa eclose. NOPE. They were cannibalizing their helpless nearly full-formed nestmate. Maybe sometime I will get a better video.
- m99 likes this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#89
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Posted November 12 2020 - 10:04 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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And ONE more. 3 fraggles videos that I'd had on my phone for ages.
This is one of the majors, grooming herself after a forcible move. I think she was in the Thelma and Louise duo that didn't want to move.
Edited by OhNoNotAgain, November 12 2020 - 10:07 PM.
- Swirlysnowflake likes this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#90
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Posted November 13 2020 - 10:21 AM
Kaelwizard
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Today, by the way, I looked at the C. fragilis, and their gasters were stuffed full of pale white food.
That can mean only one thing. They are eating brood again.
I uploaded the only video I have of this happening - from back when they were in a mini-hearth, and silly me thought they might be helping a pupa eclose. NOPE. They were cannibalizing their helpless nearly full-formed nestmate. Maybe sometime I will get a better video.
They are enjoying eating their own children. How horrible. 
#91
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Posted November 13 2020 - 11:28 AM
Ants_Dakota
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it really is! how could they do that when you are feeding them!
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8
My Nationwide Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide
Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)
#92
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Posted July 6 2021 - 8:34 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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Long time no update.
I feed the fraggles occasionally. Last I saw some weeks ago (May 23, 2021), the queen is still alive (pic). Today I took a pic of the brood pile (July 6). Amazing given how infrequently I feed them.
I just put them on heat yesterday sorta - they are insulated by a plastic turntable.
Queen:
Today’s brood pile:
I feed the fraggles occasionally. Last I saw some weeks ago (May 23, 2021), the queen is still alive (pic). Today I took a pic of the brood pile (July 6). Amazing given how infrequently I feed them.
I just put them on heat yesterday sorta - they are insulated by a plastic turntable.
Queen:
Today’s brood pile:
Edited by OhNoNotAgain, July 6 2021 - 8:36 PM.
- Antkeeper01 and m99 like this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#93
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Posted July 7 2021 - 2:31 AM
ANTdrew
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This is your coolest colony. I would power-feed them if I were you!
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#94
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Posted July 7 2021 - 4:25 AM
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POWER FEED THEM!!!
1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers
1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)
Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.
My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw
Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489
#95
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Posted August 26 2021 - 8:31 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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As long as I’m updating all my journals….
Here is a pic from August 21st (2021) below.
Camponotus fragilis, colony from 2019, in Nucleus.
Edited by OhNoNotAgain, August 26 2021 - 8:32 PM.
- m99 likes this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#96
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Posted October 19 2021 - 2:46 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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Fraggles are officially overflowing their Nucleus ….
- ANTdrew, Antkeeper01, UtahAnts and 2 others like this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#97
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Posted October 19 2021 - 2:51 PM
PetsNotPests
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That's... A lot of Fraggles-
What does their brood pile look like? Is the queen still laying?
Edited by PetsNotPests, October 19 2021 - 2:51 PM.
- Antkeeper01 and KadinB like this
Ants are Pets, not Pests.
-Camponotus sansabeanus
-Camponotus US-CA02
-Camponotus vicinus
-Formica podzolica
-Monomorium spp.
-Pogonomyrmex californicus
-Solenopsis spp.
#98
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Posted October 19 2021 - 3:13 PM
ANTdrew
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Wow, just wow.
- Antkeeper01 likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#99
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Posted November 17 2021 - 12:58 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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So, other than my Tetramorium journal, this is the only other single species ant journal I have.
I just bought some Acromyrmex versicolor during a trip down to LA, and having no other journal to which Acromyrmex would fit (well, not going to put them in with the Tetras...), and not totally confident that I won't accidentally kill them off somehow, I'll add them to this one.
As C. fragilis are also desert ants, I guess it's not a horrible match-up.
The Acromyrmex were apparently caught in south Joshua Tree (in California), mostly likely in mid-late September of this year (2021).
I got them in standard but very clever Acromyrmex set-ups, involving two connected deli cups, one with a hole cut in the top and filled with dried vegetation, the other closed and containing the fungus garden.
Photos to come.
- Antkeeper01 likes this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
#100
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Posted November 19 2021 - 10:20 PM
OhNoNotAgain
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Fraggles, by the way, are still overflowing; there is much less brood now and more workers snoozing in the outworld and all over the spent Fluon . I can’t get to their sugar water to refill it without fraggle mess…..
Halp…. Cannot refill sugar water…. 
Some Acromyrmex versicolor care notes I’ve learned:
Keep Acromyrmex versicolor between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit (about 21.1-26.7 C) ALL YEAR or risk fungus die-off.
I'm told their nests are incredibly deep underground under the desert, but they must have a way of increasing the underground temps for their fungus.
Unlike Atta, this desert species doesn’t mind dry leaves. (Though in the rainy season apparently they harvest fresh, and may periodically change the chosen leaves to avoid killing off plants.)
Staples in captive keeping this year are dried roses and dry organic clover leaf and flower, available off Amazon. In this case, they came with some local desert vegetation, but I have bags of Amazon-purchased roses and clover ready just in case.
Supply a few drops of water for the fungus chamber every week or so… but I think I overdid it because I was worried about them drying out in the hotel. A bit much condensation. But they don’t seem unhappy, either.
I think I am the first and last person to ever have Acromyrmex versicolor in a Disney hotel….
Here are some Acromyrmex photos.…
I picked the two colonies up November 8th 2021 from ReignofRage.
The overall set-up. Notice the outworld chamber is open air, for ventilation.
The two fungus gardens of the two colonies, comparative size. Left is “2” and is less than half the volume of “1”….
A photo from three days ago (not sure which colony):
Today colony “1”:
A worker bringing in a dry leaf bit, hauling it backwards toward the fungus chamber.
“2” queen went on a walkabout. Here she is with a worker for size comparison.
I’m impressed by how hardworking A. versi queens are. They seem constantly busy.
Edited by OhNoNotAgain, November 19 2021 - 11:17 PM.
- ReignofRage likes this
Formiculture Journals::
Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola
Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)
Tetramorium sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis
Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus
Spoods: Phidippus sp.
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