19 replies to this topic

[AntsMaryland]

So I am not very good with journals, so this will be a learning curve for me. However, I do know one thing, any updates I make will include photos! I apologize in advanced for the iffy photo quality though, but that will change once I find my macro lens.

 

I will be updating this journal every Wednesday.

 

Update [May 24, 2020] : Pupae 

 

My Crematogaster queen has quite a few pupae. 

 

 

 

Update [June 24, 2020] : Workers & Outworld

 

The colony is now up to 9 workers. They were originally at 14 when I put them in an outworld, but they had a suspicious die off. However, once I moved them into a new outworld and gave them a byformica liquid feeder, I have had no such problems. They have a nice pile of brood with pupae that look like they'll be eclosing in the next week or so. They are also now in my garage where it gets warm instead of being in my basement, where it is always in the high 60's, so I should hopefully start seeing some faster growth!

 

 

 

Edited by AntsMaryland, July 2 2020 - 8:43 AM.

[CatsnAnts]

Looks great! Your already doing better than me, I still have no idea how to italicize, bold, mark as spoiler, use most of the emoticons, etc..

[Antkid12]

The bold button is the bold B, and the italicize button is right next to it. You can find all the other emoticons if you click the smile button, then keep clicking the tiny arrow on the very right of all the emojis. you can also click show all.

[ANTdrew]

I’ll be following this. Enjoy your colony. It should be quite a ride!

[CatsnAnts]

The bold button is the bold B, and the italicize button is right next to it. You can find all the other emoticons if you click the smile button, then keep clicking the tiny arrow on the very right of all the emojis. you can also click show all.

Well, I’m assuming that you guys are using a computer. I only use formiculture on my phone, however, I still use the “full version” instead of the mobile version. I even clicked more reply options and can’t find anything, so I have to type it out such as “:lol :” to get

I don’t know if it’s just not supported on the phone or what, but this is my third year here and gosh dang it I want to use some of these features!

Edited by CatsnAnts, June 24 2020 - 5:52 PM.

[ANTdrew]

I think you can’t use all the features on a phone, even in full version. You should ask Dspdrew, though.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I think your colony is very close to my colonies developmentally; this journal should be interesting to watch. Isn't it kind of weird that Crematogaster has suddenly become the community's favorite ant? Granted, they probably deserve it, but they really seem to have had a surge in popularity lately.

[AntsMaryland]

Update [June 25, 2020] : Queen Died

 

Sadly, the queen is in the outworld curled up, and appears to be dying. Oh well. A bit ironic considering it's just after I decided to start this journal. I don't think they were poisoned or anything because the workers are doing absolutely fine. I'll be looking for Crematogaster spp. queens this September, if I do find any, I'll restart this journal.

[RushmoreAnts]

The bold button is the bold B, and the italicize button is right next to it. You can find all the other emoticons if you click the smile button, then keep clicking the tiny arrow on the very right of all the emojis. you can also click show all.

Well, I’m assuming that you guys are using a computer. I only use formiculture on my phone, however, I still use the “full version” instead of the mobile version. I even clicked more reply options and can’t find anything, so I have to type it out such as “:lol :” to get
I don’t know if it’s just not supported on the phone or what, but this is my third year here and gosh dang it I want to use some of these features!

On mobile, to italicize, you type

.
Then you put what ever you need to say after that, and at the end put

.

For bold, you do


.
Edit: never mind, it just italicizes it anyways.

Edited by AntsDakota, June 25 2020 - 6:16 AM.

[FeedTheAnts]

Update [June 25, 2020] : Queen Died

 

Sadly, the queen is in the outworld curled up, and appears to be dying. Oh well. A bit ironic considering it's just after I decided to start this journal. I don't think they were poisoned or anything because the workers are doing absolutely fine. I'll be looking for Crematogaster spp. queens this September, if I do find any, I'll restart this journal.

Sorry man, that sucks. It's so weird too, Crematogaster really do have a high rate of success in the founding stage. I hope you catch some more queens this September, but don't forget to be on the lookout even now for the early flying ashmeadi! 

[ANTdrew]

NOOOOOOOO

[AntsMaryland]

NOOOOOOOO

Yeah, I'm pretty bummed about it. But I hopefully have plenty of time to get a colony of this species (in my lifetime)! I will probably make a journal of my Camponotus castaneus queens with brood, as I do want to try having a journal

Edited by AntsMaryland, June 25 2020 - 7:03 AM.

[TechAnt]

WRRRYYYY. I was actually liking the journal a lot...

[AntsMaryland]

Update [July 2, 2020] : Ummm… ok not dead

 

Ok – I have some explaining to do. So whenIi thought this colony was dead, it was because the queen kept getting what seemed to be kicked out of her test tube. She was wondering around the outworld. So I assumed that this meant she was sick as I've had this happen with other colonies.

 

However, I couldn't bring myself to kill the entire colony or anything so I decided to just leave them be and for them to die of old age, or at least until the queen appeared to be dead. She was wondering around the outworld for about a week with workers checking her out. However, this morning, she was back in the test tube with the rest of the colony! So – I don't really know what this means. I am not sure if she just decided to wonder out and got lost and was finally dragged back into the nest, or if she was or still is sick or anything.

 

Therefore, I will continue to keep this journal updated in hopes that everything will be fine. Although, I don't have very high hopes, I am more just confused...

 

 

As you can see, a few more workers hatched and it looks like they're up to 11 or 12. I am curious to see if this queen starts laying eggs again so I just fed them a slice of mealworm. Due to her wandering attitude, I am going to name this queen Vaga – meaning wandering in latin.

Edited by AntsMaryland, July 2 2020 - 8:49 AM.

[FeedTheAnts]

It very well could have to do with the end of the tube being so large and open. I could imagine that they barely view it as a nest. You should plug it with cotton and insert a small section of a straw as an entrance, that might help. 

[AntsMaryland]

It very well could have to do with the end of the tube being so large and open. I could imagine that they barely view it as a nest. You should plug it with cotton and insert a small section of a straw as an entrance, that might help. 

That's a very good point. Just did that.

[ANTdrew]

Plot twist! Definitely make a tighter opening to the tube and put a cover over it if you don’t have one already. I use TP rolls cut in half.

I’m picking up a Crematogaster ashmeadi queen who just got her first two workers from my brother. She’s a tiny queen! Way smaller than my cerasi queens.

[ANTdrew]

Update?

[PhasorShift]

I think you can’t use all the features on a phone, even in full version. You should ask Dspdrew, though.

I do all my updates on my phone, and had to search for the formatting.
First switch to full version by hitting the button at the bottom of the page. Then you have to select "Desktop Site" or "View As Desktop" or something like that in the options menu of your mobile browser. For chrome it's the three dots in the top right. That will let you see the full reply options... But only if you're in the "more replying options" dialog.

But also yes, updates! My Crematogaster just got her first four workers, which are also my first workers. There are surprisingly few Crematogaster journals on here.

[Kaelwizard]

 

I think you can’t use all the features on a phone, even in full version. You should ask Dspdrew, though.

I do all my updates on my phone, and had to search for the formatting.
First switch to full version by hitting the button at the bottom of the page. Then you have to select "Desktop Site" or "View As Desktop" or something like that in the options menu of your mobile browser. For chrome it's the three dots in the top right. That will let you see the full reply options... But only if you're in the "more replying options" dialog.

But also yes, updates! My Crematogaster just got her first four workers, which are also my first workers. There are surprisingly few Crematogaster journals on here.

 

I would have a journal now or coming up if 1 queen didn't die and the other 3 didn't escape into my room.

Edited by Kaelwizard, February 15 2021 - 3:56 PM.