159 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

Update 1-15-2017
 

I think the queen died a couple months ago, but I wasn't sure until about three weeks ago.

[dspdrew]

Update 4-28-2017

I just found six of these queens April 21st in Trabuco Canyon. All but one have torn their wings off now and most have laid eggs. Unfortunately one of them had its gaster eaten by maggots. These are the only species I have ever had get parasitic flies, and I usually get one in every bunch I find.
 
Here's a close up video of these maggots emerging from the queen's gaster.
 

[Leo]

[Alabama Anter]

[AnthonyP163]

Haha.

[kellakk]

Did you keep the flies? They might be interesting.

[dspdrew]

Did you keep the flies? They might be interesting.

 

I did last year.

[dspdrew]

Update 5-19-2017

The two queens with the largest piles of brood just got their first workers a couple days ago.

[PTAntFan]

Drew, my Lio queen from last summer died few weeks back.  The workers just keep going strong!  I mean I haven't given them anything in weeks and they persist.  Today I gave them some of Terry's sweet water and hydrated their nest out of guilt!  How long will they live?

[dspdrew]

I'm not sure.

[dspdrew]

Update 10-4-2017

These colonies have been doing quite well. They all have over 100 workers, with the largest having over 200.
 

 
 
Some of them decided to live on top of their nests rather than in them.
 

 

 

[TennesseeAnts]

Update 4-28-2017
I just found six of these queens April 21st in Trabuco Canyon. All but one have torn their wings off now and most have laid eggs. Unfortunately one of them had its gaster eaten by maggots. These are the only species I have ever had get parasitic flies, and I usually get one in every bunch I find.
 
Here's a close up video of these maggots emerging from the queen's gaster.
 

[dspdrew]

Update 1-28-2018

These aren't doing so great now. I'm down to two colonies, and both only have about 20 workers now. I'm not sure if maybe I'm not feeding them enough or what. I'm going to have small feeders that fit inside these starter formicariums very soon here, so maybe I'll find out.

[YsTheAnt]

I know Irishmate and Jeff from the Ants California Facebook group have had some success with them. Maybe keep them in a cooler place than where all the desert ants are at, like where some of your mountain camponotus (quercicola? Can't remember) are, if you aren't already? This might help a bit, but not really sure. You probably know a lot more than I do about them.

[nurbs]

They are super easy, usually get to hundreds of workers every year and sell out as well. Something about this year with Drew's apt had some kind of pathogen or scent that was killing them off. He's usually very successful with them.

Edited by nurbs, February 6 2018 - 10:53 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

Ahh I see

[antnest8]

your nest look like the ones in that antscanada video

https://www.youtube....h?v=lScMSXHDrs8

[kellakk]

your nest look like the ones in that antscanada video

https://www.youtube....h?v=lScMSXHDrs8

 

That was a video about Drew's collection, so I would hope so.

[antnest8]

wow he has an awesome collection. love it.

[dspdrew]

Update 2-18-2018

Ever since I gave these colonies feeders, not a single worker has died, and both colonies now have a huge pile of eggs. I'm pretty sure now that these just weren't getting fed enough.