122 replies to this topic

[Devi]

Wow, looks great!  I personally use vaseline just because it is cheaper, but fluon probably works better.

[Antkid12]

Amazing nests!!! 

 

[ANTdrew]

I loved reading this and look forward to more updates. My Crematogaster cerasi colony is a similar age, I believe. I found their queen on Sept 2, 2018.

[Wegmier]

What temp do you keep your colony at? Mine are just being kept at room temp which us 20C, I know that that temp is fine but us it ideal for the colony?

I try to keep them between 21°C and 25°C. I wouldn't know what the ideal temperature is though

Wegmier, your journal is simply brilliant, brilliant I say. Also, if you have not used it already, have you tried fluon as a escape barrier so the ants won’t escape? Fluon is by far one of the best escape barriers, and surely should keep them in, its only a bit pricey though. Also I love the Ytong nest, it looks like a professional brand for formicaria, if you got some non toxic paint it could look nicer.

Thanks so much, appreciate it! I've tried fluon very recently, but it seems I applied it incorrectly and I had to add an emergency layer of talcum to prevent escapees.
I also want to try painting an Ytong nest soon, I'll probably be using naturalistic colors

I loved reading this and look forward to more updates. My Crematogaster cerasi colony is a similar age, I believe. I found their queen on Sept 2, 2018.

Thank you! Still have a few more blogs left to translate, then the journal will be up to date haha

Edited by Wegmier, August 5 2020 - 4:51 PM.

[Wegmier]

Update 28: The larva explosion (06-06-2020)

 

One week later, the colony has happily moved into the new nest. Most chambers are now filled with larvae. The queen is still located in the old 3D nest along with all her eggs and a retinue of workers

The queen has also become physogastric! Her ovaries have swollen for the mass-production of eggs, causing her abdomen to bloat (the white you see between her gaster segments)



(12-06-2020) The queen was already a bit bloated for a few weeks, but she got very physogastric practically overnight:

Edited by Wegmier, August 5 2020 - 3:47 PM.

[Wegmier]

Update 29: New set-up (24-06-2020)

 

I disconnected their two oldest nests which were dirty. I also decided to make a second AAC/Ytong nest and a new, clean outworld.

 

The substrate in the outworld is a thin layer of sandloam. The loam becomes very hard after drying out.

 

The sand was still a bit too wet when I introduced the colony, and the workers started digging... Woops. At least they didn't move any of their brood to it

The new nest:


The complete set-up + outworld (again sorry for the blur):

[Wegmier]

Update 30: The floor is larva (02-07-2020)

The first Ytong nest is now filled to the brim with brood. In some rooms the larva piles reach 1cm tall

I think the colony must be 2000-3000 workers strong

​

Edited by Wegmier, August 5 2020 - 4:50 PM.

[BlueLance213]

I really like your Ytong nests! Looks like its made by machine, also holy crap, that queen looks like she will POP nevermind lay eggs.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

ONE OF THE BEST NESTS I've SEEN.AWESOME WORK.

[TechAnt]

Wow! Soon you will have to make another nest lol.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Awesome journal! And lol "The floor is larva" ... I've seen that and it's a bit scary because while ants can expand their nests in the wild, it's uh ... a lot more difficult for us humans to provide that extra nest space....

[Wegmier]

I really like your Ytong nests! Looks like its made by machine, also holy crap, that queen looks like she will POP nevermind lay eggs.

Thanks, yeah the physogastry is insane! She can become even larger.
https://imgur.com/a/F9QEQjQ < not my picture, but from an antkeeper who discovered a huge physogastric queen in a wild colony

 

Wow! Soon you will have to make another nest lol.

I actually started building a new huge nest haha. It's going to be a vertical nest this time, to save space
 

 

Awesome journal! And lol "The floor is larva" ... I've seen that and it's a bit scary because while ants can expand their nests in the wild, it's uh ... a lot more difficult for us humans to provide that extra nest space....

Thank you! Yeah it has kind of worried me before, I hope all larvae get the attention they need. My next nest will have a huge amount of floor space, hope they'll use it

[RushmoreAnts]

I think the colony must be 2000-3000 workers strong

I think that estimate is a little low. To me 5,000 wouldn't be too far off.

[Wegmier]

This journal is finally up-to-date!

I've covered the journey of this colony so far in all the above updates ^
I will now post contemporary updates every week or two

Update 31: Future plans (August 8 2020)

All three nests continue to fill up, the rooms are becoming blacker and blacker.
I'm going to carve a huge vertical Ytong/AAC nest next. A vertical nest would take up only a fraction of the desk space that a horizontal nest would, and it can provide much more room for the ants as well. I need to conserve room because I'm running out of space on my drawer. I'm making the chambers of the new nest to be short, flat and and very deep.

I started work on the Ytong nest, but I stopped for the moment as there's a big heatwave going on in the Netherlands (temps reaching 34°C)
Doing my best to keep my ant-room below 30°C

The current set-up:


Close up of each nest:


The set-up & the fattest larvae of the colony

The Ytong nest I started working on:

Edited by Wegmier, December 10 2020 - 5:09 PM.

[ANTdrew]

I hope the heat wave breaks soon. That’s what it feels like in Virginia every day from May to September.

[RushmoreAnts]

Funny, we've had a cold front up here in South Dakota. Highs were in the 70s most of last week. Things are warming up again now, however.

[BlueLance213]

It was nice and hot here in scotland... like 25ish degrees celcius XD

[Ants.co]

So jealous lol keep up the great work!

[TechAnt]

Wait I have a fun game to play when your bored...















Try and spot the queen.

[Wegmier]

Update 32: A theme? (August 15 2020)
 

The colony is doing nicely. The nests appear to be less full than last week, somehow. I suspect there's just a huge amount of workers foraging in the outworld currently
 

The heat wave is finally ending now. I can continue on the next nest.

 

It's probably super cheesy, but lately I've been having a lot of fun brainstorming about themes for my ant colony. I'm a big fan of history and of the Roman Empire in particular. I might give my Niger colony a Roman theme!
Outworlds with Roman temple ruins, a desert-pyramid outworld to resemble Egypt, etc etc

The nests as they look now:


Left = Pupae boom. Right = The pupation room. This room is full with Ytong dust and rubble. Ants bring larvae to this room to help them pupate

 

Edited by Wegmier, February 25 2021 - 3:14 PM.