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Brad's Myrmecocystus mexicanus Journal (Updated 3-5-23)

Started By B_rad0806 , Aug 16 2020 4:21 PM

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#21 Offline TechAnt - Posted October 26 2020 - 8:37 AM

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! RIP


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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

#22 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted November 6 2020 - 10:31 PM

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Update 11-6-20

So today I decided to dump my best mexicanus colony with a queen into my queenless Mini Hearth colony. This ended up turning out really good! The workers all got along and the other workers took the queen in with no fighting. So now I have a 45 worker mexicanus colony. This colony is also getting 2nd gen pupae. The pupae seem much bigger this time and I expect repletes to come out of these. As for my other colonies, they are all doing very well. They all are also getting 2nd gen pupae that are pretty large. Doing really good so far! :yahoo: 

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Edited by B_rad0806, November 6 2020 - 10:31 PM.

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#23 Offline AleeGuy - Posted November 7 2020 - 12:24 PM

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Noice!
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#24 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 7 2020 - 1:22 PM

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Very noice
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We don’t talk about that

#25 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted November 16 2020 - 9:25 AM

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Update 11-16-20

Two more queens died. Both leaving behind 10+ workers. Now I have to give these workers to another colony. I have 4 queens left. I'm pretty sure these died because of the random queen deaths in this species. They were all doing very well with a ton of larvae and pupae. Only good thing about this is I will have another colony with 30+ workers and a ton of brood. As for my big colony they are doing great. More pupae are hatching and larvae are spinning into pupae. 


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#26 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 16 2020 - 9:30 AM

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Update 11-16-20

Two more queens died. Both leaving behind 10+ workers. Now I have to give these workers to another colony. I have 4 queens left. I'm pretty sure these died because of the random queen deaths in this species. They were all doing very well with a ton of larvae and pupae. Only good thing about this is I will have another colony with 30+ workers and a ton of brood. As for my big colony they are doing great. More pupae are hatching and larvae are spinning into pupae. 

wow. those colonies seemed to be doing really well, and then they just suddenly died. 


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

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#27 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted November 16 2020 - 9:35 AM

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Update 11-16-20

Two more queens died. Both leaving behind 10+ workers. Now I have to give these workers to another colony. I have 4 queens left. I'm pretty sure these died because of the random queen deaths in this species. They were all doing very well with a ton of larvae and pupae. Only good thing about this is I will have another colony with 30+ workers and a ton of brood. As for my big colony they are doing great. More pupae are hatching and larvae are spinning into pupae. 

wow. those colonies seemed to be doing really well, and then they just suddenly died. 

 

Yeah, the only thing that sucks about Myrmecocystus 


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#28 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 16 2020 - 11:11 AM

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Update 11-16-20

Two more queens died. Both leaving behind 10+ workers. Now I have to give these workers to another colony. I have 4 queens left. I'm pretty sure these died because of the random queen deaths in this species. They were all doing very well with a ton of larvae and pupae. Only good thing about this is I will have another colony with 30+ workers and a ton of brood. As for my big colony they are doing great. More pupae are hatching and larvae are spinning into pupae. 

wow. those colonies seemed to be doing really well, and then they just suddenly died. 

 

Yeah, the only thing that sucks about Myrmecocystus 

 

other than me not being able to get them in the first place...


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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)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

My Pogonomyrmex occidentalis Journal

#29 Offline ghoguma - Posted November 16 2020 - 5:20 PM

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Update 11-6-20
So today I decided to dump my best mexicanus colony with a queen into my queenless Mini Hearth colony. This ended up turning out really good! The workers all got along and the other workers took the queen in with no fighting. So now I have a 45 worker mexicanus colony. This colony is also getting 2nd gen pupae. The pupae seem much bigger this time and I expect repletes to come out of these. As for my other colonies, they are all doing very well. They all are also getting 2nd gen pupae that are pretty large. Doing really good so far! :yahoo:


Glad they didn't get into fight. I'm more afraid adding new workers to new queen might cause more stress on her personally lol
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Colony
Camponotus Querciocola 
Camponotus Modoc
Myrmecocystus mexicanus
Novomessor cockerelli

#30 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted November 17 2020 - 5:48 AM

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Are they polygynous?


#31 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted November 17 2020 - 9:56 AM

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Are they polygynous?

I attempted a polygynous colony for these but one of the queens died. The queen just has larvae now. I do know some people that currently have a polygynous colony of these but i doubt they would last long term. 


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#32 Offline SleepyAsianAnter - Posted November 17 2020 - 10:06 AM

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Are they polygynous?

I've attempted 5 poly sets. None of them worked out, even when provided enough room, my best one culled a queen, my last poly set died out last week, both queens dead.


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#33 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 17 2020 - 10:12 AM

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Are they polygynous?

I've attempted 5 poly sets. None of them worked out, even when provided enough room, my best one culled a queen, my last poly set died out last week, both queens dead.

 

polygyne could just be a regional thing. 


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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)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

My Pogonomyrmex occidentalis Journal

#34 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted December 9 2020 - 9:35 AM

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Update 12-9-20

This colony is doing pretty good. 3 weeks ago my big colony lost its queen and I was really sad. Then I realized I had my failed polygynous queen was still sitting in its tube with brood. I used that queen to re queen the mini hearth colony. My big colony has 5 repletes now and a lot of brood. As for my other colony, it has 16 workers and a good amount of brood. I am going to try a dirt nest with this colony I just need the supplies. But for now they will be in their pencil case.

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EB5746D7 8B52 401A A3F6 869CD4919CDD
C3C639BD 3598 4E6B 8A0D 88F3AD478689

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#35 Offline TechAnt - Posted December 9 2020 - 9:37 AM

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Too bad the queen died, I hope they grow back!


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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

#36 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted December 9 2020 - 9:38 AM

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Too bad the queen died, I hope they grow back!

Yeah it was weird. The queen was perfectly fat and healthy then one day it just threw up everything. A few days later it died. I had never seen anything like it


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#37 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 9 2020 - 12:16 PM

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i love those huge repletes! they look awesome!


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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)

My Formica sp. Journal

My Lasius sp. Journal

My Micro Ants Journal

My Pogonomyrmex occidentalis Journal

#38 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted December 16 2020 - 9:22 AM

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This isn't an update but I am seeing weird behavior with my big colony. There is a single larvae that they have just been attacking. Have any of you guys seen this kind of behavior? I haven't changed anything in their diet by the way.


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#39 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted May 26 2021 - 3:35 PM

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Update 5-26-21

All of these were either sold or just died. I got my largest colony to around 70+ workers and a few repletes but the queen just decides to die on me. I am still trying to figure out what has been killing them but HOPEFULLY it shouldn't be an issue for when I catch more in 2-3 months. I will be much more prepared this time around than I was in August-October. If I fail this time then uh... maybe I should just quit the hobby all together.


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#40 Offline nurbs - Posted May 26 2021 - 5:29 PM

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Update 5-26-21

All of these were either sold or just died. I got my largest colony to around 70+ workers and a few repletes but the queen just decides to die on me. I am still trying to figure out what has been killing them but HOPEFULLY it shouldn't be an issue for when I catch more in 2-3 months. I will be much more prepared this time around than I was in August-October. If I fail this time then uh... maybe I should just quit the hobby all together.

 

If you quit can I have the rest of your THA stuff?


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California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/

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