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Jordan's Myrmecocystus mexicanus Journal

Started By sirjordanncurtis , Aug 19 2020 6:46 PM
myrmecocystus mexicanus myrmecocystus mexicanus m. mexicanus honey pot ant journal honey pot journal desert ant

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9 replies to this topic

#1 Offline sirjordanncurtis - Posted August 19 2020 - 6:46 PM

sirjordanncurtis

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Hey. 

 

No idea if I'll update this journal much, but I obtained a few queens and have attempted polygynous setups on some of them. Here are some pictures.

 

I've been using 25mm tubes for these setups to give the queens a little more space

First time trying to put queens together:

I made sure not to stress them out to much

ljNmuqX.jpg

For a while, they were just completely motionless and they didn't want to interact at all. Afterwards, once they laid eggs, they seemed to sort of move apart from each other for a while. However, they stopped being scared of each other and now they occupy the same cotton.

JoaV6Dm.jpg

This is a video of their initial behavior

 

Some nice macro shots of the queens:

hU5xbUa.jpg

WlyGXmF.jpg

 

Trophallaxis (different poly setup):

PmYmiQa.jpg

 

I assume this means that they are at least facultatively polygynous. Let me know if you guys happen to be interested in more updates. There's a good chance I might not be able to provide any for a month or two.


Edited by sirjordanncurtis, August 19 2020 - 6:48 PM.

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Website: https://sites.google...home?authuser=0

 

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#2 Offline TechAnt - Posted August 19 2020 - 7:10 PM

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Hmm so they could be polygonus / plemetropic. Interesting!
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

#3 Offline Spazmops - Posted August 20 2020 - 9:17 AM

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I want a Myrmecocystus mexicanus queen so bad, but they’re really hard to find out here... I can’t wait to read this journal though!


Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server. 

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#4 Offline sirjordanncurtis - Posted August 20 2020 - 9:42 AM

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Yeah I set a stream up for myself, and the queens were grooming each other.


Website: https://sites.google...home?authuser=0

 

Instagram: https://www.instagra.../bay.area.ants/

 

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube....5Mh2eBAviuO2uw?

 

 

#5 Offline sirjordanncurtis - Posted August 21 2020 - 9:42 PM

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Streaming 2 tubes if anyone's interested https://www.twitch.tv/sirjordancurtis


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Website: https://sites.google...home?authuser=0

 

Instagram: https://www.instagra.../bay.area.ants/

 

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube....5Mh2eBAviuO2uw?

 

 

#6 Offline TechAnt - Posted August 21 2020 - 9:43 PM

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totally will watch in my spare time

looks like a lot of brood in the tube with four queens. They look so chill.


Edited by TechAnt, August 21 2020 - 9:44 PM.

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

#7 Offline lsilverwoman - Posted December 8 2020 - 9:08 PM

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Hi! Great photos. So, I'm thinking about getting a colony of Myrmecocystus mexicanus and wondering how hard they are to take care of. Are there any good caresheets?

Thanks much. 


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#8 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted December 9 2020 - 5:39 AM

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Hi! Great photos. So, I'm thinking about getting a colony of Myrmecocystus mexicanus and wondering how hard they are to take care of. Are there any good caresheets?

Thanks much. 

I'm not sure if it's care that is hard, but they are extremely panicky and freak out from the smallest things. This makes founding difficult, but since you are looking to get a colony you won't need to deal with that. I'm not sure if people are selling right now, since I don't live anywhere they are established, but I'm sure there is someone.


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#9 Online Ants_Dakota - Posted December 9 2020 - 7:02 AM

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Hi! Great photos. So, I'm thinking about getting a colony of Myrmecocystus mexicanus and wondering how hard they are to take care of. Are there any good caresheets?

Thanks much. 

they are a fun species to keep, just probably not as your first species. they are known to die for unknown reasons. try camponotus or lasius if you want a good species. if however you really want to try to keep these species, there are many good journals around that will give good info.


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#10 Offline SleepyAsianAnter - Posted December 9 2020 - 7:03 AM

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Hi! Great photos. So, I'm thinking about getting a colony of Myrmecocystus mexicanus and wondering how hard they are to take care of. Are there any good caresheets?

Thanks much. 

I think the most important part is their nesting, they need a cavern-ish nest for their repletes to hang, or else they'll use the queen as a replete and it'll stress her. Other than that, feeding is the same, except they'll drink A LOT of sugar to fill up their repletes. Temps should be around 80-85


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