86 replies to this topic

[TechAnt]

Is the sand on the water feeder really a problem? As long as water can get through I think it's fine.

Yes, it is a problem. As I mentioned they shove sand in all the entrances, and then all the hummingbird nectar gets absorbed and dried out into it.

[TechAnt]

Oh and also, they moved into the outworld again.

[TechAnt]

Update,

 

I would have updated sooner, but I was going to wait a days to see if they changed their mind. So they hopefully, hopefully, have FINALLY moved in there for good. I fed them some fruit flies and they ate them up. Hopefully the queen has laid some new eggs considering they have only pupae. But that will only be known at the end of the month when I take a look into their nest. I have high hopes, but lets wait and see 

 

Am I cursed with tedious moves? First it was my C. vicinus taking forever to move, now this, and my Tetramorium refuse to move into their nice new test tube and prefer to stay in their old dirty one.. 

[M_Ants]

When do yours forage? I never see mine in the outworld.

[TechAnt]

When do yours forage? I never see mine in the outworld.

Mine usually are out in the afternoon and early morning.

[TechAnt]

The testaceus got about ~5 new workers, my monthly checkup on them still sees no small larvae from any of the single queens..I'm nervous they may be infertile.

[M_Ants]

Dang! Your testaceus has so many workers. I'm still at 11 I think.

[TechAnt]

Dang! Your testaceus has so many workers. I'm still at 11 I think.

Well, their pupae are mostly hatched from what I assume, strangely they have taken in four fruit flies in the past two days. Even though I have seen no new brood, maybe I missed some hiding in the back.

 

Forgot to mention, they actually moved in there. Somehow they are still overunning the fluon. I'm thinking of placing their Mini Hearth in a plastic tub while I recoat it, maybe it dried incorrectly, I am not sure why they can pass it as I did several layers of fluon.

Edited by TechAnt, September 22 2020 - 8:34 AM.

[TechAnt]

Update,

So it appears some of those larvae I saw have puptated, I have caught them before they have cocooned though. But I never looked inside the nest as the testaceus love keeping their pupae in the outworld for some reason. The younger brood always stays inside the Mini Hearth with mom and sisters (queen and nest workers). They still keep refusing the hummingbird-water mix by blocking the liquid feeder up, so I am going to make some water diluted honey. These are my first macro lens photos so I apologize if they are not that great (1st image shows no-cocoon pupae):

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Edited by TechAnt, September 26 2020 - 6:27 PM.

[TheAntGuy]

If the pupae don't form cocoons you may need to add in some fine quartz sand.

[TechAnt]

If the pupae don't form cocoons you may need to add in some fine quartz sand.

They have that red sand in the outworld. I thought that was enough.

[B_rad0806]

They need the sand inside the nest

[TheAntGuy]

It is also possible that it has nothing to do with the sand, a couple of my M. mexicanus got some pupae that didn't form cocoons even with sand in their tubes.

[TechAnt]

They need the sand inside the nest

It is also possible that it has nothing to do with the sand, a couple of my M. mexicanus got some pupae that didn't form cocoons even with sand in their tubes.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice.
Also, Theantguy14, did they hatch?

Edited by TechAnt, September 26 2020 - 10:18 PM.

[TheAntGuy]

None of them have yet but that's just because its not time. I'm pretty sure they will hatch fine.

[TechAnt]

Have not updated this in a bit, the queens and the colony are doing fine, nothing else to really say. However, I have noticed some of the honey water was drunk, so that's a good sign.

Edited by TechAnt, October 5 2020 - 7:54 AM.

[M_Ants]

No chance we'll get eggs this year right?

[TechAnt]

No chance we'll get eggs this year right?

They may get some eggs by the end of the year if they are fed enough. Really depends.

[TheAntGuy]

I saw one of the ones with a naked pupa no longer had it so it either hatched or they ate it. I feel like it probably hatched fine though.

[TechAnt]

I saw one of the ones with a naked pupa no longer had it so it either hatched or they ate it. I feel like it probably hatched fine though.

Visibily nervous. 

 

 

"or they ate it" 

Edited by TechAnt, October 5 2020 - 2:05 PM.