69 replies to this topic

[TechAnt]

Wow, I think this is a good group.

[Solenoqueen]

Keep it going! Acromyrmex sure are fascinating...

[TheAntGuy]

I am actually really excited to see these doing well in groups. If they make it to full on colonies with more than a few dozen workers and still no queen deaths, I'd call that a success. Going to be following this journal for sure

[RushmoreAnts]

Nice journal, and fascinating species. I do believe these are polygynous, correct?

[TheAntGuy]

I've never heard much about them being polygynous, but these seem to be acting fine together so far so I'd guess maybe. I always just assumed they were monogynous.

[CheetoLord02]

Update 10/3

We have a worker! She's soooooooo cute!

She must've eclosed just hours ago, as she can barely even stand up on her own. Nevertheless she seems healthy, and I'm sure as soon as she gets hardened up she'll start helping with the fungus in no time. The fact that it took only a month and 2 days for workers is insane. I've seen plenty of other journals, I have other groups, and I have friends with colonies, and none of them have come close to this time. Needless to say my hopes for this group are very high.
 

You also may notice the green on the fungus, which is because this group is actually taking real leaves now and not just flower petals! They continue to eat just about anything I throw at them, so I'm hoping as a larger colony they'll be pretty easy to keep fed.

[TechAnt]

Aww! So tiny. Congrats!

[ANTdrew]

Wow! Just wow!

[CheetoLord02]

Update 10/19

I know it's been a while since the last update, but these gals are still chugging along just fine. The fungus isn't too much bigger because I accidentally let the setup get too dry and some of it died, but it has since recovered nicely. They are also up to maybe 5 or 6 workers, although it's really hard to tell since they tend to hide in and under the fungus. They are really active, though, and both queens and workers now tend to process the food I offer. This group continues to accept basically all food that I offer as well, which is a huge relief. They have quite a bit of brood of all stages, so hopefully the next generations of workers will be larger than the first, in both size and numbers.

The leaves in the background here are Mesquite spp., which Acromyrmex and Atta both take in the wild like crazy. They were cutting up these leaves until I opened the lid, but I scared them all when I opened the lid. I really wanted them to get a pic of them cutting because watching the queens and their tiny workers all gathered around the leaves is pretty hilarious.
 

[ANTdrew]

This gives me all the jeals.

[RushmoreAnts]

I've never heard much about them being polygynous, but these seem to be acting fine together so far so I'd guess maybe. I always just assumed they were monogynous.

No, they are proven to be polygynous.

 

https://antwiki.org/...rmex_versicolor

Edited by AntsDakota, October 20 2020 - 5:12 AM.

[CheetoLord02]

 

I've never heard much about them being polygynous, but these seem to be acting fine together so far so I'd guess maybe. I always just assumed they were monogynous.

No, they are proven to be polygynous.

 

https://antwiki.org/...rmex_versicolor

 

This group has still shown no aggression between each other, but I believe pleometrosis has been documented with Californian populations. It definitely can be a regional thing, though.

[Ants_Dakota]

I think the real test will come when there are ~20-30 workers. that is enough to bring down a queen.

[CheetoLord02]

I think the real test will come when there are ~20-30 workers. that is enough to bring down a queen.

in Acromyrmex the queens fight, it's not the workers that cull.

[Ants_Dakota]

oh, sorry. then i guess your colony is doing good!

[DDD101DDD]

 

I've never heard much about them being polygynous, but these seem to be acting fine together so far so I'd guess maybe. I always just assumed they were monogynous.

No, they are proven to be polygynous.

 

https://antwiki.org/...rmex_versicolor

 

"groups of newly mated queens cooperate in the formation of the first nests, a phenomenon known as pleometrosis (Mackay and Mackay 2002)."

 

"New colonies of this species can be founded haplometrotically or pleometrotically. Numerous studies have investigated fitness consequences and behavioral aspects of pleometrosis in Acromyrmex versicolor (e.g. Rissing et al. 2000, Cahan and Julian 1999, Hagen et al. 1988"

 

Quotes from antwiki. It says that they practice pleometrosis, but they're under the polygynous section.

[TechAnt]

Awesome!

[CheetoLord02]

Update 10/28

Since the last update these guys probably have around twice as many workers, and the fungus has grown a bit too. I've gotten them to accept the same clovers that I'm feeding to my Atta, which makes this the first food that both species have readily accepted. Even though harvesting them is very easy for me, it's looking like it might actually be worth it to start an indoor clover farm! I've never really been into the plant hobby, but these ants might just be the ones that make me broaden my horizons a bit.
 

 

 

Even though they have around a dozen workers, the queens still help to process the plant material to an extent. I'm assuming this won't last forever, but it's still kind of cool to see that the queens are still making themselves useful aside from just sitting around laying eggs.
 

 

 

I think after seeing the way that my Atta's fungus grows with these clovers I'm going to start powerfeeding these guys a bit more. Once they outgrow this deli cup I'm going to give them a real setup, and with that an outworld. Hopefully once they have an outworld I can powerfeed even more, and from there it'll just be a snowball effect. 

I still absolutely love how these guys look. They might not grow as fast as my Atta, but I've always much preferred the way that Acromyrmex look, particularly versicolor.
 

[Ants_Dakota]

ant can get people to keep plants! yes!

[Antkeeper01]

ant can get people to keep plants! yes!

I keep plants