Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Swirly’s Eusocial Wasp Journal


  • Please log in to reply
137 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 1 2020 - 6:27 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

hello everyone~ I've been looking for wasps for a few months now, and finally came across a prehibernation huddle of polistes aurifer. i caught two of the 20-ish queens, and i put them into 2 knitter keepers with pieces of cardboard and flowers and honey water and plain water. this journal is for them and possibly any other wasps that i catch! FE84CE4A-0566-41BD-8FDF-B943AA9A0973.jpeg


Edited by Swirlysnowflake, November 5 2020 - 11:33 AM.

  • OhNoNotAgain, MinigunL5, TechAnt and 4 others like this

 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#2 Offline ZTYguy - Posted November 1 2020 - 8:46 PM

ZTYguy

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,701 posts
  • LocationNorthridge, California

Ooooooo. Can't wait for the next update. That is a beautiful queen.


  • Swirlysnowflake likes this
Currently: Considering moving to Australia
Reason: Myrmecia

#3 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted November 2 2020 - 6:52 AM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee
I think you'll have to hibernate them for a couple weeks before they'll build a nest. I have a couple Polistes carolina queens, and I'm leaving them in ny garage for a couple weeks before I set them up for nest building. I think I'll put two in one critter keeper, and one in the other.
  • Manitobant, Swirlysnowflake and TechAnt like this

#4 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 2 2020 - 8:16 AM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

I think you'll have to hibernate them for a couple weeks before they'll build a nest. I have a couple Polistes carolina queens, and I'm leaving them in ny garage for a couple weeks before I set them up for nest building. I think I'll put two in one critter keeper, and one in the other.

yep, i transferred them from the deli cup into 2 knitter keepers and i put those into my garage to hibernate :) the cardboard was just so that they can hang on to something while hibernating if they wanted :P


Edited by Swirlysnowflake, November 2 2020 - 8:23 AM.

  • TennesseeAnts and Chickalo like this

 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#5 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 2 2020 - 9:12 AM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

CE3FFBF8-4CEA-432B-92A0-57F6E908A079.jpeg

heres a slightly better pic of one of the queens. there probably will not be many updates on them until january when i’m going to take them out 


Edited by Swirlysnowflake, November 2 2020 - 9:13 AM.

  • TennesseeAnts and ZTYguy like this

 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#6 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted November 2 2020 - 10:06 AM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

attachicon.gifCE3FFBF8-4CEA-432B-92A0-57F6E908A079.jpeg
heres a slightly better pic of one of the queens. there probably will not be many updates on them until january when i’m going to take them out


Very pretty queen! Mine're gonna come out in December. Then I'll put them into nesting boxes.
  • Swirlysnowflake likes this

#7 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 2 2020 - 10:09 AM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia

I was thinking of keeping solitary velvet ants. And maybe trying to mimic their reproduction in the wild by finding a colony to set up. Hopefully I don't die.... just kidding but their sting really hurts from my experience and others.


We don’t talk about that

#8 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 2 2020 - 10:11 AM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia

Also swirly are you XxSpiderQueenxX from arachnoboards its funny that i see that thread and we started talking about ants on it and like 3 days later i see this.

Edit: nvm You literally changed your profile pic to the picture you just posted. that answers my question.


Edited by KitsAntVa, November 2 2020 - 10:24 AM.

  • Swirlysnowflake likes this
We don’t talk about that

#9 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 2 2020 - 12:28 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

Also swirly are you XxSpiderQueenxX from arachnoboards its funny that i see that thread and we started talking about ants on it and like 3 days later i see this.

Edit: nvm You literally changed your profile pic to the picture you just posted. that answers my question.

ahaha yes i am, and i accidentally changed my pfp to the wasp pic, i meant to click on another photo XD 

does my pfp still show as the wasp? that pic is kinda gross lol


Edited by Swirlysnowflake, November 2 2020 - 12:31 PM.

  • ZTYguy likes this

 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#10 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 2 2020 - 12:29 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

I was thinking of keeping solitary velvet ants. And maybe trying to mimic their reproduction in the wild by finding a colony to set up. Hopefully I don't die.... just kidding but their sting really hurts from my experience and others.

that would be cool! totally make a journal or something if you do.

though, the males of velvet ants fly and i have literally never seen one 


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#11 Offline ZTYguy - Posted November 2 2020 - 12:44 PM

ZTYguy

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,701 posts
  • LocationNorthridge, California

Luckily only the females sting I believe from experience.


  • Swirlysnowflake likes this
Currently: Considering moving to Australia
Reason: Myrmecia

#12 Offline ponerinecat - Posted November 2 2020 - 3:11 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

You should probably give them a more confined area for hibernation, like some bamboo tubes or a clump of moss. I've seen Vespula hibernate in between cracks in wood, so you can probably just stack some wood chips in the corner for them to dig into,



#13 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 2 2020 - 3:18 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

You should probably give them a more confined area for hibernation, like some bamboo tubes or a clump of moss. I've seen Vespula hibernate in between cracks in wood, so you can probably just stack some wood chips in the corner for them to dig into,

I have a pretty thick layer of spaghnum (is that how you spell it?) moss spread across the bottom, as well as a piece of cardboard folded up so there is like a crack in between for the wasp to sit, is that good? Also the wasps seem to be sitting upside down on the lid a lot, and one is wedging itself into this small space between two pieces of the plastic of the lid. Is that normal?


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#14 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 2 2020 - 3:55 PM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia

Luckily only the females sting I believe from experience.


Yes only females sting but they hurt a lot. Like... A LOT.
  • TennesseeAnts, Swirlysnowflake and Devi like this
We don’t talk about that

#15 Offline ponerinecat - Posted November 2 2020 - 4:33 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

 

You should probably give them a more confined area for hibernation, like some bamboo tubes or a clump of moss. I've seen Vespula hibernate in between cracks in wood, so you can probably just stack some wood chips in the corner for them to dig into,

I have a pretty thick layer of spaghnum (is that how you spell it?) moss spread across the bottom, as well as a piece of cardboard folded up so there is like a crack in between for the wasp to sit, is that good? Also the wasps seem to be sitting upside down on the lid a lot, and one is wedging itself into this small space between two pieces of the plastic of the lid. Is that normal?

 

Yeah that's good. I've noticed Polistes like to stay elevated, she's probably just trying to find a place to hide.


  • TennesseeAnts and Swirlysnowflake like this

#16 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 2 2020 - 6:10 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

i had put the kritter keepers in my garage, but they were still very lively and active and it wasn’t that cold in there so i moved them outside where it is colder, though i put them inside another tank so they wouldn’t get knocked over. they have settled down now and aren’t running around as much, though i don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. 

on another note, they look so adorable when they clean their legs lol


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#17 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 2 2020 - 6:54 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

ummmm do they always tuck their wings underneath their bodies while hibernating? Because the queens are sitting in their kritter keepers very very calmly, but their wings are folded parallel over their backs. They arent splayed outwards like normal, just straight and side by side. are they hibernating?


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#18 Offline ZTYguy - Posted November 2 2020 - 7:16 PM

ZTYguy

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,701 posts
  • LocationNorthridge, California

Probably they are fine and its just to fit in tight spaces.


  • Swirlysnowflake likes this
Currently: Considering moving to Australia
Reason: Myrmecia

#19 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted November 2 2020 - 7:50 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

ummmm do they always tuck their wings underneath their bodies while hibernating? Because the queens are sitting in their kritter keepers very very calmly, but their wings are folded parallel over their backs. They arent splayed outwards like normal, just straight and side by side. are they hibernating?

Yup, that's what the queens do when they've entered their hibernation state.


  • Swirlysnowflake likes this

#20 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 3 2020 - 8:31 AM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

does anyone know the earliest that i can bring them out of hibernation :)


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users