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Manitobant’s parasitic lasius minutus journal (with eggs again)

Started By Manitobant , Jan 9 2021 4:32 PM

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26 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Manitobant - Posted January 9 2021 - 4:32 PM

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I caught 3 lasius minutus queens in September last year hibernating under a large stone. I gave them lasius pallitarsis hosts and all 3 survived hibernation and have their first clutch of eggs. These queens are absolutely tiny, half the size of an aphidicola queen and very slim. This journal will be documenting their progress as they raise up their first workers, and hopefully the growth of the colonies.



Lasius minutus with eggs

Edited by Manitobant, May 5 2023 - 3:52 PM.

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My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#2 Offline NickAnter - Posted March 16 2021 - 12:19 PM

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How are these doing?


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#3 Offline Manitobant - Posted March 16 2021 - 7:29 PM

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How are these doing?

i put them back into hibernation because they stopped laying and ate their eggs, presumably from lack of hosts. Hosts were also slowly dying. I’ll take them out again in spring.

Edited by Manitobant, March 17 2021 - 6:09 AM.

My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#4 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted July 4 2021 - 5:45 PM

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Update?

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#5 Offline Manitobant - Posted July 4 2021 - 5:48 PM

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Update?

one is left. She was woken up a few days ago, but only has a single host. I'm giving her more callows now, and plan to boost with pupae soon.
  • AntBoi3030 likes this
My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#6 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted July 4 2021 - 6:14 PM

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Nice, good luck

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#7 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted September 7 2021 - 1:54 PM

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update?


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1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489

#8 Offline antsriondel - Posted December 14 2021 - 7:27 AM

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update????


#9 Offline Manitobant - Posted December 14 2021 - 10:18 AM

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A lot has happened since i last updated this journal. The one queen now has around 100 hosts and is quite physogastric, with tons of eggs, larvae and a few pupae. The original plan was to update this journal in a few weeks when the first biological worker emerges, but here is another update in the meantime.


6A50CB86 83DC 4346 A048 2EDE6CCCA836
3F33100D 3704 4F2F 957F 3ED80FAC60D3

(Note that these images were taken months ago when the queen just started getting physogastric and laying eggs, so all those pupae and callows aren’t hers)

Edited by Manitobant, December 14 2021 - 10:46 AM.

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My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#10 Offline antsriondel - Posted December 14 2021 - 10:41 AM

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awesome!!!!! (y)


#11 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted April 13 2022 - 7:59 AM

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Have any bios eclosed yet?


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#12 Offline Manitobant - Posted April 13 2022 - 10:51 AM

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These guys got their first biological workers a few months ago, and are now back in hibernation.

Attached Images

  • AE705508-C095-48EC-82D0-C4290028363A.jpeg

Edited by Manitobant, April 13 2022 - 10:53 AM.

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My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#13 Offline Chickalo - Posted April 13 2022 - 1:40 PM

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This is the first time I've actually seen a physogastric parasitic Lasius queen.  Glad to see your parasitics are doing well!


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シグナチャーです。예.

 

#14 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted April 13 2022 - 7:35 PM

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Parasitic Lasius are actually physogastric more common than non-parasitic Lasius in the early stages, since they lay wholesale batches of eggs all at once and grow a ton faster than their non-parasitic counterparts.


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#15 Offline BDantsalberta - Posted January 3 2023 - 12:10 PM

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How are they doing now almost a year later?


#16 Offline Manitobant - Posted January 3 2023 - 5:32 PM

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In hibernation right now but I'm not sure if this colony is gonna make it. After getting biological workers they sorta began fizzling out for some reason.
  • BDantsalberta likes this
My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#17 Offline BDantsalberta - Posted January 7 2023 - 7:13 PM

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Better get some host pupae as quick as you can!


#18 Offline Manitobant - Posted January 8 2023 - 10:24 AM

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Impossible considering the time of year and lack of host colonies in my collection. My plan is to keep her hibernated until springtime when i can get pupae.
  • BDantsalberta likes this
My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#19 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 8 2023 - 4:28 PM

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 After getting biological workers they sorta began fizzling out for some reason.

I experienced the same with my parasitic Lasius (they then proceeded to die), my guess is that in the normal colonies they invade they are boosted by the remaining host brood in the nest, and this may aid in success for some species.


  • BDantsalberta likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#20 Offline BDantsalberta - Posted January 9 2023 - 10:42 AM

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 After getting biological workers they sorta began fizzling out for some reason.

I experienced the same with my parasitic Lasius (they then proceeded to die), my guess is that in the normal colonies they invade they are boosted by the remaining host brood in the nest, and this may aid in success for some species.

 

Yes, Lasius Subumbratus do this a lot in the wild.


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