25 replies to this topic

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

YELLOW CRAZY ANTS

This colony had reached over 1000+ workers at the height of its power.

But then there was a massive massive escape. I had checked up on them and forget to close the lid tightly.

They escaped out overnight and are now in my room. Thankfully no queens escaped but the strength had dwindled to 100 workers.

The brood growth have been still very slow.

 

Older pics-

 

When they were in full strength.

 

BLACK CRAZY ANTS

They are now the largest ant colony under my care. With over 500 workers now and 8 queens, I think. Its tough to count. Their outworld is really small and I really need to connect them to a new one. Its too small and the ants can easily escape. Its really tough to check up on them. They have been consuming 2-3 roaches a week.

 

 

CAMPONOTUS INVIDUS

My most latest colony with now 6 workers and a healthy pile of brood. They are now housed in a tubs and tubes setup. They did accept the raw honey I gave them but they haven't gone out of their test tube yet. Been a few days since I placed them in, but in developing colonies this habit is common. They don't accept the roaches I give them but they all seem full. A new worker had emerged few days back. 
 

Pics-

 

DIACAMMA RUGOSUM

A colony of 20 workers. Not sure if the gamergate is present. Caught this colony from a pot. Currently housed in an AAC formicarium. Feeding them roaches. I am thinking of moving them to a dirt setup. Though not yet finalized. 

 

 

ODONTOMACHUS SIMILIMUS

A colony of 12 workers. Now housed in a dirt setup. I had kept them in a tubs and tubes setup but moved them back due to a few causalities.

If any of you keep this sp. they do well in dirt setups compared to other setups. Their diet is a bit tough though they normally accept any type of insects. And they don't eat springtails in case you thought so.(AC)

 

In there tubs and tubes.

Edited by DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL, July 11 2021 - 8:44 PM.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Ok after a long time,lemme do an update.
Many of these colonies were released or died out.The colony up there who had relatively better success was the Camponotus cf. colony.They did have a small die out process but they came back strong.They had grown till 15+ workers but one of my other colonies escapes(Nylanderia) and kills these ants.
Right now I have:
Camponotus:

1. A Camponotus sericeus ant colony.Its wild caught. Currently has 1 larvae,3 pupae and a few eggs.I worker. They seemed to be doing ok. One of the pupae has darkened which should mean that it will enclose soon.Fed them some honey.
2. A queen of the same sp.(Camponotus sericeus).She has a few eggs.Caught her walking through a sidewalk.

Nylanderia

 

The Nylanderia colony is thriving in a terrarium setup I made the other day.They had alates before I moved them.
Hopefully the queen is still alive.Into the terrarium I had added a Anochetus queen and a Odontomachus Similimus queen.Both hopefully developing.
Tetramorium

This is a caught colony with over 50 workers.Also has alates.Both alates are females.The queen really just looked like the workers.Right now in a tubs and tubes setup.Have being feeding them honey and proteins.I had caught them nesting under some coconut shells.

Crematogaster
This colony was living inside a bamboo stick.Was just looking for some queen when I came across this stick.I had erlier experiences with ants living in such sticks and so I inspected it more closely and lo and behold, there was an ant colony.Caught them into a take out container and connected a test tube.They were very frustating at first.they were just nesting at the outworld.And for like 2 days I tried everything to get those ants to move in.But then I just place a small twig from the outworld into the test tube and those ants moved in.Yesterday a male alate enclosed.I connected there test tube into a outworld with plaser and soil.They didn't move in for hours.Then I added in a twig from the test tube to the outworld and the ants are now completely moved into the outworld instead of just foraging.The test tube is empty right now.Fed them honey and a roach.

Queens:

• Pheidole/carebara This queen has a few eggs and a larvae.Its been a few months since I caught this queen.
   
• Nylanderia x2 One queen has a healthy pile of brood but the other one has no eggs yet.

 

So I guess that's all.All of my big colonies have alates.
Pics will come sometime after(its a long process)

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Ok so a quick update on my Crematogasters.

They were living in an outworld+test tube setup. They completely moved from the test tube and moved into the outworld. They were nesting on the corner of the outworld. Next day, when I checked on them there were no ants at all. There were a couple of ants alone, the test tube was empty and it was made with plaster, so no change of the ants nesting in the substrate. I couldn't see any carcasses. Idk what happened to them yet.

Anyway as I mentioned a few days back I had caught that colony from a bamboo stick lying outside. Today I again went out and check all the bamboo sticks and loo and behold another colony. I moved them into a larger container. The container had cracks in it, small ones.

I persuaded the ants to moved into a test tube and fixed a stone beside it so that the test tube won't roll. A few minutes after I saw a few ants escape out through the cracks. I didn't have glue at that time so using a candle I completely filled the crack with wax. Hopefully it will hold. Then I added in some substrate to cover the cracks. I fed em' some roaches and honey. Placed in a twig too.

[ANTdrew]

You need silicone for those cracks or a better container.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Some pics:
Crematogaster-

Camponotus sericeus

a vertical formicarium I made for a dinosaur ant colony.

[ANTdrew]

First pic doesn’t look like Crematogaster.

[Kaelwizard]

Yeah that is NOT Crematogaster.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Yeah that is NOT Crematogaster.

Oh idk. The gaster looked heart shaped. Maybe hmm nylanderia?

[eea]

hope the yellow crazy ants don't kill your other ants, also yea not crematogaster only one petiole node

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

hope the yellow crazy ants don't kill your other ants, also yea not crematogaster only one petiole node

No no.I released that colony.
Current ants:

Colonies:

Camponotus parius x1

Camponotus sericeus x1
Carebara Diversa x1

Hypoponera Aitkenii x1

Nylanderia x1
Diacamma Rugosum x1
Odontomachus Similimus x2
Camponotus Irritians x1
 

Queens:
Anochetus myops x1
Pheidole x1
Nylanderia x1

 

[ANTdrew]

Yeah that is NOT Crematogaster.

Oh idk. The gaster looked heart shaped. Maybe hmm nylanderia?

Looks more like Nylanderia to me.

[DaAnt]

When I first saw a dark rover ant I thought it was a crematogaster.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

 

 

Yeah that is NOT Crematogaster.

Oh idk. The gaster looked heart shaped. Maybe hmm nylanderia?

Looks more like Nylanderia to me.

 

But are nylanderia arboreal?

[Kaelwizard]

 

 

 

Yeah that is NOT Crematogaster.

Oh idk. The gaster looked heart shaped. Maybe hmm nylanderia?

Looks more like Nylanderia to me.

 

But are nylanderia arboreal?

 

Pretty sure some species are.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

 

 

 

 

Yeah that is NOT Crematogaster.

Oh idk. The gaster looked heart shaped. Maybe hmm nylanderia?

Looks more like Nylanderia to me.

 

But are nylanderia arboreal?

 

Pretty sure some species are.

 

Oh k.I caught the colony from a bamboo.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Crematogaster

I went to my native place for 5 days. I didn't take any of the ant colonies. Left them back. I did catch a lot of good ants in my native place .When I came back I found all my ants were alive and did not escaped. I was really happy that the crematogaster didn't escape .Phew. When I looked into the crematogaster setup, the ants were all there but no brood. But then I observed some crematogaster workers, old escapees who started nesting in a crevice on a wall, walking to and from the shelf where I keep my ants. Then I looked closer at the crematogasters and I failed to see any queens. Hmmm. Then I saw a couple of ants move through the cotton. So they had indeed escaped. But they still used the test tube and the entire setup as a satellite nest to just put me off their tracks. lel.  They are now living in that crevice. Hopefully they won't kill any of my captive colonies.
 

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Oh wait a second,
The ants mentioned above were Nylanderia. I thought they were crematogaster.

I forgot.

Edited by DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL, July 5 2021 - 7:59 PM.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Some pics-
Dinosaur ants-

Weaver ants-

Hypoponera?

Pheidole?

Anochetus myops-

Polyrachis Gracillor-

Camponotus Sericeus-

Hypoponera aitkenii

Camponotus Parius-

Odontomachus Similimus-

Random myrmicaria-

Workers or queen?ID? Didn't lay eggs and died.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL, July 6 2021 - 12:29 AM.

[DIACAMMAWORLDCOOL]

Camponotus Irritants

This colony, I caught from another bamboo. I was just walking around with it thinking there could be a ant colony in there. And suddenly there was a lot of workers flying out. And caught the entire colony and they are currently doing fine in a formicarium connected to a outworld.They have being ignoring all the food I give them.A bit worried about that.They are all stuck up in the formicarium without moving at ALL. At night just a few workers come out to forage. Prolly nocturnal. They current have 2 queen alates and 1 male. Last night there was a nuptial flight. I caught a Irritan alate(unmated)and added her into the nest with hopes that she would mate with the male. Today I can see a wing on the floor.So right now they have 2 queens. 
 

Got a Pheidole cf. Noda queen. She has laid a few eggs.

 

 Anochetus myops
COLONY!

A worker has emerged from a cocoon. Yeah! One queen and a worker. Moved them to a dirt setup. Currently living underneath a rock. Has a few eggs. What to feed these guys?They're soooo tiny.

 

Pics afterwards.
 

[Kaelwizard]

I would feed the Anochetus springtails or similar tiny insects, like fruit flies.