85 replies to this topic

[100lols]

Sorry to hear about the Anochetus risii. Hopefully they do better in the tube…

Awesome update!!

[Leo]

9/11/2023

 

Very busy with university unfortunately but here are a few quick updates:

 

Polyrhachis cf. confusa - 7mm

Tubs and tubes

1 Queen, 3 workers

 

This queen got her first nanitics a few weeks ago, and since then, 2 other workers have enclosed with another on the way. I've never actually seen them forage in person, but the food usually ends up in their tube. They've also started to cover the inside of their tube with silk, making it kinda hard to get good photos of them.

 

 

Strumigenys faea - 1.5mm

Small plaster nest

1 Queen, ~20 workers

 

So far their pre-existing brood has been developing fine, with them actively foraging and moving substrate into their nest, with which they've started to make a small pocket of space. However, I don't see any eggs which is a little concerning. Hopefully the queen will start laying soon.

 

 

 

Pristomyrmex cf. brevispinosus - 2mm

Mini plaster nest

1 Queen, ~15 workers

 

Just noticed a few larvae today. 

 

 

Euponera sp3 - (no measurement yet)

Test tube

1 Queen

 

2 larvae and no extra eggs. Hopefully this queen is comfortable enough to not eat her larvae again. Currently being fed with small bits of crushed roach.

 

 

 

 

Cerapachys sulcinodis - 8mm

Box of substrate

2 Queens, ~130 workers and majors

 

So i had to move them from their original dirt box because a few workers began dropping and sprouting the pathogenic fungus, eventually, one of the queens died and sprouted the white fluff too, and that's when I decided enough was enough. Currently they are in a plaster nest and have been for ~1 month. There have been few to no worker deaths, but still no sign of brood.

 

Edited by Leo, April 17 2024 - 10:37 PM.

[Leo]

12/04/2024

 

For some reason all the old photos (i used google drive) no longer show up, but I have not had the free time to shift all the photos to imgur or some other photo platform. If you are still curious as to what the images looked like, clicking on the image/link will still pull the photo up. I'll fix this problem eventually but this new update will be using some imgur photos. (Actually these photos are also almost a month old but i'm hella busy)
 

Strumigenys faea - 1.5mm

Small plaster nest

1 Queen, ~20 workers

 

A lot of the larvae has begun to pupate. This photo doesn't show the pupae, but there is a healthy pile of larvae. Still have yet to see the queen lay any eggs, but there always appears to be brood so I suppose its fine. The debris wall they have erected has begun to mold over, but its been molding for a while now and the ants seem to have some method to prevent the mold from reaching into the actual chamber itself, and so the mycelium actually seems to reinforce the walls which is interesting to see.

 

 

 

Buniapone ambylops - 10mm

small soil container

1 Queen, 1? worker

So a while back, the queen sealed off the chamber (early winter so around the last time i posted) and refused all food for a while. However, now that it's spring I was greeted by a pleasant surprise in the form of a foraging nanitic! These ants are quite rare due to their subterreanean nature, and as you can see from the cherry-red worker, have highly reduced eyes that reflect this. The queen appears to have a bunch of healthy larvae but I don't see another pupae as of now. Another notable thing is their strange mandibles, which remind me of myopias or stigmatomma. However so far they do not appear to be specialists and have happily accepted most small insects.

 

 

 

 

 

Ooceraea biroi - 2mm

Plaster nest

~60 workers

 

After a while of inactivity and no brood, both colonies are back at full swing with healthy batches of larvae in both colonies. Though my cat did knock one colony upside-down so that may set them back a few weeks. I have faith they'll recover quickly though

 

 

 

Odontomachus monticola - 15mm

Test tube

1Q, 1 worker

 

I don't believe I have ever posted about this queen because I had low hopes from past experiences, but against all odds, this queen has her first nanitic! These fellas already have a second pupae lined up as well as a few tiny larvae and a growing batch of eggs. Excited to see where this colony will go in the future. 

 

Edited by Leo, April 12 2024 - 8:07 AM.

[Ernteameise]

These are some really unique species you got there!

[Leo]

Fixed all the photos (/◕ヮ◕)/

Also have a bunch of new stuff that wasn't included in the last update. So stay tuned for that I guess haha.

[Leo]

01/05/2024

Uni finals but quick update

 

Strumigenys feae - 1.5mm

Small plaster nest

1 Queen, ~20 workers

 

Most of the pupae have enclosed and now the smaller larvae are developing nicely. I sometimes think I see eggs but since they are so tiny and white against a white plaster background, I can never be sure. 

 

 

Strumigenys cf. exilirhina- 1.5mm

Small plaster nest

1 Queen, 10 workers

 

I recieved this colony from Tao Bao a week ago, and these were meant to be Strumigenys leptorhina (evidently they are not). At first I was a little dismayed to have recieved what I assumed to be another colony of S.feae, but after closer inspection, their third mandibular tooth and spike positions show that this is probably S.exilirhina so that's nice to see. Currently, they only have a few larvae, but they have already settled in and begun to take springtails.

 

 

Ooceraea biroi - 2mm

Plaster nest

~60 workers

 

Substantial growth in their larvae pile, so this colony should once again double in size soon! I might split them into 2 colonies when that does happen, or keep them as one massive colony. They are quite content with their diet of mealworm and roach bits, and so i have stopped feeding them ant brood entirely.

 

 

 

Dilobocondyla fouqeti - 10mm

Test tube

1 queen

 

Nothing much to say about this one, just a pretty (and rare) arboreal species. Laid an egg a while back but ate it soon after. 

 

 

 

Unknown sp - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen

 

Very small queen I found while excavating a very large O.biroi colony. Either Solenopsis or Monomorium, and I'm leaning towards Monomorium due to the antennal club not appearing 2 segmented but not sure.

 

Edited by Leo, April 30 2024 - 9:52 AM.

[Demoant]

add oil on the finals, keep us updated with yo pretty ants

[Leo]

20/05/2024

 

Finals are over! I am so tired! 

 

Monomorium sp1 - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen
 

As expected, she has been an extremely prolific layer, and the brood has developed at a stunning pace. I was about to say "it's barely been two weeks" but apparently I made the last post 19 days ago so I suppose one of the weeks has been lost in transmission. Regardless, she now has a pile of brood that is virtually invisible against the whtie cotton, but I expect her first workers in maybe ~2 more weeks.

 

 

Monomorium sp2 - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen

 

This is a different species of Monomorium that I found on a short walk. Currently, I have two queens that both have already started laying. Interestingly, their eggs are quire big relative to the queen, and despite being from the same genus, the the two species in this journal look remarkably different.

 

 

Hypoponera sp? - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen

 

Teeny, tiny, and orange. Not entirely sure how I plan on keeping this one, or even what to feed it, but I'll cross that bridge when i get to it.

 

Edited by Leo, May 20 2024 - 2:09 AM.

[The_Gaming-gate]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many cryptids at the same time.

[Leo]

12/06/2024

 

Unfortunately I have not been hiking nearly as much as I would like to be, but stuff like weather and other responsibilities are keeping me away from the woods for now. Inbetween this post and the last update, a few species have died, namely:

- Hypoponera sp? - queen never laid, found her dead one morning

- Dilobocondyla fouqeti -  Same as hypoponera sp

 

However, there also some new additions! I went off on a 5 hour anting trip yesterday and have expanded my collection yet again.

 

 

Carebara castanea/lignata - 23mm

Box of soil

1 Queen

 

Largest queen I have currently. Not even close. This queen was found under a log by herself, presumably making her founding chamber after the previous night's heavy rains. This species (unsure if it is lignata or castanea) is notoriously hard to raise so we will see where this goes.

 

A beautiful maroon-red queen. I believe the workers are small and pale.

 

In comparison to the smallest ant I have in my collection.

 

Strumigenys cf. membranifera? - ~1.3mm

Tube of soil

? Queens, ? workers

 

Speaking of smallest, this is the smallest species i have in my collection, but also the largest colony of strumigenys I have ever seen. There are at least 6 queens and ~150 workers, not to mention the alate queens and piles of pupae. This colony (I didn't even collect the entire colony) was found nesting under a small stone. I have yet to figure out how I will feed so many strumigenys but I suppose I'll work it out.

 

Large, large colony

 

Lone worker

 

 

Strumigenys cf. nanzanensis - ~1.5mm?

Test tube

1 queen, ~20 workers

 

Another species of strumigenys I found yesterday. This time inside a rotting log. There was actually 2 colonies of strumigenys in the log, but I only took one. These look quite similar to exilirhina (see above) but lack the propodeal spike.

 

The queen surrounded by workers and brood

 

Workers and brood

 

 

Pristomyrmex punctatus - smaller than brevispinosus lol

Plaster nest

?workers

 

Another parthenogenic ant species (like O.biroi) this was part of a massive colony uncovered by demoant while on an anting trip with him. These also appear to have synchronized brood cycles akin to Ooceraea biroi but are otherwise rather unremarkable in their behaviour or diet.

 

 

 

Pristomyrmex cf. brevispinosus - 3mm

Small box with soil and rotting wood. 

3 Queen, ~15 workers

 

Unlike their sister species, these are much slower ants, both reproductively and in general. With that being said, this colony has a good amount of brood and is slowly growing in size. While there was some mold in the nest a while ago, it appears to have solved itself which is nice . Other than that, also a fairly unremarkable species.

 

 

 

Monomorium sp1 - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen, 1 worker

 

First nanitic!!! Queen is looking a little deflated but I am a little apprehensive of giving them any honey in fear that the tiny worker will get trapped and drown. I believe i actually uncovered a colony of this species under a rock yesterday, but I did not take any workers or brood.

 

 

 

Colobopsis sp - 10mm

Test tube

1 Queen

 

Colobopsis

 

Very pretty queen but she hasn't done anything yet...

 

Edited by Leo, June 11 2024 - 10:11 AM.

[100lols]

Wonderful!!! I live in Southern California, and we have some amazing ants. I don’t often get species envy, but your unique collection is tantalizing. Thanks for the update!!

Edited by 100lols, June 12 2024 - 6:04 AM.

[SYUTEO]

20/05/2024

 

Finals are over! I am so tired! 

 

Monomorium sp1 - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen
 

As expected, she has been an extremely prolific layer, and the brood has developed at a stunning pace. I was about to say "it's barely been two weeks" but apparently I made the last post 19 days ago so I suppose one of the weeks has been lost in transmission. Regardless, she now has a pile of brood that is virtually invisible against the whtie cotton, but I expect her first workers in maybe ~2 more weeks.

 

 

Monomorium sp2 - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen

 

This is a different species of Monomorium that I found on a short walk. Currently, I have two queens that both have already started laying. Interestingly, their eggs are quire big relative to the queen, and despite being from the same genus, the the two species in this journal look remarkably different.

 

 

Hypoponera sp? - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen

 

Teeny, tiny, and orange. Not entirely sure how I plan on keeping this one, or even what to feed it, but I'll cross that bridge when i get to it.

 

I think the last one could be Parvaponera. From what I know, no one has ever successfully raised them before and only a few images of workers exist. I believe they are subterranean due to the fact that workers don't have eyes but their diet is mostly unknown. Me and Ants_KL have caught Parvaponera queens before and tried to raise them but ended up dying a few days later and rejected all food we tried giving them. If you do somehow succeed in getting your queen to nanitics you are likely the first person to ever do so. Also Antmaps doesn't list Hong Kong as a place where Parvaponera is found so you may have even made a new discovery here.

[ANTS_KL]

 

I think the last one could be Parvaponera. From what I know, no one has ever successfully raised them before and only a few images of workers exist. I believe they are subterranean due to the fact that workers don't have eyes but their diet is mostly unknown. Me and Ants_KL have caught Parvaponera queens before and tried to raise them but ended up dying a few days later and rejected all food we tried giving them. If you do somehow succeed in getting your queen to nanitics you are likely the first person to ever do so. Also Antmaps doesn't list Hong Kong as a place where Parvaponera is found so you may have even made a new discovery here.

 

This is not Parvaponera, the mandibles and petiole are definitely different. Parvaponera has a more robust and cylindrical petiole, as well as more visible teeth on the mandibles. On another note, some people in Singapore have actually raised Parvaponera to nanitics by feeding them crushed roach nymph legs.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

12/06/2024

 

Unfortunately I have not been hiking nearly as much as I would like to be, but stuff like weather and other responsibilities are keeping me away from the woods for now. Inbetween this post and the last update, a few species have died, namely:

- Hypoponera sp? - queen never laid, found her dead one morning

- Dilobocondyla fouqeti -  Same as hypoponera sp

 

However, there also some new additions! I went off on a 5 hour anting trip yesterday and have expanded my collection yet again.

 

 

Carebara castanea/lignata - 23mm

Box of soil

1 Queen

 

Largest queen I have currently. Not even close. This queen was found under a log by herself, presumably making her founding chamber after the previous night's heavy rains. This species (unsure if it is lignata or castanea) is notoriously hard to raise so we will see where this goes.

 

A beautiful maroon-red queen. I believe the workers are small and pale.

 

In comparison to the smallest ant I have in my collection.

 

Strumigenys cf. membranifera? - ~1.3mm

Tube of soil

? Queens, ? workers

 

Speaking of smallest, this is the smallest species i have in my collection, but also the largest colony of strumigenys I have ever seen. There are at least 6 queens and ~150 workers, not to mention the alate queens and piles of pupae. This colony (I didn't even collect the entire colony) was found nesting under a small stone. I have yet to figure out how I will feed so many strumigenys but I suppose I'll work it out.

 

Large, large colony

 

Lone worker

 

 

Strumigenys cf. nanzanensis - ~1.5mm?

Test tube

1 queen, ~20 workers

 

Another species of strumigenys I found yesterday. This time inside a rotting log. There was actually 2 colonies of strumigenys in the log, but I only took one. These look quite similar to exilirhina (see above) but lack the propodeal spike.

 

The queen surrounded by workers and brood

 

Workers and brood

 

 

Pristomyrmex punctatus - smaller than brevispinosus lol

Plaster nest

?workers

 

Another parthenogenic ant species (like O.biroi) this was part of a massive colony uncovered by demoant while on an anting trip with him. These also appear to have synchronized brood cycles akin to Ooceraea biroi but are otherwise rather unremarkable in their behaviour or diet.

 

 

 

Pristomyrmex cf. brevispinosus - 3mm

Small box with soil and rotting wood. 

3 Queen, ~15 workers

 

Unlike their sister species, these are much slower ants, both reproductively and in general. With that being said, this colony has a good amount of brood and is slowly growing in size. While there was some mold in the nest a while ago, it appears to have solved itself which is nice . Other than that, also a fairly unremarkable species.

 

 

 

Monomorium sp1 - ~3mm

Test tube

1 queen, 1 worker

 

First nanitic!!! Queen is looking a little deflated but I am a little apprehensive of giving them any honey in fear that the tiny worker will get trapped and drown. I believe i actually uncovered a colony of this species under a rock yesterday, but I did not take any workers or brood.

 

 

 

Colobopsis sp - 10mm

Test tube

1 Queen

 

Colobopsis

 

Very pretty queen but she hasn't done anything yet...

 

Wow this is just an astonishing collection!

[Leo]

25/6/2024

 

Quick update on a few colonies I have not featured much. 

 

- monomorium sp1: Dead. Their test tube ran out of water and I did not notice until possibly a day or two later, something enough to kill them in the summer heat.

- Stigmatomma quadratum: Colony has been donated off to the lab at HKU after failing another batch of larvae pupations. 

 

Ooceraea biroi - 2mm

Plaster nest + soil nests

~60 workers

 

Currently, I have four colonies of this species. 2 of the colonies originate from a larger colony that was split off (the two orignial colonies in this journal) and 2 of the others are just from collecting here and there. There are actually at least 3 specices of Ooceraea in Hong Kong, being O.biroi, O.octoanenna, O.sp1 (possibly undescribed) . Unfortunately I have had no luck finding the other two species, but I'll keep trying... Otherwise, all four colonies have been healthy and regularly accepting feeder insects supplemented by ant brood here and there.

 

Colony 1 (new) and by far the largest ~150 workers

 

Colony 2 (new) small colony, ~30 workers

 

Colony 3 (old) ~40 workers

 

Colony 4 (old) ~40 workers

 

Polyrhachis cf. confusa - 7mm

Tubs and tubes

1 Queen, 5 workers

 

This colony was doing quite well, reaching about 20 workers until a sudden crash. I believe its likely due to some moldy honey or prey insect that I failed to notice until it was too late. The crash left them on 2 workers and no brood. Thankfully, they have begun to bounce back with a fresh batch of larvae, but their tube has run out of water. Since they are quite fragile as of now, I think I might just drill a hole into the back of the tube and manually re-hydrate it until the population re-stabilizes.

Edited by Leo, June 24 2024 - 8:51 AM.

[Leo]

Bit of a teaser, but I won't include this colony in the journal until i'm certain I can keep them alive

 

 

Also have this Leptogenys binghamii I've been keeping for ~2 months but i have yet to make a journal entry for

 

[BleepingBleepers]

Very sweet pictures!!

 

Not familiar with these ants at all so super interesting!

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

RIP monomoriom sp.1. keep it up with you r colonies!

[Demoant]

Bit of a teaser, but I won't include this colony in the journal until i'm certain I can keep them alive

 

 

Also have this Leptogenys binghamii I've been keeping for ~2 months but i have yet to make a journal entry for

 

This is the beginning of spider egg eating

good luck with them

[Leo]

12/07/2024

 

Bit of an unfortunate update with this one. After an 8 day trip to Yunnan, the housekeeper failed to follow some instructions, and also (inexplicably) made some decisions of her own, which have lead to the deaths of many colonies. Among the casualties are:

- Paratopula bauhinia: Moved by housekeeper to top of shelf. Strong summer sun killed most of colony, including what appears to be the sole mated queen.

- Cerapachys sulcinodis: High summer heat, water not refilled, part of colony still alive, but ~50% of workers died off.

- Pristomyrmex punctatus: This one was my bad, did not leave instructions to refill the reservoir and underestimated how quickly the nest would dry out, most workers dead.

- Leptogenys binghamii: Moved by housekeeper to top of shelf. 7 workers --> 2 workers left. Ergatoid is thankfully still alive, but all brood has been devoured. Not hopeful.

         - This one annoys me the most, since they were one of my most prized colonies.

 

Unrelated deaths:

- Colobopsis sp: Probably unmated, just died without laying eggs.

 

The rest of the colonies are relatively fine, with perhaps less brood or a few worker deaths, but nothing too significant. In other news, I went anting with Demoant again, and here are a few of the species I secured on that trip.

 

Carebara cf. affinis - ~2cm

Test tube

1 Queen, ~50 workers

 

A small founding colony we discovered under some bark of a rotting log. This appears to be the season for founding colonies of C.affinis, as we found a few other similarly sized colonies in other rotting logs. This was the only colony that was kept. This species is more-or-less just a smaller version of C.diversa, though just as aggressive.

 

notice the major pupae down and left of the Queen's head

 

 

Crematogaster cylindriceps

Test tube

1 Queen

 

Not sure if this queen will make it, since I found it almost 3 weeks ago and it still hasn't shed its wings or laid an egg. However, it is too cool not to include in this journal. There is actually a nr. cylindriceps species in Hong Kong, which I have found before. The nr. sp is of a dark brown color and has nuptial flights much earlier in the year.

 

Crematogaster x Colobopsis 

 

 

Monomorium sp2 - ~3mm

Test tube

1 Queen, 1 worker

 

These queens finally have their first worker! However, of the 2 queens, 1 has seemingly had their nanitic die for no reason. The other colony is still doing quite well, but with very little brood.

 

 

 

Monomorium sp3 - ~2mm

Test tube

3 Queens, ~15 workers

 

A miniscule species found under a stone while anting. At first glance, this species looks similar to Monomorium sp1. However, this species has smaller, paler workers, and the queens found here appear to possibly be microgynes of some sort? All three queens appear to lack wing scars, and have unusually thin thoraxes which to me suggest they may lack the flight muscles required for a nuptial flight. Strange species all around...

 

Queens and workers

 

Lone queen