65 replies to this topic

[ReignofRage]

C. anthrax- Still no brood, I fed her to see if that will help.

 

 

 

C. clarithorax- All queens have at least one pupa.

 

 

 

C. essigi- Most eggs are now larvae.

 

 

 

C. sp.- All eggs are now larvae, one large larve.

 

 

 

C. maritimus- Has more larvae.

 

 

 

C. semitestaceus- A pupa is trying to enclose, you can see a slit in the cocoon.

 

 

 

C. us-ca02- Both have almost all pupae.

 

 

 

C. vicinus- This queen has gotten darker and darker, but she does have more pupae.

 

 

 

L. occidentale- All eggs are now larvae, the second queen has a single larva wwith a fungal infection which makes it pink.

 

 

 

M. sp.- This queen now has three pupae and more larvae.

 

V. pergandei- Didn't check it this week.

Edited by ReignofRage, June 26 2021 - 5:01 PM.

[PetsNotPests]

Looking good! Camponotus Essigi are a one of a kind species. Awesome queens there.

[ReignofRage]

Looking good! Camponotus Essigi are a one of a kind species. Awesome queens there.

Thank you. And yes, it's quite the cool looking species indeed.

[ReignofRage]

Camponotus semitestaceus has two workers now.

[ReignofRage]

 

C. semitestaceus queen with it's first two workers.

[ReignofRage]

Caught a Camponotus vicinus alate and a dealate recently. 

 

Edited by ReignofRage, May 30 2021 - 12:14 PM.

[ReignofRage]

The dealate died.

[ReignofRage]

June 3rd

 

 

C. anthrax - Finally got eggs!

 

 

 

C. clarithorax - One colony got two workers.

 

 

 

C. essigi - Two cocoons and a couple larvae ready to pupate.

 

 

 

C. sp. - Has a couple pupae now and more larvae ready to pupate.

 

 

 

C. maritimus - Some pupae ready to pupate.

 

 

 

C. semitestaceus - Still has two workers.

 

 

 

C. us-ca02 - both have two workers and both have very dark pupae.

 

 

 

C. vicinus - The queen with brood has now laid more eggs and the alate is now a dealate.

 

 

 

L. occidentale - The massive brood pile is now comprised mainly of pupae and the other queen isn't doing super well, she now has two larvae that got fungal infections and her brood pile is significantly smaller.

 

 

 

Myrmecocystus sp. - Now has three cocoons and more larvae.

 

 

 

V. pergandei - Two workers, one enclosed a couple days ago and one enclosed recently today.

Edited by ReignofRage, June 26 2021 - 5:02 PM.

[ReignofRage]

The C. semitestaceus has three workers now, watched the two workers open the cocoon last night.

[ReignofRage]

June 10th

 

C. anthrax - I did not take a picture because I do not want to disturb her.

 

 

 

C. clarithorax - Two colonies have workers, both the oddly large and oddly small queens have cocoons.

 

 

 

C. essigi - Mainly cocoons now.

 

 

 

C. sp. - Almost all cocoons for brood, hopefuly workers will come in the next couple weeks.

 

 

 

C. maritimus - Most of the larvae are ready to pupate.

 

 

 

C. semitestaceus - Three workers now, there's one cocoon that they need to open.

 

 

 

C. us-ca02 - One has six workers and the other has four or five workers.

 

 

 

C. vicinus - I did not check the dealate queen, but the  one I did check has three workers.

 

 

 

L. occidentale - Both have workers, one has about 30 or more workers and the other has about five.

 

 

 

M. sp. - There is now more cocoons.

 

 

 

V. pergandei - three workers will another darkening pupa.

Edited by ReignofRage, June 26 2021 - 5:02 PM.

[azzaaazzzz00]

Something I really love about this journal is how many pics are in here.

[ReignofRage]

Something I really love about this journal is how many pics are in here.

Thank you. I kinda thought that if I'm going to check them might as well let eveyone else see what I see.

[ReignofRage]

 

Found a couple P. californicus queens digging chambers at the  beach today.

Edited by ReignofRage, June 15 2021 - 7:37 PM.

[ReignofRage]

I got two more P. californicus dealate queens.

[ReignofRage]

I collected four more P. californicus dealates today, I am going to not collect any more due to the very small population in the area. Also eight is plenty for me.

[ReignofRage]

June 17th

 

C. anthrax - I did not check this queen, I assume she still has eggs.

 

 

 

C. clarithorax - Two colonies have workers, the rest have mainly cocoons and second generation eggs.

 

 

 

C. essigi - The colony now has one worker and a cocoon that should be opened within the next couple days.

 

 

 

C. hyatti - Two of the C. clarithorax I had I didn't really identify until now. Turns out two of them are C. hyatti and both colonis have one to two workers.

 

 

 

C. sp. - One of the cocoons is darkened, so workers should come in the next one to two weeks.

 

 

 

C. maritimus - Still with only larvae.

 

 

 

C. semitestaceus (desert sp.) - Four workers with new eggs.

 

 

 

C. us-ca02 - Both have about eight workers each.

 

 

 

C. vicinus (low-elevation sp.) - Seven workers and lots of brood.

 

 

 

L. occidentale - One colony has 40-45 workers and about ten pupae left. The other has about 15-20 workers with about twenty brood left.

 

 

 

M. Eremnocytsus sp. - No workers yet, still just cocoons and larvae.

 

 

 

P. californicus (concolor) - None have brood yet, check mainly to see if any died.

 

 

 

V. pergandei - Four workers and some pupae.

Edited by ReignofRage, June 26 2021 - 5:04 PM.

[azzaaazzzz00]

Most of the colonies seem to be growing well, can't wait for the next update!

[ReignofRage]

One of the C. hyatti got another worker along with the C. essigi. Also, the C. maccooki got a worker!

[ReignofRage]

 

Not a great picture, but here is the C. maccooki worker.

[PetsNotPests]

 

 

 

Not a great picture, but here is the C. maccooki worker.

 

The best part of keeping ants is when the first workers show up. The amount of happiness and joy you feel when you first realize that you're queen has successfully raised a colony is hard to beat.