100 replies to this topic

[NPLT]

Update 15: 14/08/21

I came back from my trip, my brother thankfully didn't kill my ants, it seems that my colonies even developed further!

 

Myrmica sp.

Size: 1 queen, ~7-8 workers, larvae, pupae and eggs

Steadily growing it seems, nothing new to report.

 

Brood

Camponotus fallax

Size: 1 queen, about 7 workers, 1 pupae, a batch of eggs

1 worker found a way out, I think I fixed it, in either case, the colony is growing, and the course is steady.

 

Gerd and workers

Manica rubida

Size: 1 queen, about 4 workers, a lot of brood

Worker working, the queen laying, the brood growing all is good.

 

Blurry Devana, brood, and some workers

Lasius (cthonolasius) sp.

Size: 1 queen, brood, host workers, bio workers(?)

The queen finally moved test tubes ( at last ), I think I saw some yellow somewhere, I hope some biological workers have arrived.

 

Sorry, they panic too much to take any photos

Formica rufibarbis

Size: 1 queen, 3 workers, 7 pupae

At last, the best part of this update, this queen got her first workers! And she and her workers, at last has been moved into the Tar Heel Ants nest, and guess what, as soon as she went into the nest, she decided that yeah, this is better, and decided to move her pupae there, then went out, and dragged a struggling workers into the nest, it was absolutely cute seeing it.

 

She senses something coming

In a new home

Closing thoughts:

My dream species, at last has her workers! Can't wait until they grow more!

So, bye, and it would be really nice of you if you'd comment something.

Edited by NPLT, August 14 2021 - 3:45 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Formica founding goes really fast for such a large ant. Congrats! It’s awesome you could get THA all the way out there.

[NPLT]

Formica founding goes really fast for such a large ant. Congrats! It’s awesome you could get THA all the way out there.

Thanks, ordered it in March and was sitting on my shelf since May, and yes, it's great how fast the founding goes, especially since my every ant so far founded very slowly.

[NPLT]

Update 16: 21/08/21

Unfortunately will be going on antoehr trip, again, *sigh*.

 

Myrmica sp.

Size: 1 queen, workers, dunno how many, brood

Holy molly, there's lotta brood... that's all really, we're still expecting a massive, massive population boost.

 

Camponotus fallax

Size: 1 queen, 8 workers, a pile of very small larvae

All is well, they really like to lay next to eachother.

 

Manica rubida

Size: 1 queen, ~4 workers, mountain of brood

They came close to getting onto my hand this week, thankfully the worker was peacefully transferred back into the outworld after her escape, apart from that, nothing much happened, brood developing as slowly as ever but chugging along.

 

Lasius (chtonolasius) sp.

Size: 1 queen, a lot of host workers, brood.

I'm fairly certain there aren't actually biological workers, a shame, I think they might panic too much to actually raise anything, but we'll see how it goes.

 

Formica rufibarbis

Size: 1 queen, 8 workers, pupae.

They're settling in, they also dragged a piece of a cricket into their nest, which is fun but hopefully they'll drag it back out, also, for whatever reason they really like hanging on the ceiling, maybe the water tower is filled too much, since I saw them with their remaining pupae and the cricket being held up in the air, I mean, it makes some sense since they do like drier nests. I took a really blurry photo to show it, I would take a better photo but the nest's position makes it difficult, either way, I'm not moving it since the ants health is more important than photos

 

Closing thoughts: 

No thoughs, head empty.

So, bye, and it would be really nice of you if you'd comment something.

[NPLT]

Update 17: 18/09/21

 

Whoever read this journal probably thought it wouldn't come, lol, anyway, I was waiting for something major to happen, and well, I guess something did happen, mainly, I discovered what I decided to call THE PILE. Also, In a effort to refuel the water tower I accidentally flooded the Formica.

 

Myrmica sp.

Size: Lot's of workers, 1 queen, lots of brood

I honestly stopped counting how many there are, I'm just happy I have a succesful Myrmica colony. 

Camponotus fallax

Size: 7 workers, 1 queen, 11 larvae (?)

They're doing good, will give them a new tube soon, that is all.

 

Manica rubida

Size: 1 queen, 10 workers, brood

We're finally taking off! So, we had our first death, but soon after said death the worker population reached 10! Hopefully good days await this colony.

 

Lasius (chtonolasius) sp.

Size: 1 queen, lotsa host workers, THE PILE

I finally gazed into their tube, and I would like to introduce you to, THE PILE. That white near the cotton? Nope, not more cotton, all eggs.

 

Formica rufibarbis

Size: 1 queen, 11 workers, no brood

So, the size is 11 workers so far, and they continue their habit of pretending they are Myrmecocystus hanging from the roof. No brood, my guess is that they are currently stockpiling for winter, can't blame them, winter is coming. Anyway, today I flooded them, I tried to add water to their water tower but did not realise it drained quite fast when it wasn't plugged, so, the nest got a bit more soaked, they're fine tough, no one died, thankfully. 

 

 

Closing thoughts: 

I feel really bad for flooding the Formica, I mean, I could've just reread instructions instead of experimenting, thank God no ant died though.

So, bye, and it would be really nice of you if you'd comment something.

[NickAnter]

Looks like that pile of eggs by the Chthonolasius is larvae! Incredible how many your queen has, I suppose that's the benefit of tons of host workers.

[NPLT]

Looks like that pile of eggs by the Chthonolasius is larvae! Incredible how many your queen has, I suppose that's the benefit of tons of host workers.

Funnily enough she only has 130 hosts at best, probably even less.

[NickAnter]

Well mine doesnt even have 30, so Id say you are doing pretty good.

[ANTdrew]

What the heck is that pile! Crazy!

[That_one_ant_guy]

HOLY COW

[NPLT]

What the heck is that pile! Crazy!

 

HOLY COW

It is indeed a rather big pile. 

[antgallery]

HOLY! That pile is in every ant keepers dreams!

[antgallery]

Imagine what that pile will look like once they all pupate!

[NPLT]

Update 18: 17/10/21

I was again waiting for something to happen, and, well, something happened, though it could have been a little nicer.

 

Manica rubida

size: 11 workers, 2 larga larvae

Well, tragedy struck here, Devana died this week, leaving 11 workers and 2 larvae queenless, I kind of hope the larvae will develop into males so that at least I'll have a bit of consolation that, since she was bought, she was simply infertile and I wasn't just doing something wrong. In either case, what could have caused it? And what should I do with the workers? Lastly, since she died, and adoption of a new queen is most likely impossible, there will be no further updates to this species unless I get a new colony.

 

 

Myrmica sp.

size: 1 queen, lots of workers, lots of brood.

I'm honestly amazed, winter is fast approaching, I'll be hibernating ants in a month or two, and they just keep on going, loads of brood, I honestly am amazed they still have piles of brood, they even made a second floor from cotton, which I find cute, also, there's now ants in the outworld all the time, I snatched a photo.

 

 

 

Camponotus fallax

size: 1 queen, 8-9 workers, a couple larvae

So, nothing really happened, I think they're preparing for hibernation, which is rather fine, but I'll need to get them a second test tube before they go into the fridge, well, aside from that, everything is fine, I think.

 

 

Lasius (cthonolasius) sp.

size: 1 queen, lots of host workers, lots of brood.

Nihil novi. I will give them a new tube soon.

 

Formica rufibarbis

size: 1 queen, ~10 workers.

Similarly, there's nothing new, they're waiting for hibernation.

 

Closing thoughts:

Sad the Manica rubida queen died.

So, bye, and it would be really nice of you if you'd comment something.

[Antkeeper01]

RIP DEVANA we will all miss you.

I love manica so it really hurt when I saw she died

[NPLT]

RIP DEVANA we will all miss you.

I love manica so it really hurt when I saw she died

Same, it was one of my dream species to keep.

[ANTdrew]

RIP Devana 2021-2021

[geomaniac5]

RIP its so sad when the queen dies and leaves behind a colony. I always feel bad for the workers working so hard when their cause is lost, its sad

[NPLT]

I euthanized the remaining Manica rubida workers by freezing. I don't have anything else to update, nothing much happened, the journal will probably go quiet until hibernation starts.

[NPLT]

As promised a full update will come after hibernation ended, but I just wanted to mention that I swapped out the arena for my Camponotus fallax.

Also that it is my birthday today.