195 replies to this topic

[AntBoi3030]

Ok I heard they really thrive when given mealworms,crickets,cockroaches but I bet they will do fine with that diet.

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Snapped another photo last night. Sure seem to have a lot of new callow workers now. 

 

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Got another photo of the brood last night. I think my Pogonomyrmex colony is my favorite to watch when I feed them. They get so excited about any protein I put in there. (Last night it was fruit flies.) 

 

 

[AntBoi3030]

Wow is it just me or did that pupae pile get 25% bigger in two days?

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Wow is it just me or did that pupae pile get 25% bigger in two days?

 

It certainly seems that they are growing quite a bit faster now. I'm assuming since it's now July, that they are growing faster with higher ambient temps. (They are still being heated 24/7 with a heat cable too.) I'm really interested to see how they are doing by the end of the month. I foresee them outgrowing the fallen fortress by the end of summer as a very real possibility. 

[cap_backfire]

I'm very new but plan to get a Pogonomyrmex colony next (year) so forgive me but what are 'callow workers'?   

[TacticalHandleGaming]

I'm very new but plan to get a Pogonomyrmex colony next (year) so forgive me but what are 'callow workers'?   

 

The almost tan looking workers are recently enclosed from being pupae. These are called callow workers. 

[cap_backfire]

So they're not another type, like a major or something, just newly eclosed?   OK cool.  If that's the case I learned a new word!  

[Kaelwizard]

So they're not another type, like a major or something, just newly eclosed?   OK cool.  If that's the case I learned a new word!  

Correct and it is regardless of caste. For example, a major that just eclosed would also be a callow.

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Well, had a minor mishap and slightly overfilled the water tower on Friday. However nothing bad seems to have come of it other than there was some minor condensation on the glass for a day. Here's a photo from Friday. 

 

 

[AntBoi3030]

On their way to greatness!

[TacticalHandleGaming]

A quick photo from last night when I was feeding the colony. 

 

 

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Some more photos from last night. One of the larvae looks rather large in the first photo. Seems too early for it to be an elate or something... 

 

Brood on the water tower.

 

 

 

Brood near the nest mate. 

 

[AntBoi3030]

Pogonomyrmex Often have different size workers but are monomorphic. It’s kind of like when the 1st generation of workers is smaller than the 2nd. So I doubt they are alates just large workers.

Edited by AntBoi3030, July 8 2021 - 10:30 AM.

[yibsi]

Pogonomyrmex Often have different size workers but are monomorphic. It’s kind of like when the 1st generation of workers is smaller than the 2nd. So I doubt they are alates just large workers.

Same thing with tetramorium immigrans here in central illinois, a lot of times you'll see larger workers and smaller workers in the same colony even though they are monomorphic.

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Really think this colony is my favorite right now. So fun to watch when I feed them. 

 

 

[PetsNotPests]

Look at that brood pile! Pogonomyrmex have been my favorite species forever, and watching them eat never gets old. 

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Snapped a photo this morning before work. 

 

 

[AntBoi3030]

If you look back at the first photo you took and then looked at this one. it’s pretty cool to see all the growth over a few months.

[TacticalHandleGaming]

If you look back at the first photo you took and then looked at this one. it’s pretty cool to see all the growth over a few months.

I counted something like 27 pupae last night. These gals are really growing well in their fallen fortress. Starting to wonder if I need to plan on a bigger nest soon.