12 replies to this topic

[KitsAntVa]

Founding

Just yesterday afternoon I went to look in my yard to see if any queens were flying that day. Low hopes since Formica dominated my yard to the point of there not even being tetramorium. I was walking by a Formica nest when I noticed a nest hole right beside the base of an “oak” tree, this day I found 5 new species in one little area not even being bothered by the Formica ants right beside it. This day I caught a trachymyrmex colony with two queens about ten workers and a decent amount of fungus. It’s hugely likely that this is a colony from last year that just woke up and started re growing their fungus and it’s also highly likely that they die, but I will share this experience because other than in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas this species is not only very rare but this is also a new area they have been found in.

Edited by KitsAntVa, May 21 2021 - 1:26 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Very nice! How far down did you dig?

[KitsAntVa]

Not very far, about half a foot to a foot.

[KitsAntVa]

Fear Not They Have Not Died!
This colony has amazed me by surviving and taking on the odds, my humidity chamber works quite well and they have been using their outworld often now. Sadly we only have 1 queen and a couple workers because the queen tried to hide and drowned in a crack but other than that they have grown two small bits of fungus since capture and have doubled its size with oats, lettuce, clovers, rose petals, and honey which i'm very happy about. I lost all fear of losing this colony starting yesterday when my step father showed a video he took of a Trachy worker carrying a cut oak leaf and he even got to know where it went! Hopefully I can catch some queens this year for my own colony and for some people that want them in VA!

Edited by KitsAntVa, May 27 2021 - 5:11 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Yup! I’m counting on you, bro!

[KitsAntVa]

Pics added

[TennesseeAnts]

Awesome! Be sure to try fresh rose petals. My colonies love them.

[ZTYguy]

Awesome!

[aznphenom]

@tennesseeAnts Was it you that also said you find them around oak trees? I know someone did. Now I'm very curious if oak trees only grow in well drained soil or something.

[TennesseeAnts]

@tennesseeAnts Was it you that also said you find them around oak trees? I know someone did. Now I'm very curious if oak trees only grow in well drained soil or something.

Yes, it probably was, though many people on here have observed the same thing.

[KitsAntVa]

Funny thing is that my step father said the workers were heading toward a rose bush with a leaf in its mouth, Since I have 2 rose bushes and a flower bush (don't know what kind) I have a ton of food for them that even the ants picked to live by.

[ZTYguy]

Leafcutters do dumb stuff like that. My Acromyrmex do crap like that all the time. hehe

Edited by ZTYguy, May 27 2021 - 9:10 AM.

[ANTdrew]

@tennesseeAnts Was it you that also said you find them around oak trees? I know someone did. Now I'm very curious if oak trees only grow in well drained soil or something.

Oak trees are the predominant trees of our forests, so they grow in basically all conditions from dry slopes to standing water in wetlands. There are also many, many species each with different growth habits.