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Dspdrew's Myrmecocystus mexicanus Journal [124] (Updated 2-4-2024)

myrmecocystus dspdrew journal

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#41 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 26 2014 - 5:33 PM

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Still waiting on mine.  :(



#42 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 26 2014 - 5:58 PM

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Don't worry too much, things move very quickly in my apartment ant-wise. :lol:



#43 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 27 2014 - 4:03 PM

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Update 10-27-2014
 

Both new queens eventually ate all their brood. One of the queens died a few days ago. The one remaining queen recently laid more eggs, but has eaten almost all of those again now.



#44 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 27 2014 - 4:23 PM

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Neither of us are having luck with this species, at least you have your Myrmecocystus mimicus...



#45 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 27 2014 - 5:09 PM

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Yeah, one of her only workers found dead today...



#46 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted November 2 2014 - 5:07 PM

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We need to interrogate jimbodw07. He seems to be the only one who has success with his, getting his to the point of getting workers and all.



#47 Offline dspdrew - Posted December 3 2014 - 7:38 PM

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Update 12-3-2014
 

The last queen died yesterday. :( I found her laying there dead in her test tube all colored red for some reason. Better luck next year hopefully.



#48 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted December 3 2014 - 7:41 PM

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Colored red? Are you getting the pink bacteria I have? :blink:



#49 Offline dspdrew - Posted December 3 2014 - 7:47 PM

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I don't know what it was. She was just completely red. :blink:



#50 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted December 3 2014 - 7:48 PM

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Just like ants of mine that die to that red/pink stuff...



#51 Offline LAnt - Posted December 3 2014 - 8:35 PM

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DUN Dun dun:o

#52 Offline dspdrew - Posted July 10 2015 - 8:22 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 7-10-2015
 
I found twelve more of these queens on 7-7-2015, in Goffs, California, which is in the high Mojave Desert. I dug them up from their founding chambers two days after a big storm dropped over an inch of rain there.
 
The founding chambers were very easy to recognize, because they have the largest clods of dirt I've ever seen any queen dig up.
 
med_gallery_2_43_1406129.jpg
 
 
For now I just put all but two of them in test tubes.
 
med_gallery_2_43_131968.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_43_99732.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_43_397381.jpg
 
 
As for the other two, one I put in a small ant farm box that I made with more space to fit these huge ants, and the other I put in my experimental test tube replacement formicarium prototype. Once I get more of the larger spaced ant farm boxes made, I will put more of these in them. I should have more in a few days.
 
med_gallery_2_43_350161.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_43_226592.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_43_664009.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_43_534567.jpg
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#53 Offline nurbs - Posted July 10 2015 - 9:36 PM

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I just read the entire journal. Sucks about your first try. They look like sweet ants. Pun intended. I am sure this batch will make it.

Edited by nurbs, July 10 2015 - 9:37 PM.

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Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#54 Offline Miles - Posted July 11 2015 - 6:55 AM

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This is a gorgeous species. I can't believe how beautiful my queen is, and I can see that is evident in yours, too.


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PhD Student & NSF Graduate Research Fellow | University of Florida Dept. of Entomology & Nematology - Lucky Ant Lab 

 

Founder & Director of The Ant Network. Ant keeper since 2009. Insect ecologist and science communicator. He/Him.


#55 Offline dspdrew - Posted July 11 2015 - 7:02 AM

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Hey did you just get a small portion of your colony, or was it just a small, young colony?



#56 Offline Miles - Posted July 11 2015 - 7:03 AM

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Hey did you just get a small portion of your colony, or was it just a small, young colony?

Small, young colony. First or second year. We nearly got the entire colony - I would expect a few stragglers got left behind.


Edited by Miles, July 11 2015 - 7:05 AM.

PhD Student & NSF Graduate Research Fellow | University of Florida Dept. of Entomology & Nematology - Lucky Ant Lab 

 

Founder & Director of The Ant Network. Ant keeper since 2009. Insect ecologist and science communicator. He/Him.


#57 Offline dspdrew - Posted July 11 2015 - 7:04 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Oh that's the best: a new queen that you know if pretty fit already. You're lucky.


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#58 Offline Miles - Posted July 11 2015 - 7:11 AM

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Oh that's the best: a new queen that you know if pretty fit already. You're lucky.

I am very lucky! I also have a Myrmecocystus navajo queen who has raised a small colony - she might be even prettier than these.


PhD Student & NSF Graduate Research Fellow | University of Florida Dept. of Entomology & Nematology - Lucky Ant Lab 

 

Founder & Director of The Ant Network. Ant keeper since 2009. Insect ecologist and science communicator. He/Him.


#59 Offline dspdrew - Posted July 11 2015 - 7:16 AM

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Yeah some of those are pure yellow. They range though, just like these. I once had a M. mexicanus that was pretty much pure yellow too. Unfortunately it wasn't fertile.
 
gallery_2_128_25814.jpg
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#60 Offline dspdrew - Posted July 11 2015 - 2:06 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 7-11-2015
 
The queen in the ant farm box has finished digging her founding chamber and has closed it off.

 

Here she is digging her founding chamber.

 

 

 

Here she is closing it off.

 


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