61 replies to this topic

[Aaron567]

May 25, 2017

 

10 days ago at around 9:00 PM, I found a winged Odontomachus haematodus queen walking away from a blacklight. I captured her and was thinking she was infertile after she hadn't taken off her wings for several days.

 

Then, I checked on her after I had her for about a week, and she had laid an egg that she was actually taking care of. I began to think this is a fertile queen that did not take off her wings, similar to many queens caught at blacklights at night.

 

I then gave her an outworld to forage in, and I have been experimenting on which foods she enjoys best. So far, she likes crickets and mealworms, but she did not care for the moths I offered her. She also does not seem interested in sugar water or honey as of now.

 

Yesterday, I realized that her chances of founding a colony would be increased drastically if I brood boosted her with pupae from a wild colony. There are several Odontomachus colonies around my house, and there is one colony that brings their pupae above ground when they are moving them to a different part of the nest. So today, I took one pupa from a worker that was carrying it, and gave it to my queen. She has accepted it and is now caring for it. I will update this journal when the pupa ecloses into her first worker, that shall help her found a colony.

 

The night I caught her

 

 

Carrying her egg

 

 

Her new pupa

Edited by Aaron567, August 22 2021 - 2:34 PM.

[123LordOfAnts123]

Nice find. In a way, I'm a bit jealous we don't have this larger species farther down south. Of course, I suppose It's only a matter of time before they get here.

[Aaron567]

Nice find. In a way, I'm a bit jealous we don't have this larger species farther down south. Of course, I suppose It's only a matter of time before they get here.

 

Yeah, I've always thought the ones here were O. brunneus until I looked at the measurements of the specimens on antweb.com. I was quite surprised by how small they are. The workers I find here are easily 10-12mm. 

[Superant33]

Great find. I know they are invasive, but a part of me hopes they spread to Texas.

[Aaron567]

Great find. I know they are invasive, but a part of me hopes they spread to Texas.

 

They already are in Texas.

 

Nevermind, guess they aren't.

Edited by Aaron567, May 25 2017 - 5:15 PM.

[Aaron567]

May 26, 2017

 

Well, today the pupa hatched.

 

 

"I will update this journal when the pupa ecloses into her first worker, that shall help her found a colony."

 

Yeah, nevermind.

 

Time to wait for that wild colony to bring another pupa above the ground.   

Edited by Aaron567, July 3 2018 - 10:16 AM.

[Mdrogun]

Well, today the pupa hatched.

 

 

"I will update this journal when the pupa ecloses into her first worker, that shall help her found a colony."

 

Yeah, nevermind.

 

Time to wait for that wild colony to bring another pupa above the ground.   

to be so happy, then to have your dreams crushed. Haha

Edited by Mdrogun, May 26 2017 - 9:13 PM.

[Superant33]

Texas has O. clarus, but I have never observed a specimen. Apparently they used to be found in my area before invasive species (mostly invicta) out competed them. I plan on traveling to west Texas this summer. My friend owns a ranch and he claims that they are present. My anting goal is to have a colony or two of odontomachus. Please keep your journal updated. I am reading it with great interest!

[Aaron567]

June 3, 2017

 

Since the last update, a lot has changed with this queen.

 

I did end up collecting three new pupae (from the wild colony) to give to this queen, since the last pupa I gave to her happened to be a male. One of the three have hatched so far, and it is another male. I do have hope that at least one worker will eclose from these last 2 pupae that she has.

 

So, now she has 2 male ants just sitting in the tube, doing nothing. It has been quite a while and she has not killed them. She is also keeping their cocoon shells in the test tube with her, as if they are still pupae. I think she's a hoarder. She can't really communicate with the males, so she just acts like they are pieces of brood. She picks them up to move them, and they fold up their legs and antennae while she does so.

 

This queen no longer has just one egg; she now has seven! One of her eggs (probably the oldest one) looks to be turning yellow, perhaps getting ready to hatch into the first larva.

 

 

 

The following weeks after I created this journal, I have caught a total of three more Odontomachus haematodus queens. One of them was just caught a few hours ago. Each new queen was caught a couple days apart, so obviously they are not going to develop at the same time.

 

Two of these queens have actually shed their wings, and one of them has just laid her first egg after about five days of having her.

Edited by Aaron567, July 3 2018 - 10:18 AM.

[Antking117]

Very cool! I have heard they are hard to keep, so good luck! Keep us updated!

[123LordOfAnts123]

I've had good luck rearing Odontomachus brunneus; they've been incredibly easy to raise so long as they're well fed and a few things (such as larval pupation substrate) accounted for. I'd imagine this species be no different, especially due to it's invasiveness.

[Aaron567]

I've had good luck rearing Odontomachus brunneus; they've been incredibly easy to raise so long as they're well fed and a few things (such as larval pupation substrate) accounted for. I'd imagine this species be no different, especially due to it's invasiveness.

What do you suggest me feeding them? I've had a few problems with this Queen accepting food.

[123LordOfAnts123]

I've had good luck rearing Odontomachus brunneus; they've been incredibly easy to raise so long as they're well fed and a few things (such as larval pupation substrate) accounted for. I'd imagine this species be no different, especially due to it's invasiveness.

What do you suggest me feeding them? I've had a few problems with this Queen accepting food.

Flour beetle larvae, baby earwigs, flightless fruit flies, and roach nymphs have all been staples for my colonies and founding queens, and are normally accepted with gusto. All are fed live.

[Aaron567]

I have a total of 10 Odontomachus queens now, but I will continue to just keep this journal focused on the first one I caught. Three of the four pupae I brood boosted this queen with turned out to be males, and now there is one left which I'm guessing is also likely to be a male.

 

Best news of all, this queen just got her first larva! This means that these eggs take almost 20 days to hatch into larvae. 

 

You can see the strange spiky larva right next to the eggs in this picture.

 

 

She also has around 12 eggs currently.

 

 

Edited by Aaron567, July 3 2018 - 10:22 AM.

[Aaron567]

June 18, 2017

 

Here's a better picture of the single larva. You can also see that it has been growing. We should be getting more larvae very soon.

 

Edited by Aaron567, July 3 2018 - 10:24 AM.

[Samuelp.1]

Very good.

 

 I have a odontomachus I think is brunneus and has some eggs, but I still do not see larvae.

 

Keep telling us about your queen.  

Edited by Samuelp.1, August 1 2017 - 10:37 AM.

[Aaron567]

August 16, 2017

 

Finally an update!!

About 3.5 weeks ago, this queen got her first pupa, and then got a second one just a few days later. Today, she has her first adorable little nanitic. I now hope this one-worker colony can grow into a strong colony. It will take a while but I will be updating this journal along the way. The excitement!

 

Edited by Aaron567, July 3 2018 - 10:25 AM.

[Superant33]

I am filled with jealousy and will take it out on my cat. I have two odontomachus queens and I think they are both infertile. Eggs never develop.

[Leo]

argh so jealous 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

buuuuut good job 

[Samuelp.1]

Congratulations, I have a odontomachus brunneus but it's been limping for about a week, I think it will die