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Legendary Atta Mexicana - It doesn't get any bigger than this ;)

Started By Luke_in_AZ , Aug 4 2021 8:43 PM

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#41 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 16 2021 - 10:34 AM

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Yes, these ants are just so big it's easier to get crazy pictures.  And I'm just using a cell phone!   I bet someone with a nice camera could get amazing pictures.


#42 Offline Chasicle - Posted August 17 2021 - 9:30 PM

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Loving this journal! Keep it up!
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#43 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 18 2021 - 9:25 AM

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I've made this queen "The Chosen One" and boosted her with all of this brood.  Initially she gathered them all up and all looks good but we'll see if she accepts them because many have been picky with just the boosted fungus alone.  No larvae yet but eggs keep piling up!

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#44 Offline SoySauce - Posted August 18 2021 - 11:19 AM

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Where did you get the additional brood?
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#45 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted August 18 2021 - 1:14 PM

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Where did you get the additional brood?

yeah i can't imagine that disturbing a mature colony of Atta would be a very good idea


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1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

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#46 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted August 18 2021 - 1:20 PM

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Where did you get the additional brood?

yeah i can't imagine that disturbing a mature colony of Atta would be a very good idea

 

 

My colony may not be mature, but opening their main nest chamber to get some fungus and brood for luke definitely was not fun...


Edited by CheetoLord02, August 18 2021 - 1:20 PM.

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arthropodantics.com

#47 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 18 2021 - 3:09 PM

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There was a few hidden in the fungus boost that I gave the queens.  I gathered all of the random brood / larvae hiding in the fungus and gave it to just one queen instead of some queens getting a random worker.


 

 

Where did you get the additional brood?

yeah i can't imagine that disturbing a mature colony of Atta would be a very good idea

 

 

My colony may not be mature, but opening their main nest chamber to get some fungus and brood for luke definitely was not fun...

 

I don't know Cheeto, I thought it was pretty exciting!  Giant jaws all over. lol


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#48 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted August 18 2021 - 3:34 PM

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There was a few hidden in the fungus boost that I gave the queens.  I gathered all of the random brood / larvae hiding in the fungus and gave it to just one queen instead of some queens getting a random worker.

Where did you get the additional brood?

yeah i can't imagine that disturbing a mature colony of Atta would be a very good idea
My colony may not be mature, but opening their main nest chamber to get some fungus and brood for luke definitely was not fun...
I don't know Cheeto, I thought it was pretty exciting!  Giant jaws all over. lol
Maybe not if your the person who has to stick their hands in there lol
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My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#49 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 18 2021 - 4:01 PM

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I’ll pass on that!
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#50 Offline SoySauce - Posted August 18 2021 - 4:11 PM

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Where did you get the additional brood?

yeah i can't imagine that disturbing a mature colony of Atta would be a very good idea
My colony may not be mature, but opening their main nest chamber to get some fungus and brood for luke definitely was not fun...

Totally worth it IMO!!!
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#51 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 18 2021 - 8:16 PM

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Definitely. And they don't really hurt when they Bite you. Any stinging ant is 100 times worse because it lasts a long time


Edited by Luke_in_AZ, August 19 2021 - 7:16 AM.

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#52 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 19 2021 - 8:46 PM

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It looked like The Chosen One (boosted queen) was going to raise all of the brood I gave here for a while but then after a few days, she threw most away and then scattered some of her fungus.  There are still ~2 small workers she has kept though.  I guess the others weren't chosen by her!  

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#53 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 19 2021 - 8:47 PM

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(the green in the picture is just a green sugar water spot)


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#54 Offline SoySauce - Posted August 20 2021 - 4:53 AM

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(the green in the picture is just a green sugar water spot)


Do Atta need sugar water? If they are anything like Acromyrmex’s, I don’t think they need it.
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#55 Offline SoySauce - Posted August 20 2021 - 4:56 AM

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It looked like The Chosen One (boosted queen) was going to raise all of the brood I gave here for a while but then after a few days, she threw most away and then scattered some of her fungus.  There are still ~2 small workers she has kept though.  I guess the others weren't chosen by her!


That’s a shame about the boosting and fungus, but very interesting!
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#56 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 20 2021 - 8:06 PM

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(the green in the picture is just a green sugar water spot)


Do Atta need sugar water? If they are anything like Acromyrmex’s, I don’t think they need it.

 

I've seen other Atta species take honey / sugar water when they are larger colonies


#57 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 20 2021 - 8:19 PM

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Most queens are doing well but others are still randomly dying.  Typically these are queens that never laid eggs but even queens with fungus and eggs that I thought would be the very best randomly die.  Like other species I suppose but it hurts me so much more when one of these queens dies.   :fool:   You watch their progress, are rooting for them and get attached to them.  Non-anting people would think I'm nuts but hey, that's why we have formiculture I guess huh!?   :lol:

 

This is what the queens look like that are doing well and then others that really haven't gotten their crap (or fungus) together yet.

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#58 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 21 2021 - 2:50 AM

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RIP Atta queens 2021- 2021
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#59 Offline mmcguffi - Posted August 21 2021 - 8:51 AM

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I lost most of my Atta (texana) foundresses to seemingly random death -- unfortunately this is normal. They have the highest mortality of any ant I have tried to found

 

Attached is a figure from a study that shows the vast majority of Atta (texana) foundresses die even the hands of experts:

https://link.springe...0040-015-0413-7

 

Screen Shot 2021-08-21 at 11.47.15 AM.png


Edited by mmcguffi, August 21 2021 - 8:51 AM.

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#60 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted August 21 2021 - 9:28 AM

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Thanks for sharing! I was starting to feel like I'm a really bad ant keeper but looks like this is just normal for Atta. 67% are still alive and look good. :)

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