23 replies to this topic

[Chickalo]

Hello Formiculture!
 

It's my second Subfamily inclusive journal!  Some update for you all that's brighter than my Formicinae.

 

Whilst I sit here writing up this journal whilst listening to Pink Sand by EX-LYD, my Tetramorium immigrans are caring for about ten new callows!  Much more than the original, like, four.  She's still pumping out eggs which is a good sign, might not have to hibernate them.

 

My Myrmica, on the other hand, stopped laying.  Without the massive brood pile I could finally count how many queens (I got nine, could be wrong though (probably am lol).  I'll probably end up hibernating them by October or something if they continue to not lay.  I've also noticed a decrease in workers foraging from a day to day basis.  Unfortunately they didn't end up producing alates this year.  Still my favourite colony though!  My order for a Fallen Fortress from TarheelAnts should be here any day now, so I'll record them moving with either my phone or the old Nikon camera my dad found (if it even still works and it has better ant-video quality than my phone).

 

My Solenopsis molesta I ended up moving into a terrarium (hold up I'm realising now I don't have any photos, pausing Pokémon D/P/PT Sinnoh Champion Remix).  Alright got the photos (this is like 2 minutes after I typed the previous parentheses) (another parentheses:  The Fallen Fortress just came, I'll be right back [yes I know it's the S. molesta section be quiet]):

 

 

They are nesting under the moss bit on the left.

 

Am back from doing the moving bit, they're very stubborn I'll give them back.

 

SUPRISE, I GOT APHAENOGASTER NOW!

No pictures to prove it (good ones, atleast), but they laid one egg.  I was in the woods looking for some Terrarium materials (got 10 bites on one arm in under 1 minute) when SUDDENLY, a wild Aphaenogaster colony appeared from the tall grass rock (under it they were'nt nesting in it).  I used 10,000 IQ, took out my shovel, and shoved the entire colony into a bag (gently).  I quickly left after that because I could feel diseases such as EEE and Malaria running up my blood stream (moquito moment lol).

 

And with that, this bit of the journal comes to and end.  Somehow, I managed to have fun writing this one (like never happens lol), so have a nice day!

[mantisgal]

What model Nikon?

[Chickalo]

We don't talk about the Nikon.

I did get some toad videos of the lowest quality so that's fine.

 

The Myrmica finished moving into the fortress, and the Aphaenogaster layed more eggs.

[mantisgal]

We don't talk about the Nikon.

But why? Nikons are magic: any lens on any camera

[Chickalo]

 

We don't talk about the Nikon.

But why? Nikons are magic: any lens on any camera

 

Two hints:

It turned out to be from 2003

You can buy one on ebay for 10 USD

[Chickalo]

I have to retype this because a fellow student has closed my lid and now I'm sad.

 

ANYWAYS!

 

MOVING UPDATE (again for me)!

 

Myrmica rubra are in their Fallen Fortress!  They look awesome in their outworld, climbing up the fake foliage and drinking drops of honey from rocks.  So far they've only taken up one chamber, they're probably going to take up more space next summer.  In the Mini Hearth I neglected stopped feeding them for a while since I didn't know when the Fortress would come and I didn't want them overpopulating it. 

 

My Tetramorium immigrans and Aphaenogaster picea are moved into Mini Formisquariums.  The Tetramorium went-done-did and made their own chamber.  I just use the rest of the space as an outworld and direct feed them.  I'll give them an outworld when I A.  get a good container, B.  get plaster, C.  they grow more.  They're also still growing quite rapidly, always with all eggs, larvae, and pupae/callows.  The Aphaenogaster I'm going to hibernate soon since their eggs don't seem to be developing.  Also, I might brood boost them in spring.

[Chickalo]

I swear photos soon please don't kill me-

 

 

Anyways, Tetramorium now have a big pile of callows and larvae which just don't seem to diminish, like "Oop a callows emerged into a worker, time to turn myself into a callow", etc etc.  Imma pop the Aphaeno into a fridge soon, but this is gonna be like, a mostly Tetramorum post.  Oh yeah before Tetramorium, real quick, as I predicted, the Myrmica moved farther into the nest, probably for the m o i s t u r e, as one would.

 

Now for the Tetramorium.  I am a cringe person, so I'm going ahead and naming the Queen and their Nests off of actual place throughout Great Britain.  Their current home, Cheeto's Mini Formisquarium (which is absolutely lovely thank you Cheeto) is Colchester, a town in Essex, England, and I'm pretty sure the first establishment by the Romans?  For the memes the Queen's name is Lizzy (you better get the reference).

[Chickalo]

Second update + PHOTOS

Caught a Myrmica queens, she's drinking honey currently

 

Attached Images

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Edited by Chickalo, September 30 2021 - 4:18 PM.

[Chickalo]

Photoless update:

 

La Tetramorium de immigrans are doing pretty good, nice growth and plenty of eggs, larvae, and pupae.  They actually have a big batch of mature larvae.  I accidentally tapped the side of the outworld, so now they're on the other side of the nest lol.  

 

La Myrmica de rubra ca va tres bien aussi.  They actually began putting their scraps into a mold/fungus (probably mold) that I was too lazy to clean.  Natural instinct kicking in I guess, I mean, if it works it works.  I'll clean it up soon since you know, mold.  I guess you could say I have mold growers (funny reference to Attines, please laugh).  

 

The Aphaenogaster picea are okay, they're having a bit of trouble right now (I gave up on French, should probably do Spanish but like-).  They lost two workers, but the last worker is thriving pretty nice.  They have 3 small to medium sized larvae and eggs, however they haven't been accepting my food.  Arman said to give them walnuts or almonds, none of which I have.  If there's like, any other nuts, please tell me.  I'm gonna pick up some fruit flies soon to try with them.

 

Finally, Echeveria elegans.  Why plant?  Well you see, the Mexican snowball is a succulent plant that I just so happened to receive from my Grandmother Dearest.  Now, the plant I had was rooting at the base, so some leaves fell off, so I took that opportunity to cut them up and try feeding them.  I'm like 90% leaves have carbohydrates and have water.  No other ant but Myrmica liked them.  The Myrmica took to it instantly, chewing on it and such.  Well, I think they liked it, they seemed to drink or something from it more than the others, who kinda ignored it.

 

That's it, I might get some photos maybe not.

[Chickalo]

It's been a while since my last update, but this is a small one.  

 

In short, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis came about 24 hours ago, and quite honestly I love them so far.  I got the 5-10 worker one from TarheelAnts, but when they came they had thirtyish- but I mean, hey, I'm not complaining!  A couple larvae and one callow when they arrived and now more larvae and three callows.  After dumping them into the MiniHearth outworld, they were a bit reluctant to go into the nest after seeing their sisters go down the point of no return, but eventually all of them went in.  And with some time, they learned to scale the tube.  Pretty fun watching them carry seeds back into the nests, some high IQ members of the family carrying two seeds at once (waiting for them to learn how to chuck them down the hole, as I've heard reports of other people's colonies beginning to do that).

 

That's all, you can leave now and maybe like the post, too, you know, if that's not asking too much from you.

Edited by Chickalo, December 18 2021 - 7:58 AM.

[Chickalo]

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SPECIAL (Spoilers:  There's nothing special about this update.)!!!

 

Hello fellow Christian and non-Christian antkeepers and non-antkeepers alike, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, oh yeah inclusive post.  Two small updates to be made, first of all:  Agar agar powder acquired.  If my knowledge is correct I can mix it with bananas or something and badabing badaboom, you have yourself some ant food, call me an ant chief, Gordon Ant-sey if you will.

Second, I gave ants piece of ham from Christmas dinner, results:  Tetramorium are more picky than I'd like and Myrmica are the absolute opposite, God I love that colony.  Tomorrow I'm trying scrambled eggs from breakfast, hopefully the Tetramorium will like it (I've seen my neighbourhood colony eating from a cracked bird egg that fell from a tree, gross but cool).

 

Chickalo signing off-

Edited by Chickalo, December 25 2021 - 4:16 PM.

[Chickalo]

Lovely time for an update, huh?

 

Over break I've been losing my sanity and my sense of time.  So I'm making another update, suck it (in a polite way).

Turns out Pogonomyrmex like my walnut/almond mix so I guess that's pretty cool, would be interesting if other people try it to see their results.  

Myrmica stopped having occasional brood and started a nice spring larvae pile in January, I guess the queens took a couple months off.  Speaking of the queens, they too are getting nice and thicc.

Tetramorium are just vibin, being themselves (ie, invasive and whatnot)

Aphaenogaster picea are also chilling, nothing really for those two.

Agar agar power still in powder form, I'm kinda lazy don't hurt me, I'll get to it maybe.

 

あけましておめでとう、and goodbye.

[OiledOlives]

Finally, Echeveria elegans.  Why plant?  Well you see, the Mexican snowball is a succulent plant that I just so happened to receive from my Grandmother Dearest.  Now, the plant I had was rooting at the base, so some leaves fell off, so I took that opportunity to cut them up and try feeding them.  I'm like 90% leaves have carbohydrates and have water.  No other ant but Myrmica liked them.  The Myrmica took to it instantly, chewing on it and such.  Well, I think they liked it, they seemed to drink or something from it more than the others, who kinda ignored it.

 

That's it, I might get some photos maybe not.

Did you really try to feed plants to your Myrmica 

[PaigeX]

 

Finally, Echeveria elegans.  Why plant?  Well you see, the Mexican snowball is a succulent plant that I just so happened to receive from my Grandmother Dearest.  Now, the plant I had was rooting at the base, so some leaves fell off, so I took that opportunity to cut them up and try feeding them.  I'm like 90% leaves have carbohydrates and have water.  No other ant but Myrmica liked them.  The Myrmica took to it instantly, chewing on it and such.  Well, I think they liked it, they seemed to drink or something from it more than the others, who kinda ignored it.

 

That's it, I might get some photos maybe not.

Did you really try to feed plants to your Myrmica 

 

Echeveria are non toxic and have both water storage and sugar in them. They would make a good hydration source. More like a snack.

[Chickalo]

 

Finally, Echeveria elegans.  Why plant?  Well you see, the Mexican snowball is a succulent plant that I just so happened to receive from my Grandmother Dearest.  Now, the plant I had was rooting at the base, so some leaves fell off, so I took that opportunity to cut them up and try feeding them.  I'm like 90% leaves have carbohydrates and have water.  No other ant but Myrmica liked them.  The Myrmica took to it instantly, chewing on it and such.  Well, I think they liked it, they seemed to drink or something from it more than the others, who kinda ignored it.

 

That's it, I might get some photos maybe not.

Did you really try to feed plants to your Myrmica 

 

I did Virginia Boy, also everything Paige said, succulents are pretty JuIcY

[Leptomyrmx]

Makes sense I guess, there's prickly pear which is apparently quite sweet, and that's a succulent, and also a fruit, which has sugar, which is good for workers, which is good for the colony, which is good fo-

[ANTdrew]

Prickly pears are extremely sweet.

[Chickalo]

I'm making a small post as to not be assumed as dead, I think I've listen to xOoOx_ on repeat 200 times now.

 

I did a little census in some of my Myrmica colony.  They currently are at 8 queens and 75+ workers.  The Tetramorium are basically the same as they were before.  Agar agar still remains in a powder form, but do not lose hope.  Apparently when honey gets stale it become solid-ish, but still an acceptable food source.  The Mealworm market has crashed (not literally mine are all just dead), so I'm going to have to buy new ones soon, I might just clean out their container and add fresh oatmeal.  Pogonomyrmex are chilling and are doing quite well.

 

さよなら

[Chickalo]

Okay I guess I should start posting again.

Update on some colonies:

 

Myrmica has been doing pretty well.  They got a nice healthy brood pile of mostly mature to almost mature larvae, alongside a lot of foraging behaviour recently.

 

Tetramorium does the same, not as much larvae though, nor have they been foraging as much.  Nonetheless, I have a feeling this is gonna be a good season for both.

 

Pogonomyrmex, on the other hand, hasn't been foraging as much nor have they been laying eggs.  Time to throw into the fridge?  I don't want to do it unless other people say I should.  (And if so what temperature and for how long???)

 

Also, I got the jelly, they seem to like it but not love it, it's called Thomyam Food Industries jelly.

Edited by Chickalo, March 26 2022 - 2:14 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Are you heating the colonies? Seems kind of late to start hibernating to me, but I suppose you could.