17 replies to this topic

[Dumpling]

I will put all of my ant keeping journals here, as I only have a few colonies.

Some ants that will be featured here are:

• Camponotus vicinus
• Camponotus semitestaceus/sansabeanus (idk, I don't have good enough camera to id, and vendor told me it was one of the two.)
• Pogonomyrmex californicus
• Veromessor pergandei

This journal will be mostly text for now, because I don't have a camera to use.

Edited by Dumpling, June 10 2022 - 11:28 AM.

[Bigchungus2137]

Looking forward to see it.

[Dumpling]

Update #1: April 22, 2022

Disclaimer: I have not taken good care of these ants the past months (I've been really busy for the past few months and because of this I neglected my ants), and a few of the workers of most of the colonies died off. I've had a lot of extra free time on my hands as of late, and I have started to care for them better. Also brachymyrmex completely died off due to mold. In the future, I'll be sure to take care of my colonies regardless of how busy I am. Also when I say formerly I mean before I started neglecting them. Now let's begin.

 

Pogonomyrmex californicus (formerly at 25-30 workers): Today these girls are at about 15-20 workers. The queen has been quite busy though. I've been feeding them about every other day with mostly protein, and as a result the queen has went to work. She went on an egg laying spree, and I estimate about 20-30 eggs/young larvae. I've been feeding them a variety of seeds that they seldom accept (I'm trying to figure out what they like most), and mostly earwigs lately. They have been enjoying the earwigs a lot and always consumed them within a few hours of me giving them the food. I'm going to purchase a heating cable to speed up the eggs maturing, and some crickets and fruit flys. I hope the heat and a larger variety of insects will help them out.

 

Camponotus vicinus (formerly at 6 workers): Now this colony is sadly down to three workers and only 4 larvae, 3 of them relatively young and 1 much larger. So far the queen hasn't been laying any eggs, but she is beginning to become psycogastric (sorry for bad spelling,) so I hope she will lay some eggs. I've been feeding mostly superworms lately, but they are beginning to become tired of it. The larger variety of feeders I will be purchasing will surely help these girls out. 

I also have another camponotus vicinus queen, who used to have one worker but is now alone. To my suprise she still has not died, but she isn't accepting any form of food. She also has no brood.

 

Camponotus semitestaceus/sansabeanus (formerly at 2 workers): Both of this queen's workers have died off and she has no brood. She is extremely psycogastric but she is yet to lay any eggs.

Edited by Dumpling, April 22 2022 - 5:57 PM.

[ZTYguy]

Just give them some TLC and they’ll be back in no time! Good luck!

[ANTdrew]

I have a full time job as a middle school teacher, plus two toddlers at home. I still have time for my ants. Each colony needs about five minutes of time a day to thrive. No more excuses, my friend.

[Dumpling]

I have a full time job as a middle school teacher, plus two toddlers at home. I still have time for my ants. Each colony needs about five minutes of time a day to thrive. No more excuses, my friend.

Yeah, the full story of me being "busy" is me hardly having any free time, and then on the rare occasion that I do, I'm just lazy. I've learned my lesson though, and I'll take care of these girls.

 

Just give them some TLC and they’ll be back in no time! Good luck!

Thanks!

 

Also, a bit of a mini update, I got my fruit flies and crickets. I set up my crickets in a cricket keeper, and fed one to my Pogonomyrmex colony. I also fed some fruit flies to all of my colonies and they seem interested but cautious. The pogonomyrmex seem uninterested in the fruit flies but accept the cricket.

Edit: the way I prepped the fruit flys is by getting some of them in a plastic bag and freezing them. (Just wanted to add this in case this was the reason the Pogonomyrmex were uninterested.)

 

I'll update when something important happens like the Pogonomyrmex get large larva/pupae.

Edited by Dumpling, April 23 2022 - 5:54 PM.

[Dumpling]

My C. semitestaceus/sansabeanus queen still hasn't lay any eggs despite being quite psycogastric. My two camponotus vicinus queens also have not layed any eggs, any thoughts? Recently I tried putting them in the closet and not checking on them for a little while because previously I was checking on them multiple times a day. My theory is that the queens are stressed and as a result have not been laying eggs. I just fed them and I'll try not to check on them for 3-4 days. My pogonomyrmex colony on the other hand is doing great.Their egg pile grew a lot and I estimate 35-45 eggs. I've been feeding them small crickets almost every day (and the usual seeds) and today I offered a crushed up almond, which they accepted and gobbled up hapily. I think some of their egg pile are young larvae also.

[Dumpling]

Update #2: May 1, 2022

Pogonomyrmex californicus: This colony is doing the best so far out of all of my colonies. They around 35 eggs, with about 1/3 of those eggs actually being young larvae. They have been quite active lately, dragging crickets, seeds, and fruit flies to store and eat in their test tube. They stuck tons of sand on the side of the test tube, so it makes it kind of hard to view them. I decided to move them into a small 3d printed nest that I know even this relatively destructive species can't chew through (I was thinking of using firebrick but I think that they might be able to dig into it so I used something else.) They have been eating lots and lots lately so I think their larvae is well fed. For some reason they don't want to move into the new nest despite me blowing air with a straw into their test tube and having light on the test tube. I'm thinking of just dumping them into the outworld because they've found the nest but refuse to move, but I'm concerned that they might get crushed by the things in their nest or the brood gets damaged if I dump them out because they are storing seeds in the test tube. What should I do?

 

Camponotus vicinus: My all black Camponotus vicinus colony (The one with three workers and 4 larvae) finally layed an egg. Just one egg but its something.

 

The other two queens didn't lay any eggs but are still alive.

 

Edit: Pogonomyrmex are exploring new nest a lot and looks like they will move soon. I didn't have to dump them! 

 

Edit Edit: So the Pogonomyrmex moved all their food stores to the new nest, but have yet to move the brood and queen. If they don't move by the time I get home from school then I'm dumping them

Edited by Dumpling, May 2 2022 - 7:21 AM.

[Dumpling]

Mini update:

The P. californicus fully moved into the new nest. I thought the nest was a bit big for them but they stored a whole lot of seeds and dried up insects inside so it seems okay. Also a lot of the time the majority of the colony is attempting to dig a nest out of the pebbles I added into the outworld, but the rocks aren't holding thankfully. They've been at it for hours and hours and refuse to give up. I will send pic of setup soon.

Also I recounted and managed to get an accurate count due to the increased visibility of the nest. They are at 23-24 workers.

Edited by Dumpling, May 2 2022 - 6:25 PM.

[Dumpling]

All black camponotus vicinus is up to 3 workers, 6 eggs, 3 young larvae, and one mature larvae! 

[Dumpling]

Update #3: May 6, 2022

Pogonomyrmex californicus: This colony has not progressed that much, but I have seen a bit of larvae growth. They are doing good in their new nest and outworld, and are so much more entertaining to watch in their large outworld. They have not been foraging yesterday and today, but I'm not concerned because they have tons of food stores in their nest. I've been offering various seeds and nuts, including dandelion seeds, kentucky blue grass seeds, crushed sunflower seeds, and crushed almonds.

 

Camponotus vicinus all black: I gave them a small outworld connected to their test tube, and they drank a lot of sugar water. I've been trying a new sugar formula with less sugar and more water (1:6) and my Camponotus are enjoying it a lot. They also have a small batch of eggs with about 6 or seven eggs. They covered up their nest entrance with a bit of pebbles so I think they are well fed enough to stay in the nest for a little while. I've been feeding them a lot of fruit flies as of late.

 

Camponotus vicinus bicolor: They have nothing to update. No eggs, not accepting food. Will probably die soon.

 

Camponotus sansabeanus: Yay, this queen layed eggs!! Last time I checked I saw a couple of eggs. I'm going to name this queen salsa one because I bought a new salsa colony!!! I recently purchased a Camponotus sansabeanus colony (or salsa 2) from reign of rage (would recommend, great prices and great quality ants!) with 2 queens, 6 workers, 1 pupae, and a nice pile of young brood. I moved them into a tubs and tubes setup, and they consumed a ton of sugar water. The queens are beginning to look super psycogastric. They also ignored a cricket but ate a fruit fly. I have high hopes for this colony in the future!!! 

 

Thanks for reading!

[Dumpling]

Update #3: May 14, 2022

Pogonomyrmex californicus: A little bit of sad news today, one worker died. They were a lot smaller than most of her sisters, so I'm assuming it's an older worker. It went out into the outworld and just stood still, slowly curling up into a ball and dying. Another piece of evidence that it was only old age is because this worker died on the 7th and there have been no other worker deaths. Otherwise, this colony is doing okay. I'm seeing the brood slowly mature because I have yet to buy a heating cable, (soon I will) but the growth is definetly there. I have been feeding them either about 10-12 fruit flies or 1 cricket every other day, and kentucky blue grass and other seeds available at all times. I will try to disturb them less in hopes that the queen will lay a new batch of eggs.

 

Camponotus vicinus all black: The mature larvae pupated! Now they are at 1 pupae, 2 medium larvae, and somewhere in the range of 8-12 eggs and young larvae. They have been mostly eating fruit flies but today I offered a mealworm. I'm a little bit concerned because they don't accept much sugar water (one parts sugar and 5-6 parts water.) Should I use a different sugar mixture or honey? The queen looks quite skinny and unlike my salsa 2 colony, the workers almost never have food in their social stomachs.

 

Camponotus vicinus bicolor: Still nothing to update

 

Camponotus sansabeanus: Starting with the single queen or salsa 1, she has some brood. She has 2 eggs, 1 damaged looking egg, and 1 deformed looking larvae. I hope the egg and larvae are okay. The queen is still quite psycogastric, but doesn't seem to be the best mother. Moving on to salsa 2, or the 2 queen colony with 6 workers, their single pupae failed to eclose sadly. I found it at their trash pile. Other than that they have been readily accepting food and the queens are psycogastric. They have 1 medium larvae, and tons, and tons, and tons, and tons of eggs and young larvae. I guess the production of 2 well-fed queens is super high! I expect a worker explosion in about 2-3 months. Overall I'm super happy with this colony and I really hope they do well. The workers and queens are SO pretty.

[Dumpling]

Update #4: May 17, 2022

Pogonomyrmex californicus: Nothing to report. Normal brood growth and food intake.

 

Camponotus vicinus all black: Up to 2 pupae! Other than that nothing to report

 

Camponotus vicinus bicolor: I'm starting to give up on this one...

 

Camponotus sansabeanus: Ok, so I mostly updated to report something about these colonies. Salsa 1 (single queen) has little to report. She is up to four eggs. I'm thinking of stealing one fo Salsa 2's pupae to brood boost her, and give her a much higher chance of survival, but I'm unsure how to do that. Their brood pile is all the way in the back of the test tube and I don't kow how to access it. How do you guys do it? Anyway, moving on to Salsa 2, Sadly they killed off one of the queens. It was quite gruesome and the queen's head was twisted upside down, its head barely holding on by a thread. It was still barely moving, so I decided to humanely euthanize it by putting it in the freezer. I'm really sad about this death, because I would have separated them if I knew it would happen so soon. 

[Dumpling]

Mini update: So I decided to brood boost salsa 1 with a pupae and a couple of larvae from salsa 2. The queen decided to bite the pupae and spray formic acid on it, but then added it to the brood pile. I hope the pupae makes it...

[Dumpling]

Update #5 May 25, 2022

Pogonomymex californicus: Minimal brood growth, probably due to not being on heat. The delivery for my heating cable got delayed like twice. I can't wait to see the developement when they are heated.

 

Camponotus vicinus all black: This colony is up to 2 pupae, 1 large larvae, 1 young larva, and like ten eggs. They have a decent feeding response with 2/3 workers heading out at the sight of food . I can see this colony making a comeback in the forseeable future.

 

Camponotus vicinus bicolor: hopeless. Must more be said?

 

Camponotus sansabeanus: Salsa 1 accepted the brood from salsa 2. Not much more to update about salsa 1. Salsa 2 on the other hand had their first worker death. I don't know why. They have 1 large large larva, a few medium larvae, and lots of young ones.

Edited by Dumpling, May 25 2022 - 8:58 PM.

[Dumpling]

Update #6 June 10, 2022

Pogonomyrmex californicus: Their brood is growing at a steady rate. They have a few larvae that are about ready to pupate, quite a few medium sized larvae, and lots of young larvae. I'm excited for some more workers in the coming months! They enjoy hunting down live termites.

 

Camponotus vicinus all black: Wow, these guys are starting to make a comeback. All of their batch of 10 eggs have hatched and are already growing. They have 2 new workers since the last update  ! They are up to 5 workers, 4 pupae, and about 7 larvae at various stages. These guys are growing faster than I expected! They are readily accepting various foods including mealworms, sugar water (1:4), fruit flies, and termites.

 

Camponotus sansabeanus: Salsa 2 are growing at a disappointing rate. their larvae and pupae are at around the same stages as the last update. I think that the issue is that they do not like mealworms and I offer them a lot. They seldom accept fruit flies, but I ran out of those. I recently offered fruit flies and they accepted that. Salsa 1's pupae that I brood boosted has yet to eclose but I expect that it will happen soon.

 

Veromessor pergandei: I have good news and bad news. The good news is that i got a new colony. The bad news is that quite a bit of the colony died (about 10/30.) Because of a couple dying during shipping, a few escapes getting injured, and a little flooding accident in their test tube. Then some seeds germinated within their nest. Should I move them into a new test tube? or will they remove the seeds that germinated?

[Dumpling]

update coming soon

 

havent been updating because my room was rearranged (furniture and stuff) and vacation and other stuff i don't want to talk about on an ant forum.

[ANTdrew]

Ok