231 replies to this topic

[antsriondel]

Give the pheidole queen some nectar and don’t touch her for two weeks

Would honey also work?

[Canadian anter]

I suggest feeding the Pheidole queen and not touching her for a bit.

 

Also, Manica can be easily reared by boosting them with wild workers or brood of either Manica, Myrmica, or Aphaenogaster.

[antsriondel]

I suggest feeding the Pheidole queen and not touching her for a bit.

 

Also, Manica can be easily reared by boosting them with wild workers or brood of either Manica, Myrmica, or Aphaenogaster.

Whoa did not know that! Thanks! It would be hard for me to find brood but I will try.

[antsriondel]

Hey guys! It is update time!

 

Liometopum colony three: Doing great, I am finally starting to see some nice sized larvae which makes me excited. Also does anyone have any names for this colony? 

 

 

Liometopum colony four: This is really annoying for me. Like really. They moved into their substrate. They are doing great, they just decided "Hey look there is sand, let's build an empire." What do I do?

 

 

Pheidole colony: She actually has a nice pile of eggs and her one larvae. I hope she survives.

 

 

Manica Queen: I tried to find brood (to boost her) but unfortunately it was too late in the season so I did not find any. Anyways she is doing great with a nice pile of eggs. (I also need a name for her)

 

 

Lasius Queen nothing new. 

 

 

Camponotus hurculeanus: Still inside their outworld.

 

 

Thanks for reading my journal! God bless. 

Edited by antsriondel, September 28 2023 - 7:09 AM.

[antsriondel]

Update time!

 

Liometopum colony three: They finally moved to their new test tube and have their largest brood pile in six months. Queen Sierra is doing great and is really determined to lay as many eggs as She physically can.

 

 

Liometopum colony four: Doing great! You may notice things look different and that is because they decided to move into the tunnel they had made in their sand. I had to move them to another setup as Colonies in sand tend to disappear.

They love their knew setup and are so fun to watch as their feeding response is unparalleled. 

 

 

Pheidole anastasii: She has a pupae! I saw that she had one pupae underneath her egg pile that you see in the picture. Should I feed her or just leave her as she is so close to getting workers?

 

 

Camponotus hurculeanus: One of their workers likes to chill in the nest and the others and the Queen still live in their outworld.

 

 

Manica Queen: She has larvae! This Queen is doing great and I am really excited for her future.

 

 

Lasius Queen: I am just going to put this colony into hibernation as she has not laid any eggs.

 

 

Thanks for reading my journal! God bless. 

[antsriondel]

Update!

 

Liometopum colony four: I have started to feed them insects daily and I mean big insects like large beetles, caterpillars, etc. They love this new feeding boost and I am going to be putting them on heat very soon. In the photos you can see their callow workers surrounding the egg pile.The first job of a new worker is to take care of the nest which means regularly cleaning the eggs, larvae.

 

 

Liometopum colony three: They have a nice brood pile but I am contemplating putting them in hibernation as they have been slowing down unlike my other colony. They are doing great I just think it could help them a lot.

 

 

Pheidole anastasii: Not doing great  . Her pupae dissapeared and there are definitely no workers. She has a small brood pile and I am wondering should I put her in hibernation? 

 

 

Manica species: Doing great! I thought she would be a slow grower but she has been incredibly fast second only to my Liometopum. She has a nice pile of eggs and larvae and now I just have to wait for workers.

 

 

Camponotus hurculeanus: Nothing new. 

 

Lasius Queen: I have decided to put her in hibernation. 

 

 

Thanks for reading my journal! God bless. 

 

[antsriondel]

Update! First I have to address that all of the colonies in this post are not going into hibernation, yet the ones you do not see are on their way to a nice hibernation. Now that that's over with let's get on with the update. 

 

Liomtopum colony three: I decided to put them on the heat as it would boost their growth activity, and it has done just that. They are very active and are receiving plenty of food.

 

 

Liometopum colony four: This colony is doing great. They are extremely active and equally aggressive when it comes to food. There is usually at least ten workers running around in the outworld which is awesome. Queen Samah is doing great and has definitely increased brood production. 

 

 

Pheidole anastasii: This Queen is not doing well. She lost all of her eggs to a flood that was caused by her digging into the cotton, her pupae just randomly disappeared and her test tube was full of mold. I moved her to a new setup with some food in the hopes she can rebound her colony.

 

 

Manica Queen: She is awesome! I am so excited to see workers as she is one of the most beautiful Queens I have ever seen. She has a nice pile of larvae and is a very avid eater. 

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read my journal! God bless. 

[antsriondel]

Unfortunately the P anastasii did not make it.   Will look into getting Californica next year if they are available.

Edited by antsriondel, November 24 2023 - 6:39 AM.

[antsriondel]

Update! 

 

Liometopum colony three: Growing steadily, I will move them into a new formicarium soon.

 

 

Liometopum colony four: This colony is doing really great I am going to move them into a Tarheelants Mini Hearth tomorrow if I have time.

 

 

Manica Queen: Doing great should get a pupae in the next two weeks. Also in the picture the larvae are all chowing down on their latest meal.

 

 

New unidentified Queen: I found this Queen while flipping rocks and was greatly surprised because of how late it is in the year.

 

 

Thanks for reading my journal! God bless. 

[100lols]

New queen is so pretty! Looks like nothing is slowing down your girls

[antsriondel]

New queen is so pretty! Looks like nothing is slowing down your girls

Thanks! Also I mixed up the Liometopum colonies. I am moving Queen Sierra into a Mini Hearth not Queen Samah.

[JustabirdfromFlorida]

I wish we had manica in Florida. They are so pretty.

Edited by asim, October 28 2023 - 10:14 AM.

[antsriondel]

Update! All of the colonies shown are not going into hibernation just for your information.

 

Liometopum colony three: They love their new home. They piled their brood along the edge I am heating and are getting food every day or so.

 

 

Liometopum colony four: They are close to one hundred workers and are voracious eaters. Everything I put in a day ago is pretty much hollowed out. They have a massive brood pile and are hopefully going to 

get a formicarium soon.

 

 

Manica Queen: She has four larvae and should get a pupae any day now. Hopefully soon as I have big plans for her.

 

 

Thanks for reading my journal! I am leaving on a trip to see family and will not be able to post my weekly update next Thursday. I will hopefully be back in time to get an update on Saturday next week. God bless. 

[100lols]

Safe travels! Is that a minihearth?

[antsriondel]

Hey guys sorry for the late update. During the trip someone in the family passed away and we had to go to the funeral. Anyways I am back and will update continually every Thursday.

 

Liometopum colony three: They lost some workers this week but should bounce back. This colony did not do as well as I expected but they should start growing again.

 

 

Liometopum colony four: Nothing serious changed while I was gone, "heh," except for the massive pile of eggs they have. They are nearing one hundred workers and are starting to get larger workers. 

 

 

 

Manica Queen: She has four massive larvae and is doing really well. I hope she makes it to get workers.

 

 

Thanks for all the support! To answer @100lols question yes they live in a mini hearth. Actually the same one that the Darkwings lived in. Anyways I hope everyone has a good day! God bless. 

[antsriondel]

Uh, these past few weeks have been a rollercoaster. I was unable to post yesterday as I was bed ridden with the flu. Today I am well enough to post so here we go.

 

Liometopum colony three: I might have to move this colony out of their mini hearth as they lost more workers than they should have. Hopefully they bounce back.

 

 

Liometopum colony four: They are doing great as usual and have around 95 workers. This colony has a bright future and will hopefully reach one hundred workers soon. Also their brood pile is humongous.

 

 

 

Manica Queen: Her larvae have slowed their growth and are still pretty much the same size as last week (I need names for this Queen). 

 

 

Thanks for reading my journal! God bless. 

[100lols]

Hope you get back 100% healthy soon! Nice update

[JustabirdfromFlorida]

Queen Firefox

Queen Lantana

Queen Carmine

[antsriondel]

Queen Firefox

Queen Lantana

Queen Carmine

These sound great! I am now naming the Queen, her royal majesty Queen Carmine.

[Ernteameise]

Uh, these past few weeks have been a rollercoaster. I was unable to post yesterday as I was bed ridden with the flu. Today I am well enough to post so here we go.

 

Liometopum colony three: I might have to move this colony out of their mini hearth as they lost more workers than they should have. Hopefully they bounce back.

 

IMG_9303.jpg

 

Liometopum colony four: They are doing great as usual and have around 95 workers. This colony has a bright future and will hopefully reach one hundred workers soon. Also their brood pile is humongous.

 

IMG_9301.jpg

 

IMG_9302.jpg

 

Manica Queen: Her larvae have slowed their growth and are still pretty much the same size as last week (I need names for this Queen). 

 

IMG_9304.jpg

 

Thanks for reading my journal! God bless. 

Get better soon!