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Leptomyrmx's Ant Journal

Started By Leptomyrmx , Jan 3 2022 10:30 PM
#iridomyrmex meat ant brachyponera opisthopsis podomyrma crematogaster aphaenogaster pheidole camponotus

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#41 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted April 17 2022 - 1:05 AM

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P. australis died.

And the meat ants have males? At 12 workers? I hope the queen's ok...

Opisthopsis doing great, at 10 workers, I gave them a new outworld which they've explored.


My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#42 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted April 21 2022 - 5:29 PM

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I feel like all I'm saying is bad news, so here's some more.

Solenopsis died.

The queen decided to come out of the nest and drown herself in a liquid feeder. That's how small they are.

And even more bad news, the Pheidole have a bit of a mite infestation. There's none on the ants luckily, I put some lemon in anyway. They're probably harmless.

On a lighter note the Brachyponera have lots of pupae, and the Pheidole are getting really massive.

Aphaenogaster also laid some eggs. :)


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My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#43 Offline JCRHJM - Posted April 23 2022 - 6:53 AM

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Unlucky with the solenopsis, for smaller species I have had success using a fork to put dots of honey onto a feeding dish.

Also does lemon actually get rid of mites? I've heard some mixed things about it 


#44 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted April 23 2022 - 3:08 PM

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Also does lemon actually get rid of mites? I've heard some mixed things about it 

 

I don't think it does. :P

I tried it anyway, my main tactic is to regularly wash mites of the lid of their outworld.


My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#45 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted May 9 2022 - 9:58 PM

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I can confirm the mites aren't harming the Pheidole. They're doing quite well, I took the lemon out.

O', jp[omh yp ,pbr yjr, omyp s ;sthr yrttstoi,

(see if you can decode it)

 

Brachyponera got ~5 new workers!

 

Also, I'm thinking of getting a Podomyrma sp. with 1 worker. $50 (AUD), think it's worth it?


My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#46 Offline PaigeX - Posted May 11 2022 - 9:00 PM

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I can confirm the mites aren't harming the Pheidole. They're doing quite well, I took the lemon out.

O', jp[omh yp ,pbr yjr, omyp s ;sthr yrttstoi,

(see if you can decode it)

 

Brachyponera got ~5 new workers!

 

Also, I'm thinking of getting a Podomyrma sp. with 1 worker. $50 (AUD), think it's worth it?

Oh man i was looking at that too. but i didn't want the sp. I've bought ants from that person before. they are very nice


Favourite Genus: Polyrhachis 

 
Journal: Main

Instagram: australian_polyrhachis

 

May God Bless you.

#47 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted May 23 2022 - 11:51 PM

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Pheidole are gonna need an upgrade soon... their mites are improving, too.

Aphaenogaster got some new workers and the queen laid some eggs.

Opisthopsis larvae steadily growing.

Other than that, the meat ants have been growing quite slowly but apparently that's just something that second generations of meat ants usually do.

 

Also, my Patreon for my YouTube channel is now live. My YouTube channel is Ants of Sydney and my Patreon can be found here.

little advertising never hurt anyone


Edited by Leptomyrmx, May 23 2022 - 11:55 PM.

My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#48 Offline JCRHJM - Posted May 24 2022 - 6:19 AM

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Pheidole are gonna need an upgrade soon... their mites are improving, too.

Aphaenogaster got some new workers and the queen laid some eggs.

Opisthopsis larvae steadily growing.

Other than that, the meat ants have been growing quite slowly but apparently that's just something that second generations of meat ants usually do.

 

Also, my Patreon for my YouTube channel is now live. My YouTube channel is Ants of Sydney and my Patreon can be found here.

little advertising never hurt anyone

At least you are still getting eggs now, sydney temperature has all of my ant brood stuck in limbo  


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#49 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted May 29 2022 - 11:17 PM

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I'm buying the Podomyrma tonight. Also do you think I should get a 15$ Crematogaster colony too? Speed survey! https://forms.gle/zAN3yc5NpMhRumAB8

Maybe Antdrew can help me to become the first Australian CrematoMaster...


Edited by Leptomyrmx, May 29 2022 - 11:24 PM.

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My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#50 Offline JCRHJM - Posted May 30 2022 - 2:37 AM

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If you have the time and the resources then definitely 


#51 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted May 30 2022 - 11:28 PM

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Done! Got both the Podomyrma and Crematogaster. Both really good deals. I've seen Podomyrma queens go for $200 and I got a queen with a worker for just $50.

They're being posted on Monday so it might be a bit of a wait.


Edited by Leptomyrmx, May 30 2022 - 11:30 PM.

My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#52 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted June 6 2022 - 3:53 PM

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Wood dwellers are coming today!  :yahoo:


My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#53 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted June 6 2022 - 10:22 PM

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They came!

But when I took the bubble wrap off the Crematogaster's test tube, I saw something that made me feel sick...

 

IMG 7991

 

Upon closer inspection it was just some old food. Phew!

There's about 20 workers, here's some photos.

 

IMG 7990
IMG 7993
IMG 7997
IMG 7999

 

They're nesting far from the cotton, which makes sense, being a wood-dwelling species they probably wouldn't need much humidity.

 

The Podomyrma are alive too. They're a little smaller than other Podomyrma I've seen, but I don't mind.

 

IMG 8003
IMG 8007
IMG 8008

 

They have a pupa, some eggs, and big larvae. I'm quite excited about this colony since the species hasn't been documented in captivity at all really.

I'd like to move both these colonies into wood nests some time soon.


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My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#54 Offline NotAxo - Posted June 7 2022 - 2:45 AM

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noice


Currently raising : C. Parius (2x), C. Vitiosus (2x), Carebara Diversa (1x), C. irratians (2x), M. brunnea (1x)

Have raised : Solenopsis

Enjoy anting, NotAxo :D

#55 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 7 2022 - 6:39 AM

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I’ll be following this for Crematogaster updates.
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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.

#56 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted June 7 2022 - 1:44 PM

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I’ll be following this for Crematogaster updates.

 

Thank you, O Crematogasterish Crematomaster!


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My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#57 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 7 2022 - 2:55 PM

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The Order of CrematoMasters needs an Australian member.
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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.

#58 Offline azzaaazzzz00 - Posted June 7 2022 - 2:57 PM

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One day I will catch Crematogaster...I'm not quite ready to go insane yet though. Also not sure if you mentioned this yet but what species is the Crematogaster?


Been keeping ants since January of 2021

Always try new things, even if its hard, hard is not impossible. We are smart and it's good to be smart but not too smart for your own good.

#59 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted June 7 2022 - 4:38 PM

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One day I will catch Crematogaster...I'm not quite ready to go insane yet though. Also not sure if you mentioned this yet but what species is the Crematogaster?

 

Here in Australia we don't identify our Crematogaster :P

Just because it's too hard. I might try when a worker dies though.


My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#60 Offline azzaaazzzz00 - Posted June 9 2022 - 5:40 AM

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Oh, well will be following for the Crematogastors!


Edited by azzaaazzzz00, June 9 2022 - 5:41 AM.

Been keeping ants since January of 2021

Always try new things, even if its hard, hard is not impossible. We are smart and it's good to be smart but not too smart for your own good.
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Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: #iridomyrmex, meat ant, brachyponera, opisthopsis, podomyrma, crematogaster, aphaenogaster, pheidole, camponotus

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