12 replies to this topic

[ZTYguy]

I received my first 2 M. placodops queens from Garrett at AntsEmporium today and they came well and healthy. The6 cam packaged very nicely and have a nice batch of brood each. I don’t plan on having any photos for a little while but I’ll get some in a few days, possibly tomorrow. 
 

If you are in California or Texas and want a very healthy M. placodops queen or colony then make sure to check out AntsEmporium here: https://antsemporium...edium=affiliate

[ZTYguy]

Here are some photos of my 2 queens.

 

Queen 1

 

 

Queen 2

[ZTYguy]

Update 5/4/2022

Today I added some more sand to each test tube and I added a small liquid feeder with each queen and a bit of homemade nectar. They are pretty chill but I won’t be doing anything with them for a while. I’ll give an update after I check on them next so probably next week.

Edited by ZTYguy, May 22 2022 - 7:52 PM.

[ZTYguy]

Update 5/6/2022

Queen 1 has received her first cocoon today and I’m sure many more are on the way for both queens.

Here is her royal highness:




Queen 2:

Edited by ZTYguy, May 22 2022 - 7:52 PM.

[ZTYguy]

Update 5/16/2022

Both queens have started laying their second gen!

Edited by ZTYguy, May 17 2022 - 5:30 PM.

[ZTYguy]

Update 5/22/2022

 

Queen 2 received her first worker today. I boosted her with 2 cocoons from Queen one due to all of her larvae pupating naked and she was left with only 2 naked pupae. The worker that eclosed happened to be one of those naked pupae and is completely fine with the next worker to enclose tomorrow (again being the second naked pupae). Queen 1 is doing well as well and I suspect will have her first workers showing up beginning tomorrow or the following day. Below are some pictures of queen 2 and her newly eclosed nanitic.

 

 

Attached Images

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[ZTYguy]

Update 6/3/2022

 

I was able to get both queens to about workers but then suddenly queen 1 had a conniption and passed away. Though it was sad her brood was not put to waste and it was given to Queen 2 and her growing colony. Her colony is (as of now) living in a THA Mini Hearth and is sitting at about 15 to 20 workers with a full sized worker on the way telling me they are doing great. I keep them loaded with a constant supply of sugar water and a steady supply of feeders (as is with my other honeypots) to keep them thriving and to keep the incline in population going up exponentially.

 

I have attached some raw, unedited clips of them in the Mini Hearth (During Move and Next Day)

 

Video 1 
 

Video 2 

 

Video 3 

[FloridaAnts]

Wow! I really love this species. I didn’t even know it existed until AntsEmporium had it for sale . Honey pots in general are just great. Quick question, when they have large repletes how do you move them to a new nest? I would think those repletes can’t fit through tubing….

[ZTYguy]

You have to use tweezers to move them. I used my pair of thin tweezers with a bit of skotch tape on it to make it blunt tipped.

[FloridaAnts]

You have to use tweezers to move them. I used my pair of thin tweezers with a bit of skotch tape on it to make it blunt tipped.

That’s kind of tedious… can’t the queens be repletes?I wonder what the ants think when they are moved
“Ahh, I am being eaten! Panic and run! Oh. We’re back with the colony now”

[ZTYguy]

You have to use tweezers to move them. I used my pair of thin tweezers with a bit of skotch tape on it to make it blunt tipped.

That’s kind of tedious… can’t the queens be repletes?I wonder what the ants think when they are moved
“Ahh, I am being eaten! Panic and run! Oh. We’re back with the colony now”

Thing is the repletes are so immobile that you grab them and place them in the chamber and they just crawl back up the wall and they just hang there.

[ZTYguy]

Update 8/5/2022

This colony is doing great. They are at around 20-30 workers with lots of brood and plenty of pupae. I’m hoping to get to 100 workers by the end of the year. These are the fastest growing ants I’ve kept in a long time. Once they get out of founding they hit the floor and just start sprinting. But anyways they also have their first replete. It is a pretty sizable replete and I’m positive there are many on the way in the next few weeks. I’m excited to see these girls grow and I’m thrilled at how well they are doing.

[ZTYguy]

8/10/2022

 

Got a smaller 02 variant from a vendor here so hopefully she will produce a good sized colony. She currently is in a tube with a pva sponge and some sand. She currently has one egg. I might give her some sugar water later this week as a boost. I might also brood boost her with some of the 01 variant  colony’s brood.