75 replies to this topic

[GrandAntKing]

8/31/2022

 

There were tons of termites' flights tonight, it was pretty easy to capture them, kill them and put them in the terrarium.

Also, some earwigs got into the terrarium today.

 

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc Queens x7)

 

Number of Workers: I have seen 4 workers now.

 

Two of workers were roaming around the table, one was gathering dead insects inside the terrarium, and the last one was 

exploring the terrarium.

Other than that, nothing new really happen.

 

Mason Jar #1 (C.Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (A lot of Lasius Queens dead) (Black Formica Queens x2) 

All the queens end up drowning themselves. I scrap the mason jar, wash it out and refill it with soil mixture.

I did capture two black Formica queens and put them in the jar.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen)

I capture another F. Pacifica queen and put her in the jar with the other queen.

Other than that, nothing new.

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 31 2022 - 9:03 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

Small Update:9/1/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc Queens x7)

 

Nothing new, just gathering food and dirt, and drinking from the ant feeders.

 

Mason Jar #1 (C.Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (A lot of Lasius Queens dead) (Black Formica Queens x2)

Both Black Formica queens settled down fast and are hidden.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen x2)

I manage to capture some video of one of the F. Pacifica queens and snap a photo of her as well.

 

 

 

[GrandAntKing]

9/3/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

I capture some termites last night and a mosquito today. I kill them and put them in the terrarium.

Early in the morning, they always feed on the hummingbird nectar before hunting for bugs.

One of the workers really like the mosquito, rip its wings off and drag it to the nest. I am hoping they will do the same with the termites. 

Another worker was roaming the table again, looking for food.

 

 

Mason Jar #1 (C. Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (Black Formica Queens x2)

Looks like one of formica queens settled under the big rock.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen x2)

I found one of Pacifica queen's chambers in the jar and manage to capture a before and after picture of the chamber.

 

Before

 

After

[GrandAntKing]

9/5/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

They are really gorging themselves on the nectar and drinking the water. I have to refill them every day now. I was thinking this is a sign they are getting ready for hibernation.

They are exploring the bottom of the terrarium now, roaming around the rotten wood caves. They got a trail going to the feeders from the caves. One worker is still free roaming on the table, although not as much now.

I feed them crickets and two large spiders, not bothering to cut them up now. They seem to like fully intact bugs now.

 

Mason Jar #1 (C. Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (Black Formica Queens x2)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen x2)

Nothing new.

[GrandAntKing]

9/9/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

I been feeding this colony a lot more, mostly crickets with a few dead spiders. They also been draining the ant feeders still.

I did manage to capture video of the one of the workers dragging the dead spider to the leaves.

 

 

Mason Jar #1 (C. Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (Black Formica Queens x2)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen x2)

Nothing new.

[GrandAntKing]

9/10/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

I made a new discovery; it looks like the c. modoc was expanding their nest in the log and dumping the wood frass at the back of the log.

I did put some dead lasius queens and drones in there for a quick snack for them.

They still favor the nectar over everything else.

 

Wood Frass

 

The Area the workers been exploring.

 

Mason Jar #1 (C. Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (Black Formica Queens x2)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen x2)

Nothing new.

 

Plastic Container (Lasius)

I made a temporary container for tons of lasius queens that flew today.

 

Edited by GrandAntKing, September 10 2022 - 4:52 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

9/17/22

 

Terrarium (2 C. Modoc nest) (1 nest in the rotten log)

I thought the 4 workers was from the same nest, I was wrong. It looks like two queens manage to start a nest in the terrarium.

I will snap a picture of the 2nd nest area as soon as I can.

Both of them been draining the feeders super-fast, not paying much attention to the crickets anymore. The pill bugs and sowbugs

been settling in the wood at the bottom of the terrarium, preparing for the winter.

 

Mason Jar #1 (C. Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (Black Formica Queens x2)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen x2)

Nothing new.

 

Plastic Container (Lasius)

I change them to a different plastic container with the topsoil/coco fiber mixture. They quickly disappear in there.

[ANTdrew]

Multiple colonies in a terrarium will probably kill each other.

[GrandAntKing]

9/18/22

 

Terrarium (2 C. Modoc nest) (1 nest in the rotten log) (1 nest on the other side of the terrarium, near one of the dandelions)

 

The C. Modoc log nest seems to be more aggressive than the 2nd nest. When they come in contact with workers from the 2nd colony, they run in a circle, with their antennae waving around and their mandibles

wide open.

 

The 2nd colony workers tend to flee quickly from the log colony workers and hide in the dandelions.

 

The 2nd colony workers are foraging at different times as well to avoid the more aggressive log colony workers.

 

The log colony workers tend to hog both feeders, with 2nd colony workers feeding early in the morning and late at night.

 

C. Modoc worker and her best pal Pill Bug

 

C. Modoc worker munching on a dead cricket

 

Mason Jar #1 (C. Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (Black Formica Queens x2)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen x2)

Nothing new.

 

Plastic Container (Lasius)

Nothing new.

[GrandAntKing]

Multiple colonies in a terrarium will probably kill each other.

 It looks like the rotten log colony is the more aggressive than the 2nd colony.

[GrandAntKing]

9/22/22

 

Small Update: I had to replace one of the ant feeders today, both the ant colonies, pill bugs and sow bugs are emptying it super-fast. Both ant colonies are still active, but not as much as before.

Nothing new with the mason jars.

Edited by GrandAntKing, September 22 2022 - 3:52 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

9/27/22

 

Terrarium (2 C. Modoc nest) (1 nest in the rotten log) (1 nest on the other side of the terrarium, near one of the dandelions)

 

Both colonies are in diapause now. 

Although the pill bugs and sow bugs are still active. They been eating the crickets quickly.

Edited by GrandAntKing, September 27 2022 - 8:35 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

10/08/22

 

Small Update: Brought some freeze-dried mealworms from the pet store. I had to refill the water reservoir; it was completely dry.  The pill bugs are sometimes hiding in the feeders or just knocking them down. A spider decides to move in and set up a web on underneath one of the dandelions' leaves.

[GrandAntKing]

10/30/22

 

Small Update: Trim back the dandelions, refill the ant feeders, and add more dead leaves to the terrarium for the pill bugs and sowbugs.

Also add a mix of freeze-dried crickets and mealworms.

[ANTdrew]

The vast majority of ants will not eat dried foods.

[T.C.]

The vast majority of ants will not eat dried foods.

Yeah I agree. My Pogonomyrmex do, and desperate colonies of Camponotus sp.

[GrandAntKing]

11/14/22

 

Small Update: The temperature drop down to low 30s today, allowing frost to form on the terrarium and mason jars so I took pictures of them. The colonies are still hibernating along with the pill bugs and sowbugs.

 

 

Edited by GrandAntKing, November 14 2022 - 10:11 AM.

[T.C.]

I'd open the lid, so the built up humidity doesn't cause a water build up to freeze around or on your ants.  I've seen a few of my colonies get physically frozen into their nests due to too much humidity. They rarely recover from that.

[GrandAntKing]

1/11/2023

 

Both colonies are still in diapause. The sowbugs been drinking from the ant feeders and earthworms are now in the terrarium via the tarp.

Edited by GrandAntKing, January 11 2023 - 8:22 AM.

[GrandAntKing]

3/27/2023

 

Small Update:

The wild Camponotus and F. obscuripes colonies are active in the yard this sunny spring day. I manage to find a nice fat Caterpillar that I kill, cut up, and put in the terrarium to see if my C. Modoc is out of diapause. Hopefully they are so they can enjoy a nice fat meal.

So far, a couple of Sowbugs are chewing on it.