75 replies to this topic

[GrandAntKing]

4/24/2023

 

Small Update:

Still haven't seen any workers from either of my C. Modoc colonies, which could be due to the weird weather here. The dandelions are growing back fast from last year trimming, they are going to get flowers soon. Hopefully I can get an aphid farm on the dandelions for my colonies this spring/summer.

Edited by GrandAntKing, April 24 2023 - 9:45 AM.

[GrandAntKing]

4/25/2023

 

Small Update: no sign of any workers still. Manage to kill some flies and put them in the terrarium for food. 

 

Sowbug Feeding Frenzy

[GrandAntKing]

4/28/2023

 

A Wild C. Modoc worker appear!

It looks like the worker belong to the rotten log colony. She went after the sugar water and dead flies I put in the terrarium. She was dragging flies to her nest. She looks really healthy and energetic.

Also, the sowbugs are crazy about the flies and sugar water too. 

 

 

Video of the worker too.

 

Edited by GrandAntKing, April 28 2023 - 2:09 PM.

[ANTdrew]

I’m surprised they didn’t freeze solid.

[GrandAntKing]

5/11/23

 

I manage to kill a couple of beetles, two large flies, and two spiders and put them in the terrarium for the colony.

 

One of the workers from the rotten log drag the dead flies to her nest and visit the ant feeders afterwards. The other worker was free roaming around the table, exploring it again.

 

The worker from the other colony drags the two dead spiders to their nest.

Edited by GrandAntKing, May 11 2023 - 2:56 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

5/14/23

 

Mason Jar #1 (C. Modoc Queen)

Added a new freshly caught queen in the mason jar. I do not know what happened to queen I put in there last year.

They might have died.

 

Mason Jar #2

C. Modoc Queen

Added a new freshly caught queen in the mason jar. I do not know what happened to queen i put in there last year.

They might have died.

 

Terrarium

Still adding dead bugs to the terrarium to feed my colonies. The sowbugs love to swarm them and the sugar water ant feeders.

I did catch multiple carpenter queens, kill them and put them in there for some nice protein meal for my ants.

I am hoping this big boost of protein will help my ant colonies grow quicker.

[GrandAntKing]

5/30/23

 

Terrarium

 

Small Update:

I been removing a lot of pill bugs and sowbugs using the ant feeders. They been competing against the ants for the dead bugs I put in there. I been putting the dead bugs on the top for the terrarium for the ants to find. They also seem to like the new hummingbird nectar I brought.

 

Edited by GrandAntKing, May 30 2023 - 6:49 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

6/15/23

 

Terrarium

 

I knock down a small wasp nest and put the larvae on top of the terrarium. The workers from both colonies found them quickly, biting the large ones and carrying the smaller ones to their nest. Afterwards I put the wasp larvae in the terrarium so the birds couldn't get them. The pill bugs and sowbugs swarm a couple of them.

 

 

[antsriondel]

Wow so they are in a free range setup? How do they stay in their setup instead of just running away into the wild?

[GrandAntKing]

Wow so they are in a free range setup? How do they stay in their setup instead of just running away into the wild?

Yes, they are free range, where they can hunt for bugs on the table and on the ground around the table.

I put a screen cover for reptiles on the top of aquarium, tape it down with thick electric tape. Only workers can squeeze through the screen cover.

[GrandAntKing]

6/24/23

 

Small Update: Feed my colony 4 spiders I killed. 

 

 

[GrandAntKing]

08/09/23

 

Early this morning, discover one of the C. Modoc queens hanging out at the top of the terrarium with two of her workers. I believe the queen and workers are from the 2nd colony. They are trying to get thru the top of the terrarium. From what I see, the queen and workers are healthy. The workers been wandering off, leaving the queen alone for some time. 

 

The 1st colony (from the rotten log) have bigger and stronger workers and seem to be more aggressive towards anything. They might be outcompeting the 2nd colony for food. 

 

I did find a small termite colony in some rotten wood in my yard, I manage to get them out, kill them and feed them to my colony.

They also really like flies and spiders. They are not fans of the black soldier larvae. 

 

 

1st colony dead worker

 

2nd Colony Queen and her worker

 

 

[ANTdrew]

RIP

[GrandAntKing]

10/12/23

Small Update:

 

In the previous month, I added some aphids to the dandelions in the terrarium.

Hopefully, they will thrive in there.

A couple of small purple snails are living in there as well.

I feed the ants tons of dead flies and spiders, seems like they go crazy for them.

 

My ant colonies went into hibernation in October.

Edited by GrandAntKing, October 12 2023 - 2:38 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

In January, my Terrarium shattered due to the freezing temperature. None of my colonies survive. 

 

So, last month, I brought a new 29-gallon aquarium.

 

 I use small river stones for the drainage system and use a mesh window screen for drainage divider. I made a two-inch layer of coconut fiber and topsoil mixture.

I gather a combination of rotten and fresh wood pieces to place around the bottom of the terrarium to form the caverns. I also found a nice small rotten tree trunk to place in there too.

I cover all of it with topsoil and put some dragon rocks I brought from amazon around the surface. Also place from plants from my garden into the terrarium (not shown in the pics)

 

 

Added moss and plants 

 

 

Edited by GrandAntKing, April 17 2024 - 5:54 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

5/10/2024

 

I manage to captured about 10 Camponotus Modoc queens this afternoon. 

 

An interesting behavior of the queens is when they discover the rotten log in the terrarium, they quickly shed their wings as they run up and down it. They completely abandoned the idea about escaping.

Edited by GrandAntKing, May 10 2024 - 5:25 PM.