66 replies to this topic

[Katla]

Here we go again !

I have no idea how to follow u on all of my little girls, but ill try to show the most of it.

Lets start with my Fedtschenkoi who had a very nice growth, as mentioned in the RUFA blog i used up all my redroaches also for these girls and they took every single piece. Only thing is that i forgot to place the sugar dispenser back in the foraging box afterwards so i was surprised seing a lot of workers running around outside the nest, no worries they got they sugar water back and ran for it filling up to the brim. I have also noticed a new pupae quite larger than the usual ones.


 

[Katla]

Next up are my Placodops who just exploded in numbers, especially since i gave them large fruit flies. So much that i had to move them to a new nest, where i sadly lost 3 repletes and discovered that the kept the replete gasters without the rest of the ants body in the nest. Yet they seem to acclimate to their new home pretty fien for now, but they just moved so well have to see in the coming week, brood production isn't that huge at the moment but steady. Here i have some small closeups to share with you of their new replete chambers, the nest it self is not perfect and I'm already thinking of finding some other solution for a new home.


 

[Katla]

Also, about my Formica Sanguinea i just got a new queen with two host workers and one newborn. My first colony is expanding nicely but starts to get cramped in their test tube and just feel like grouping up and pilling brood in the foraging box and in the sugar dispenser holes.
 

 

Besides those i also have my both leaf cutter ants who are booming, especially the Atta Sexdens who could transform a whole box of leaves in a day. Not being able to open the fungus box lid without a swarm of workers i can only show you some outside view blurred by some condensation.

 

Then my tiny Solenopsis Fugax who still grow i don't know how as i never see them take any protein or sugar water.



​And also finally my Messor Cephalotes growing constantly and asking for water 



 

[Ernteameise]

Very exciting species you keep. I think especially the honeypots are difficult to get in Europe.
And some great pictures. Looking forward to how all the colonies develop.

[Katla]

Thanks, the honeypots get more and more common but are still very expensive. I still have some natural setups in mind for a new Honeypot colonie in couple of years.

[Katla]

After moving my Placodops to their new nest they have already disposed of 4 medium replete gasters in the trash pile, they still have 11 repletes in the nest. Does that just mean that the replete it self died ? or is there anything else going on ?

[Katla]

My new porcelain ant colony has arrived !