64 replies to this topic

[Ernteameise]

Since they have moved into their new larger outworld, these girls are much bolder. They are more willing to explore and are more active.

They also enjoy their food.

 

 

[antsinvirgina]

I love that they have gotten bigger

well done!  

[Propo.Fol]

Well done!

 

Question --who makes the outworlds you used here?  Were they also anthouse stuff?

[Ernteameise]

Well done!

 

Question --who makes the outworlds you used here?  Were they also anthouse stuff?

Yep- both the small plastic outworld as well as the new bigger one were both made by AntHouse.

I am VERY happy with the company.

Good and friendly customer service, fast delivery (they are from Spain but have faster delivery than the German AntStore!), the products are good quality for the price, my ants seem to love the products and they are more budget friendly.

No complaints from me.

[Ernteameise]

The girls have now so much brood, they have decided to remove all the seed from their test tube and store it between the two test tubes in the outworld.

Plus, I see some really large larvae in there, so I might get my first major (!!!) for this colony soon!

 

[Ernteameise]

I think there is indeed a major larvae in the works there!

 

This colony has really picked up speed with growing.

 

[Ernteameise]

I am happy to report these girls are doing well.

They are still growing and have started doing what I had planned.

Yeah, believe it or not, here are some ants that actually do what you expect them to do.

They have started to store their seed in the cork chambers at the back of their outworld while still living in the test tube.

 

 

[Ernteameise]

So for some reason, today this happened.

The puppae are now stored with the seed.

 

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

So for some reason, today this happened.

The puppae are now stored with the seed.

 

I have found that my pogonomyrmex occidentalis prefer heat for pupae and humidity for larvae.

They will consistently move larvae to be wherever it is most humid, even though that area might be in the low 70's to mid 60's Fahrenheit. While they leave the pupae in the nest on the heat cable where it is consistently between 83-85 all the time.
 

The larvae themselevs are kept in two separate groups. The youngest on the water tower in the nest all the time. While the "mid state" larvae are moved to be where the most humidity is, and warmth seem to be far less important to them during that time.  They bring them all the way to the big outworld if there is a fruit slice generating humidity there and none closer.

Based on my ants I'd imagine this is an expected behavior, pupae where it is warmer, larvae where it is moister.
Not that i knew to expect this,  but that i have recently been observing it.

[Ernteameise]

Right.

I am back from my scuba diving trip in Italy, and I am happy to report that all my girls survived their abandonment.

 

The Rescue colony is now scattered on different sites of the formicarium:

The queen, the seed and the puppae are in the cork nest.

The larvae are kept in the moist test tube.

These girls are eager outside foraging and were pretty happy about the cricket and seed I gave them today after my absence.

 

 

[100lols]

Glad the girls survived your absence! Their awareness of the needs of their young is amazing.

I recently traded for a young Veromessor andrei colony. I think your journal was part of my inspiration

[Ernteameise]

Glad the girls survived your absence! Their awareness of the needs of their young is amazing.
I recently traded for a young Veromessor andrei colony. I think your journal was part of my inspiration

Good luck with your new colony!
I love my harvester ants, there is always something going on.

[Ernteameise]

Today, the girls have all crowded back into the test tube.

They seem to be really busy adapting housing for the kids according to the conditions.

The seed storage however remains in the cork nest.

 

But the biggest news- I have my first major!!! OMG. The head is still bright and near yellow.

 

[antsriondel]

Today, the girls have all crowded back into the test tube.

They seem to be really busy adapting housing for the kids according to the conditions.

The seed storage however remains in the cork nest.

 

But the biggest news- I have my first major!!! OMG. The head is still bright and near yellow.

 

Awesome! This is a testament to how hard you have worked to revive this colony. Keep it up. 

[Ernteameise]

Well, it looks as if I definitely have some majors in there!

And lots more puppae in the pipeline.

 

[ANTdrew]

You’re gonna need a bigger boat!

[Ernteameise]

You’re gonna need a bigger boat!

As soon as my new custom nest arrives from Tarheel Ants, my big Messor colony will move in there, and this Messor colony will move into the old acrylic nest of the other colony. I will attach the old acrylic nest to the outworld they are in now.

However, I have still not heard back from Mack.....

[Ernteameise]

The girls have slowed down and all the larvae have transformed into puppae.

I took this as a signal that they wanted to enter diapause.

I have read in some scientific papers that Messor absolutely needs a real diapause at least in their first and second year.

They did experiments and just kept conditions and temperatures in summer mode for very young colonies, and either the queen died or did not produce enough eggs the following year.

I want to avoid this with this colony.

So what I did-

together with the temperate German Lasius niger and Temnothorax nylanderi, I put them into a box. They have a good supply with water in a test tube and they also have plenty of seed stored.

The box with the ants is now sitting in a sheltered corner of my balcony out of direct sunlight, so they can adapt to autumn temperatures.

When it gets too cold (below 6 degrees centigrade) I will get the girls back inside.

The temperate species will go into full hibernation in an unheated attic room, and the Rescue Messor colony will probably move into my bedroom, where it is cooler and where I heat less.

I really hope this will be sufficient.

I am still learning, so this will be my way of finding out.

If you have suggestions and if this if this is wrong, please chime in and let me know.

The girls have all huddled up together, but they are actually still active, and the seed I gave them have already been collected.

 

 

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

Update?

[Ernteameise]

They are slowly waking up.

I had some casualties, but I think they are fine.

Depending on the weather, I might get them inside (they are currently placed with my Lasius niger and Temnothorax in a box on my balcony) on the weekend.

But I wanted to do it slowly.