125 replies to this topic

[BleepingBleepers]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I turned my attention last week to my other ants, posted that journal here

 

https://www.formicul...mex-cf-astutus/

 

I tried to put a lot of pictures and thoughts into that journal. Had to step away afterwards.

 

But this week, my attention will be back on this. I've already updated the first page to reflect some of your thoughts, what I've found out myself, and what I said I'd update.

 

Appreciate everyone's patience. I find that I do my best writing / talking when I'm in the right mindset and most days I'm just kinda out of it instead, just dealing with life one day at a time.

 

But I am happy that I got fellow ant enthusiasts here, a pleasure to hang around with

 

 

 

They have grown a lot. This colony could hit the thousands is you want them to.

 

That would be nice but I'm quite weary of being overwhelmed. I kinda like it simple and easy.

 

I am definitely waiting quite eagerly for my first MAJOR, especially a full sized one. As a first time ant keeper, that would be extremely exciting to behold. I got one large cocoon in the last week, here's hoping! 85% it's a larger worker again, which is still very nice, but we'll see

 

I really can’t get over how good they look in the minihearth… maybe I’ll grab another for my colony…

 

Ya, that's why I grabbed the package deal he had with the discount. It's pretty neat that you can connect them, that's what I'm planning to do!

I said before that I dreamed of having a top down view nest, however, now that I've them in the mini Hearth for awhile, I think this is the best view for these kinda ants because:

 

1. Top down view kinda gives it a 2D feel that I'm finding out I'm not too fond of as I put more thought into it. At least that's what I think as I need to experience it myself to form a full opinion on. Funny how fickle I can be, I was hellbent on getting a top down view, but now I like the side view because you can see the ants from all kinds of angles and it feels more 3D and a fuller viewing experience.

 

2. Unlike other ants that tend to block the glass with debris etc, these ants don't so they're almost the perfect candidate for the side view formicariums.

 

3. Side view is very nice for just laying right on your desk and staring straight into the formicarium, watching them do their thing. Very relaxing. I would think a top down view, you'd have to be sitting up, looking straight down, bending your neck. I think I'll try the top down view on my second ant species, then I'll update that thought.

 

This colony is definitely going strong! I've noticed the same thing in my colony, that they place all the brood away from the water tower; seems this is a dry loving species. 

 

Yeah, I'm realizing it even more especially compared to the other ant species. I've updated the first page info to reflect that more, it's under Humidity

Edited by BleepingBleepers, November 22 2023 - 10:27 AM.

[BleepingBleepers]

Colony Development Timeline

 

NOTE:  + symbol is me counting possible new workers based on color and crumbled up cocoons thrown in the trash area, it's at least that number or higher. I do an accurate count every so often. As you can imagine, the more ants, the harder it is to count, especially when some are laying underneath piles of brood (yes, they do that, interestingly enough). I'm tracking it so often mostly to see the growth in the first year. Later on, numbers will only be updated once in a significant while.

 

6 / 24 / 2023 - Received ants for the first time in test tube setup. 1 Queen, 6 workers, small brood (including 2 cocoons already in development)

7 / 02 / 2023 - Moved test tube with open end into plastic container outworld. Queen, 8 workers, small brood  (Page 1)

7 / 17 / 2023 - Queen + 8 Nanitics, 3 Cocoons, 6 Larvae, 5-6 eggs.

8 / 17 / 2023 - Moved to Mini Hearth XL Queen + 11 Workers + X number of brood (Workers increase in size 10-15%)   CLICK HERE FOR PIC

8 / 31 / 2023 - Queen + 18 Workers + X Brood   (Even with double workers, their protein requirement has increased 3-4 times. Average worker size increased about 25%)

9 / 23 / 2023 - Queen + 26 Workers + X Brood

9 / 25 / 2023 - Queen + 30 Workers + X Brood

10 / 05 / 2023 - Queen + X Workers + X Brood (Received my first worker twice the size as nanitics) PIC HERE

10 / 08 / 2023 - Queen + 40 Workers + X Brood

10 / 11 / 2023 - Queen + 42 Workers + 50+ eggs, 25+ cocoons, 20+ larvae  (Pic below the 8/17/23 Picture)

10 / 17 / 2023 - Queen + 45 Workers + X Brood

10 / 23 / 2023 - Queen + 51 Workers + X Brood

10 / 26 / 2023 - Queen + 54 Workers + X Brood

10 / 30 / 2023 - Queen + 57 Workers + X Brood

10 / 31 / 2023 - Queen + 61 Workers + X Brood

11 / 03 / 2023 - Queen + 65 Workers + X Brood

11 / 06 / 2023 - Pausing and realizing how bored I must be.

11 / 11 / 2023 - Queen + 78 Workers + X Brood

11 / 12 / 2023 - Queen + 80+ Workers + 50+ eggs, 20+ larvae and 20+ cocoons. CLICK HERE FOR PIC

11 / 12 / 2023 - Queen + 82+ Workers + X Brood (Getting really hard to count these guys) (Around this time, they start moving more larvae and eggs to the water tower) (constant protein intake, drop a small roach directly into their nest)

11 / 13 / 2023  to  11 / 19 / 2023   Stagnant, didn't notice any new workers, never went so long without a new worker coming out . I actually noticed for the last week or two (maybe a week or two longer than that?) that 5 pupae in development did not develop well for some reason (mentioned on the very first post somewhere) and were eaten. A bit worrisome to see. Interesting, but worrisome. I've only noticed them eating an egg once before this, a few months back. Have increased temperature so low end is above 75 and slightly bump up humidity due to drier cold seasons.

11 / 20 / 2023 - Queen + 83+ Workers + X Brood (Finally, a worker broke the dry spell)

11 / 22 / 2023 - Queen + 86+ Workers + 50+ eggs, 25+ larvae and 30+ cocoons  (Workers less picky about sugar sources and protein. They will still attack whole prekilled prey but now readily accept whole roaches and eating most of it, including legs. Exoskeleton on roach back seems to be a bit too tough and not worth the effort. When they were about 30 workers, they would kinda avoid the top half of the roach and many times just throw it away. Basically, less picky on what to eat and bolder in attacks)

11 / 26 / 2023 - Queen + 100~ Workers + 40+ eggs, 30+ larvae and 25+ cocoons (I think it's become too difficult to accurately count them now, even with video. I can try to count new workers or ones that are eclosing but yeah, it's a mess. Future attempts will be guestimates. This is probably the last time I can say it's +/- 2 from the count. Have witnessed 2 pupa getting eaten since last report; temperature has been increased some weeks back, tho nights can be cold. Also haven't fed them anything suspicious much, sticking with roaches I'm raising and sugar water I mixed myself)

11 / 30 / 2023 - Queen + 103~ Workers + 20+ eggs, 35+ larvae and 30+ cocoons  (Want to make this primarily to note that starting around a week before this, egg numbers have gone down, laying fewer eggs, the brood is still developing like normal like larvae cocooning and eclosing, but the egg counts have gradually declined. Still do see some pupae (2-3 that I saw) getting eaten including one of the bigger cocoons insert sad face. Ants still craving a lot of protein, a small red runner every other day)

12 / 11 / 2023 - Queen + 120~ Workers + 40+ eggs, 40+ larvae and 40+ cocoons  CLICK HERE FOR PIC   (Slow couple of weeks, with 10+ larvae getting eaten, I finally massively boosted their protein at a roach every other day and now everything seems to be more stable. Seems like the ants were wanting to push hard for larger workers, which you can see in some of the pictures in that link there, a lot of the larvae are already bigger than some of the current adult ants. Anyhow, I was wondering if they would be able to hit another 40 this month and they somehow managed! Quite proud of them, what a bunch of soldiers!)

12 / 26 / 2023 - First adult ant death! (Right after Christmas too...was a bit of a kick in the backside as my holidays weren't very pleasant, got out of bed and already want to go back in lol. More about it on post 75 down below)

01 / 03 / 2024 - Second adult ant death! (Saw one more ant in the outworld, this time, it was still alive but shaking and weak. This one looks a bit more like a older nanitic, maybe. However, my thoughts on first ant death seems to be about right, the ONE OFF ant as my other nanitics seem to be okay. We all have our own separate countdown, could be sickness, could also be that it was an ant that came soon after my oldest nanitic, slightly bigger, could be an ant that stayed on the hottest end a bit too long and sped up its lifespan, etc)

01 / 09 / 2024 - Third adult ant death! (This one is most likely a nanitic, small and thin. A few days before, I did rescue another ant that somehow got below one of the feeders and trying to crawl his way out between the plastic and the substrate. Quickly helped her out. Oh and another one that kinda got stuck in the sugar water again. The one stuck between the plastic and substrate did look a bit wobbly / disoriented after the rescue, not sure if it's the same one. Anyhow, condolences to these nanitics as they're the ones that actually got the colony this far, they did their best. So lifespan seems to be 5-6~ or so months at around 75-81F (nest) and 72-77F (outworld colder season). Mentioned in the first post, friend tried keeping his ants at 81-86F and all his nanitics died two months or so back, died a lot sooner)

01 / 14 / 2024 - Thought I finally had a Major  (Click HERE to see the post / discussion on it)

01 / 15 / 2024 - Fourth adult ant death! (After this, will only record any significant amount of deaths, just wanted to record the first couple, see where the nanitics start dying out. There's still quite a few nanitics hanging around though)

 

01 / 27 / 2024 - FINALLY GOT MY FIRST MAJOR ANT!!!    Post is here with a tribute video! https://www.formicul...-ca02/?p=235775

01 / 30 / 2024 - Queen + 3 MAJORS + Major Cocoon due in a week + 210 Workers + Brood. I have a total of 4 natural deaths and 2 more by accident as I was busy working on the outworld   (I have noticed some significant decrease in larvae though there is a rather big batch of eggs. Also decrease in development speed. Notice quite a few worker ants just idle in the travel tube where it's a tad cooler. Somewhat concerned and considering a cooldown after the fourth major ecloses)

02 / 03 / 2024 - Planning to do a Cooldown (kinda like a diapause but at 68 F: Discussing it here https://www.formicul...-ca02/?p=235864 )

02 / 24 / 2024 - Reached full Cooldown mode (61-68F) - Link: https://www.formicul...-ca02/?p=237268

04 / 07 / 2024 - Attempt to End Cooldown #1 (FAILED) - The anxiety of doing my first cooldown and whether it was a success or not played on my mind. With deaths in the colony increasing along with the temperature climbing to around 68-71F in the coolest area of the house, I decided to prematurely end their cooldown (since they normally should have 4+ months) by moving them into my room where it was warmest in the house, hoping to cause a reaction in the ants to end the cooldown. This, however, ended in failure and I moved them back to the previous area. Going into more details in this post: https://www.formicul...-ca02/?p=240547

05 / 22 / 2024 - Attempted to End Cooldown #2 (SUCCESS, hopefully) - With such a late cooldown start date but temperatures increasing more and more, I crossed my finger and tried a second time. Moved the ants into my room and for the next two weeks or so, left the heat cable unplugged and gave them the chance to feel a more natural, more gradual increase in temperature from just my room, which hoovers around 74-75F during the day. On 6/02/2024, I plugged in the heat, input it to be around 77.5F and so far, so good. A more detailed post is found here: https://www.formicul...-ca02/?p=240547

06 / 02 / 2024 - YEAR 2 BEGINS!! CLICK HERE Queen, 250~ still sleepy but strong Minor and Median Workers, 4 Majors! , 40+ Eggs, 40+ Larvae, no cocoons yet. I think about half a dozen first year nanitics are still alive.

Edited by BleepingBleepers, June 9 2024 - 12:09 PM.

[CAantz]

Notice any majors/media or larger cocoons?

[BleepingBleepers]

Notice any majors/media or larger cocoons?

I've had three large cocoons before that turned out to be really large workers (largest thus far). Picture on this post #41 in the worker comparison pic.

 

https://www.formicul...-ca02/?p=233477

 

 

 

About a week ago, I got another large cocoon, but 85% thinking it's another big worker. I'm still not too sure what a media is, I'm hearing it's a mix between a major and worker ant?

 

Here's that cocoon, it's due near end of month. Definitely sizable but nowhere the behemoth Queen size major. Can't wait when I do get one like that tho, pretty exciting!

 

 

 

 

Side:

 

Will work on all the other stuff I mentioned I'd get to on these updates. I accomplish some of them today at least.

 

Was also busy today doing some massive camera / camera gear shopping for Black Friday.

Edited by BleepingBleepers, November 22 2023 - 5:23 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Goog ol’ fashioned power-feeding will get you majors in no time.

[BleepingBleepers]

I think this was the big cocoon that I was referring to.

 

What do you think, possible first MAJOR? Or just another bigger worker?

Here's a picture and a zoom in on what I think is its head, which is much larger than the regular workers.

 

COME ON, GIMME A MAJOR ANT SO I CAN RIDE HER INTO BATTLE!!

With luck, it should eclose in about 2 days. Come on!!!

I kinda am feeling that it might 85% be another bigger worker, which is good still, but the anticipation!

 

Edit: Looked in again today and I noticed a few other exceptionally large larvae. The workers have been craving and eating protein constantly, like a roach nymph every other day. I hope that's a sign!

 

Edited by BleepingBleepers, December 1 2023 - 9:22 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Looks very promising to me!

[Ernteameise]

Yay for majors!

[100lols]

Fingers crossed!! That noggin is looking big :zoomeyes:

The roaches seem to be keeping them very happy! I need to get some more myself.

[BleepingBleepers]

COME ON, GIMME A MAJOR ANT SO I CAN RIDE HER INTO BATTLE!!
 

I kinda am feeling that it might 85% be another bigger worker, which is good still, but the anticipation!

 

 

Alright, with GREAT anticipation, I stalked the eclosing of this ant for the whole day and I even have it on footage.

But I have to double confirm with you guys.

 

QUESTION:

 

Is this a MAJOR or just another large minor worker?

 

 

Here she is. She's definitely not the size of my Queen ant, still on my first year so not getting my first Queen size major yet, but she is as of now the largest worker ant in the colony, bigger than the one I have on page 3 back a month or two ago.

 

LOL Just looked at the size difference of my first nanitic compare to this gal, she's like 4 times the size, completely dwarfs it.

 

I have at least 2 more cocoons that are about the same size as this one's. Though they're not due for another 3-4 weeks.

 

 

 

Edited by BleepingBleepers, December 5 2023 - 9:05 PM.

[CAantz]

Id say this is a media, a mix of major and worker. My Camponotus sansabeanus got one before they died out and you can tell the difference because of not just the size difference, but the difference in head size.

[BleepingBleepers]

FINALLY GOT MY LONG AWAITED CAMERA and MOST OF MY MACRO GEAR! 

 

While that is nice, I'm still an amateur photographer still figuring out what does what, however, I will strive to improve to one day deliver the quality pictures that I've always wanted to do!

 

It was definitely a challenge to take some of these pictures, especially for the Ectomomyrmex journal, because I not only had to deal with the imperfection / dirt on the glass, but the glare and it fogging up with condensation the longer I take. Also, getting enough lighting to reach deep inside and to not disturb the ants was another thing to think about....   

It was an interesting experience nonetheless and I'm definitely hoping to read up and improve in the upcoming days, months, years.

 

 

So here's an update to my colony!!

 

(For updates on the growth of the colony, here's a COLONY DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE (click here) , that will be updated continuously)

 

 

The first time I moved them into the Tar Heel XL , it was 8 / 17 / 2023 I had 11 workers

(More pictures on page 3)

 

 

 

 

 

Here they are, less than 4 months later!

Doing pretty decent for their first year!

 

 

---------------------------------

 

12 / 11 / 2023

 

 

 

There's a bunch of them nestled up at the ceiling (top), guarding the Queen, she hates the light and tends to hide up there most of the time regardless. I find it also interesting that some of them hold larvae and egg clusters against the wall, you can kinda see a large egg cluster being held up by some workers slightly above the water tower.

 

120~ Strong, 40+ Eggs, 40+ larvae, 40+ cocoons!

I honestly lost track but there's at least that and 40 is today's lucky number

 

 

 

 

Here's that big cocoon that I was waiting on, think it's not quite a Major but she does sit up there quite proudly!

 

 

I am now patiently waiting on a few cocoons around her size to eclose in the upcoming weeks, so more waiting and hoping for my first MAJOR worker!

 

 

 

 

 

And more pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thought this was an interesting picture, you can kinda see the larva inside spinning its cocoon around itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found it quite interesting how they split up their broods into different groups. It's not always perfect but it does look neat and nice

 

 

 

 

 

That's it for now, thanks for checking out my journal

Edited by BleepingBleepers, December 19 2023 - 5:15 PM.

[JesseTheAntKid]

Wow, they're doing awesome!

[100lols]

It's so hard when they look like they should be a major I'm in the same boat!!

[BleepingBleepers]

So bad news today, found my first ant death well it wasn't a huge sobbing experience like that, especially since I mentioned before that I lost some pupae along the way.

But my first adult ant death today. Thing is, I don't THINK? it's one of my first nanitic, it's a tad larger so it might've died due to it's own accord / lifespan or some sickness? I caught some of its sisters investigating the body (I'd like to say they were giving her an honorable burial but I honestly think they were picking it , waste not want not I guess). Otherwise, my several original nanitics seem to be doing just fine. The other day, for the first time, I had one accidentally fall into some honey water. Thankfully, not enough liquid to drown but enough to be stuck like a glue mouse trap. But I was around and saved it. I don't think it's that one either, but shrug.

 

 

 

The good news?

 

 

 

 

It's so hard when they look like they should be a major I'm in the same boat!!

Yeah, I mean it's nice to have these big o workers in there, they definitely stick out and give the place a little variety like "ant, ant, ant, OOO look at that one !)

 

Nice thing is I now have a couple of larvae and cocoons, some even bigger than even my biggest one mentioned above! They're quite massive, though I am very curious to see the larvae for a Queen-size Major. Even the bigger workers are having a harder time turning around in the traveling tubes and I took the precaution and got the 3/8" instead of the 1/4". I am still highly anticipating at least one of them to be my first MAJOR ant! Would be very excited!

 

Like the larvae below compare to the Queen, it's quite sizable eh? That one just cocooned yesterday and I have a few more similar size ones coming along.

 

(One pic from my phone again)

 

 

 

 

And other pics:

 

 

Here they are eating some cooked squid (or was it octopus?)

 

 

 

 

Saw this really neat cluster of larvae, if you zoom in, you can see the threads etc around them!

 

 

 

 

Eating RAW crab guts. Wasn't sure if it was okay but there goes.

 

 

 

And here's one absolutely engorging herself in it, half his head is inside it. I noticed a few workers doing this. I guess that's a sign that they kinda like it? It definitely does feel like these ants really like sea food, though I only give it to them as a treat once or twice a month when I eat it myself. My only issue with some sea food is to beware of it stinking up the nest, especially fish like salmon.

 

 

 

 

Here's the Queen, it's so hard to get a decent picture of her as she runs at first sign of a light source. I'm still trying to capture her head feature like I did with my Ecto. ants which I'll post in a sec; you get to see the other pair of sensory organs / eyes on their head, quite interesting!

 

 

 

 

Another nice shot of some egg and larvae cluster!

 

 

 

 

Hope you guys enjoy the pictures and had a good Christmas. Hope your New Years will be good

Edited by BleepingBleepers, December 26 2023 - 8:57 PM.

[Ernteameise]

You take such wonderful clear pictures, it is always a joy reading about the exploits of your girls.

[AntsCali098]

Amazing shots, that camera is really nice. Hoping I can get something like that one of these days...

[BleepingBleepers]

You think she's wondering:

"Alright, who are all these big a** ants    and where the BLEEP am I ?!  "

 

 

 

Caught one of my poor little nanitics walking around and chuckled a bit at the sight. Like if I was a nanitic and all my sisters were THAT much larger than me several months later, I'd be wondering the same thing

 

Edited by BleepingBleepers, January 9 2024 - 11:59 PM.

[BleepingBleepers]

ALRIGHT!!

 

Lets play the "IS THIS A MAJOR?" Game again

 

Last time someone said the other one was more of a media (a mix between a major and a minor worker). This time, I wasn't thinking as much until this guy eclosed and I was like "holy crap, look at the head on this one!" surprisingly, she's probably my biggest yet, prob 10-15% bigger head than even my last one.

 

Now if this one fails, I got 4-5 cocoons coming up in the next week or two that are 20% or so bigger than even this one! So we'll definitely get a shot for My-First-Major-Ever!!

 

 

 

SO QUESTION FOR THOSE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE AND KNOW:

 

IS THIS NEW WORKER A MAJOR or another Media / Large Minor Worker?

 

 

Check out the insane, ferocious head on this one!

 

 

 

And compared to another large worker (not my previous largest worker tho)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So....Major or wait until the other 4-5 cocoons eclose?

 

 

 

[AsdinAnts]

on the first two pics it looks like a major to me, but on the last picture it looks like a major worker/just a bit bigger media.

Edited by AsdinAnts, January 13 2024 - 10:23 PM.