18 replies to this topic

[Virginian_ants]

I have a few cryptic ant queens and a colony this journal will document them all.

Dual Ponera Pennsylvanica. I have a dual Ponera Pennsylvanica queens founding right now they live in a tiny jam jar. These two have dug around the entire jar. I haven't seen any brood but they live in soil so I won't.

Strumigenys. I caught these girls today in my backyard under a rock. They have 10 members at least four of which are queens all in a test tube with a bit of toilet paper to help with their grip.

I also have a hypoponera queen but I don't think she's mated.

[Ant-nig321]

Any pics??

Sent from my TECNO BD4h using Tapatalk

[Virginian_ants]

Sorry for the lack of pics I operate mostly from my phone and I still can't find a way to post pictures using that, but when I use a computer I can.

 

Strumigenys.

This is one of the queens on my hand while I was putting them into their test tube.

Inside the test tube they have three nest sites one on the cotton, one in the middle of the toilet paper and one right at the entrance. Each one has one or two queens. I gave them a large spring tail last night to see these little huntresses work and I was not disappointed. There hunting pattern is slowly move closer to the prey then suddenly attack though the spring tail was more than twice their size after less than five minutes two workers and even one of the queens together took it down and fed it to the hungry larvae.

 

 

Hypoponera.

This is her before she shed her wings. I tried to get photos of her in her test tube but by the time my phone focused she hid in some substrate.

 

Ponera 

Sadly one of the queens have died  . This is the other's current set up.

[Jonathan5608]

Always wanted Strumigenys. Never could find any though

[kiedeerk]

Strumigenys tend to nest in rotten nuts. Similar to temnothorax however they like moist environment so look for rotten nuts under leaf litters or partially underground. I have found dozens of strumigenys colonies that way

[Virginian_ants]

I found mine in-between leaves under a rock I see colonies like this often. If any one can help with ID for this species that would be a huge help.

[Virginian_ants]

Update 8/15/23

Strumigenys Pilinasis (I believe)
They have all moved into the middle nest site and a few more workers had emerged.

(Sorry for all the condensation)
Ponera Pennsylvanica and Hypoponera
Nothing new.

Edited by Virginian_ants, July 15 2023 - 8:34 AM.

[Virginian_ants]

Update 7/18/23

Strumigenys Pilinasis
They are doing well I am leaving for a week so this is the only update this week. I gave them 5 small white springtails to hunt over the week.

Hypoponera and Ponera
I moved both into new test tubes due to viability issues and they body are doing well I gave them springtails and don't egg whites and they liked both.

[Virginian_ants]

Still no pictures sorry.
The Strumigenys got more workers. Still nothing new with the Ponera and Hypoponera.

[AntsCali098]

Here's a guide for posting pictures using your phone.

https://www.formicul...guide/?p=230303

Hope this helps!

[Virginian_ants]

I recently figured out that method but I was away from home.

[ANTdrew]

Formica update?

[Virginian_ants]

The Hypoponera looks identical to the Ponera so I put them together. The reason I thought it to be Hypoponera was the heads shape in the first picture.

[Virginian_ants]

I moved the Strumigenys into a Petrie disc because their test tube molded. I used wet toilet paper as a substrate for them to grip easier and assist so it's easier to view instead of soil. I gave them hills and dry spots for them to pick their nest.

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[Virginian_ants]

I separated the Ponera queens after they showed aggression but afterwards one died. Ironically I just found a alate in my dogs bowl. I will keep them separate from now on because I don't think they want to be polygynous. I see myrmecina workers and sometimes queens under rocks and bricks how do you care for this speices. I think I remember reading somewhere that they hunt soil mites and are slightly xenobiotic. Is this true and how would I go about starting a colony.

Edited by Virginian_ants, August 7 2023 - 9:37 AM.

[Virginian_ants]

The Strumigenys are doing great. They are a very slow moving species but they move around their pietrie discs on one night especially after I water it they also feed on a piece of roach I have them. I am on a journey to collect and keep every unique cryptic ant spieces in Virginia. If you have one I don't pm me.
This is what I want.

1. Trap jaw Strumigenys so

2. Proceratium SP

3. Hypoponera preferably the super inbreeding type.

4. Discothyrea testacea the only record comes from Southern Virginia so I probably won't get them.

5. Myrmecina americana

6. Stigmatomma pallipes

If there are any more I'm missing tell me.

[Virginian_ants]

Both Ponera queens died. I don't know why but I think they didn't have enough springtails to hunt. My Strumigenys are doing okay but I they aren't growing very fast I may go out and collect more colonies too combine because I heard they fuse without a fight often.

[Virginian_ants]

Update.
I caught a large Strumigenys colony with ~30 workers and a few queens and even a gyne alate. I combined the two with no fighting and then moved them into a new nest that is a small container with grout and a hydration chamber. I gave them a few springtails to hunt but the killed them all immediately. So I gave them a few fruit flies and they really couldn't care less. What foods are they known to eat besides springtails? Anyway I saw a proceratium worker for the first time. I'll be looking for queens and colonies. Here's a video. https://youtube.com/...?feature=shared

[Virginian_ants]

I've been neglecting this for a while. The Strumigenys have been moving through different setups but I've have a setup that works and it's just a sauce dish with soil and a whole lot of springtails and it works. I also caught a myrmecina and Ponera queens this week. The myrmecina is in a test tube with dirt and I am feeding her fruit flies and honey. The ponera is in a sauce dish with springtails.

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