26 replies to this topic

[ColKurtz]

Entry 8-2-24

 

Solenopsis molesta - Caught 12 queens at my local tennis court last night; decided to make it a 12 queen super colony (2 of them are most likely not mated so it will probably be a 10 queen colony)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Formica subsericea - Caught 15 of these queens this morning at my local park; 2 died when I got home and I'm giving 3 queens to my dad's coworker; F. subsericea in my area is very polygynous (i've seen up to 10 queens under a single rock), so I have decided to make a 10 queen colony in a THA mini hearth

 

 

 

 

Lasius americanus - Caught this colony at my lake house in Massachusetts, the colony when I caught it was at a few hundred workers, which was way easier to collect than I would have expected. When I got home and put them in their setup, the entire colony was dead. This didn't make any sense to me because we returned on a time that wasn't that hot, I came to the conclusion that their oxygen in the container they were in ran out, causing them to die. But after about 30 minutes. Some workers and the queen had actually woken up. I was trying a new barrier to see how effective it was to ants, (a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and baby powder) and every time an ant came into contact with it, they would die. So, I had to make an emergency evacuation of the whole colony into a different setup. After putting them into this new setup, most of the workers had woken up and began moving. However, the queen wasn't looking so hot. The queen and some brood were inside of tube connecting to their new nest and the queen was motion less. I assumed by this point the queen had died and the workers were just carrying her body from place to place. But when the colony moved into the nest entirely, the queens antennas were moving; but after being revived twice, I think her legs became paralyzed because of the time spent without oxygen plus the barrier, made her unable to move. As to if she can produce eggs, I cannot be 100 percent sure, they had a fair amount of eggs before I captured them. So any eggs in these pictures could just be from before I collected them (the process of them having to constantly move nest made them lose a lot of brood and workers)

 

This would definitely be one of the strangest ant colonies I have ever kept.

 

 

 

Edited by ColKurtz, August 2 2024 - 12:18 PM.

[ANTdrew]

You should use 100% talc mixed with alcohol. Some of the additives in the baby powder may be harming your ants. I use this one: https://www.amazon.c...c,aps,89&sr=8-3
Also, I’m so jealous of those Formica. It’s easier to find unicorns here where I live than Formica queens.

[ColKurtz]

You should use 100% talc mixed with alcohol. Some of the additives in the baby powder may be harming your ants. I use this one: https://www.amazon.c...c,aps,89&sr=8-3
Also, I’m so jealous of those Formica. It’s easier to find unicorns here where I live than Formica queens.

Thanks for the info


(Edit: Just found out the baby powder I had been using contained cornstarch, which is deadly to ants)

Edited by ColKurtz, August 3 2024 - 11:39 AM.

[ColKurtz]

Entry 8-2-24 - Update on my Crematogaster, Lasius, and Pheidole

 

 

Crematogaster

 

Unfortunately one of the Crematogaster (I think) lineolata died due to a flooding incident. My other C. lineolata is doing fine and is growing rapidly; they have about 150 workers. My Crematogaster cerasi was able to pass the fluon barrier I had for them and making it hard for me to feed them. They are still growing at a rapid rate and have about 500 workers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lasius

 

Lasius americanus queen has made a recovery and can move again (yeah she wasn't paralyzed). I think it would have something to do with the cornstarch in the baby powder mixing with the isopropyl alcohol made a cement like mixture that stuck to the queen, making her unable to move. They have about 100 workers and have a lot of new eggs. My 12 (not 11, I miscounted again how many queens there are), have a massive egg pile, close to 300 eggs. They already have about 100 workers, so I'm expecting to have 500 workers by the end of the year. (couldn't get any pictures of the L. americanus because of condensation on the glass)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pheidole

 

Pheidole pilifera is doing well and now has around 50 workers and 10 majors. My Pheidole morrisii has about 25 workers now and a major pupa.

 

 

 

 

Edited by ColKurtz, August 4 2024 - 3:47 PM.

[ColKurtz]

Entry 8-8-24 - Update on my Camponotus colonies

 

 

Camponotus americanus 

 

One my of the queens I caught this year is about to get her second generation, which will put her around 10-15 workers. My other queen is about to get her first worker

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camponotus chromaiodes

 

My colony is bouncing back after having their die off and have about 35 workers. I collected another colony because I wasn't sure the other colony was going to make it, they have about 10 workers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

 

My bigger colony is doing well and has about 60 workers, I will probably have to move them soon. My founding queen has about 8 workers and is doing well.

 

 

 

 

Camponotus subbarbatus

 

My 2 year colony is doing well, now having about 10 workers. My founding queen has 2 workers

 

 

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

They look well fed keep it up!

[ColKurtz]

Entry 8-25-24

 

Sorry for the 2 week hiatus, there wasn't much to update on, so I am just going to update on my Pheidole pilifera, Formica subsericea, and my new Pogonomrymex badius colony.

 

Pheidole pilifera

 

This colony has exploded and now has around 150-200 workers and 30 majors.

 

 

 

 

Formica subsericea

 

My 10 queen founding colony has just reached larvae stage, they have about 30 or so larvae

 

 

 

 

Pogonomyrmex badius

 

I bought this colony from Tar Heel Ants, colony looks healthy and has 7 workers