26 replies to this topic

[ClaytonBaby]

Going to be doing picture updates on these girls here. Video will provide context.
First time I’ve found something like this happening and I’m hyped to be able to document it. Pleometrosis or polygyny?!
https://youtu.be/5Rd...1QRUs4RgeWgRUa5
Collected - Aug.22.23
Species - Pogonomyrmex Rugosus
Location - Victorville, CA


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[gcsnelling]

Robert Johnson looked into this sort of thing, it would be worth looking up his work.

[100lols]

Awesome video! Very interesting observations.

[ClaytonBaby]

Robert Johnson looked into this sort of thing, it would be worth looking up his work.

Just looked into him and wow! He has a lot of stuff out there, thank you so much for the lead man I’m gonna have a lot of fun reading into his findings!


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Awesome video! Very interesting observations.

Thank you!! I really appreciate you checking it out man.


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[ClaytonBaby]

Aug.24.23, I noticed the first egg, although there were likely more under the queen cluster that I could not see.



Sep.2.23, While checking on the pile of eggs I realize the flaxseeds are molding. This concerns me and I carefully connect a larger tube with dirt for them to move over into if they feel the need to.



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[ClaytonBaby]

Sep.4.23, You’ve probably noticed by now that I am checking on this colony quite often and I would like to address this so I don’t confuse any new keepers. This is a NO NO NO for a lot of species for a lot of reasons especially during the founding stage. Rugosus in my opinion and in my personal experience is not very photosensitive. I can throw a flash grenade at the colony most days and they could care less. This does not mean your colony of Rugosus or any other SP will react the same and any stress on the queens in a enclosed space that they cannot escape from during founding can genuinely lead to death. Moving on, within these two days I have realized 2 things, the queens have no interest in separating from each-other,(Way to early to say this confirms pleometrosis or polygyny, but this does make me happy to know they are comfy with eachother and any other queens that went through the same thing in the area are also likely still comfy with eachother.) and they do not seem to care about the mold attempting to collapse the entire civilization they are a part of. LOL. I would like to note that I have witnessed the queens taking turns guarding the tube entrance much like workers would. It’s interesting to me that a single queen does not seem to be designated to doing this. They all share in the role.






Sep.15.23, At this point I’ve given up on the larger tube since it will only make transferring them over into the THA enclosure I have on standby infinitely harder, if they don’t wanna move I won’t be making them. Back on the 4th I removed the little bit of light filter I had on the colony, during the darkness of the night, and stuffed the tube back up with cotton. Today I offered the girls a soft mid morphed mealworm and grabbed some flics of the gorgeous larvae that have recently hatched out. They took it in and spread it around graciously.






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[100lols]

Does appear to be going smooth! The eggs don’t seem to be separated either, which is a good sign.

The conditions taking place where you located the queens are similar to what Robert Johnson describes in one of his studies. But once those nanitics come it will be a true test of the fate of this colony!

[ClaytonBaby]

The suspense… LOL



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[ClaytonBaby]

Oct.6.23, Things have been going well, I’m thinking another 2 days and the first very large minim will be stretching its legs followed by a second batch of some smaller ones the next day. Not sure if I should truly expect a massacre to occur after all of the cooperation/socialization that has been displayed over the course of founding, but I’ll be keeping a close eye.




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[100lols]

Lots of well developed brood. Looking good so far!!

[ClaytonBaby]

Oct.19.23, Needed a bit more time in the oven, but it’s definitely gonna be soon now!
Been giving the girls plenty of protein and honestly just adore how ballsy these queens are. Will take a seed right off your fingertip and hobble back to the nest without a care in the world LOL. (These girls I have do not represent the behavior of every Rugosus around, don’t try hand feeding and end up stressing your queen to death because of my singular observation with my group of queens)





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[ClaytonBaby]

Oct.21.23, The first nanitic has officially taken her first steps! So far the queens are acting no different, but ill know more for-sure on that situation when the next couple of workers eclose and fully harden. If they end up staying together this colony will be MENACING!



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[100lols]

The suspense is definitely building!!! I would not have been able to stick my finger near one of those girls lol!!

[Jonathan5608]

Maybe it’s more oligogyny instead of polygyny

[ClaytonBaby]

Maybe it’s more oligogyny instead of polygyny

So far the queens seem to love staying in a tight cluster! I have them connected to a XXL Mini Hearth and they are all staying tight with each other in the test tube. When I drop in protein 3 or 4 queens will run back and forth feeding the rest, BUT… the two nanitics still don't have full color so I'm not 100% sure what to expect after that! LOL


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Edited by ClaytonBaby, October 22 2023 - 10:10 AM.

[ClaytonBaby]

The suspense is definitely building!!! I would not have been able to stick my finger near one of those girls lol!!

They are so much nicer then the workers. Once the nanitics harden up I'm done with my finger feeding! LOL


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[ClaytonBaby]

If Polygyny becomes confirmed the next thing to observe is the possibility that some of the matured Rugosus colonies where taking in new queens, displaying Secondary polygyny and not just killing off competition.


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[ClaytonBaby]

They are still going STRONG!

[The_Gaming-gate]

I’m rooting for this colony! Just scared for when all of those nanitics eclose and harden-

[AsdinAnts]

I’m pretty sure they are way past the nanitic stage, btw, do we get any photos?