17 replies to this topic

[Mercutia]

Caught these babies at the beginning of August.

 

 

Nothing has eclosed yet, but I do see larvae so that's always a good sign.

[AntCzar]

A couple of months sounds about right depending on the temperatures. Larvae right now should be about right if caught early August. One's gaster looks sooo much different than the other in this picture. Is it actually like that?

[dspdrew]

One's gaster looks sooo much different than the other in this picture. Is it actually like that?

I noticed that too, but I think it's just because one is blurry.

[Mercutia]

Oh, she's just a little out of focus so the lines all blurred together. I have them heated with a cable currently. They show such sisterly devotion to each other =). They are always cleaning each other and fussing together. I love watching polygynous queens interact.

[dspdrew]

I tried to combine mine AFTER they had workers, but that didn't work out well. There definitely wasn't much love; one queen was murdered.

[Mercutia]

I think the most effective way to have a polygynous is to have them start out together. I think it may have something to do with scent recognition but once established they are more likely to be hostile to anything that doesn't smell exactly like them.

[dspdrew]

Oh yeah, definitely. I just wanted to give it a try. :unsure: BTW, what have you been feeding yours?

[Mercutia]

My ants in general, I feed jam, apples, sugar water. For protein I usually use whatever meat I have on hand. Mostly turkey or chicken. Sometimes deli meat.

I cut them into very small portions and don't feed them again unless they finish. I notice when I keep a feeding pattern the test tubes get really dirty really quickly so now I only add more food once the portion is finished.

[Crystals]

I saw about 40 of these queens one day down in the rocky mountians in BC.  Didn't catch any as I already had 7 species and they were a bit small for my tastes (and eyesight).  Went back the next day and I could not find a single one despite turning over every single rock along the edge of that parking lot.

[Mercutia]

I love their colour despite their size. That's why I'm super stoked for those Lasius queens I caught last time. I don't think I can wait overwinter for workers. Yellow ants are adorable.

 

BTW the S. molestas have their first worker! YAY! Too small to take pictures and my dad took his fancy camera to work, but I'll get pics as soon as I can!

[Mercutia]

Sorry for blurry images, but there are now two eclosed workers wandering around in my S. molesta colony. They are so tiny and cute!

 

[dspdrew]

Nice. I with I would have kept my queens together from the beginning so I didn't have two separate colonies to manage.

[Mercutia]

It's so fascinating watching two queens interact because neither one or the other appear dominant. They are also highly synchronized in the way they interact. I wonder if in the future there will be a dominant queen. It's hard to tell if they are both laying, or only one is laying since the eggs are so small but they have a fair sized brood pile so I'm pretty stoked for these thief ants.

Edited by Mercutia, September 30 2013 - 5:57 PM.

[Anhzor]

Nice, i never seen s. molesta with that coloration.

[Mercutia]

This colony has been sold. I'm very sad to see them go. =( They were pretty awesome.

[dspdrew]

This colony has been sold. I'm very sad to see them go. =( They were pretty awesome.

Why did you sell them?

[Mercutia]

Why did you sell them?

I priced them high, so it was kinda worth it. That, and I need to pay my bills. Still, I'll be sad to see them go.

[Anhzor]

=(