69 replies to this topic

[Rstheant]

! Nooo! I liked reading this post!

[dspdrew]

Update 6-11-2019

 

Found a few of the smaller low elevation variety of these queens at Chaney Trail on 3-17-2019.

 

They got their first workers about a month and a half later.

 

 

 

 

 

Found a bunch of the larger C. vicinus up in Mount Baldy on 4-8-2019.

 

These also got their first workers about a month and a half later.

 

I then found a few of the smaller all-black variety up near Angelus Oaks on 6-6-2019.

 

The all-black queens have all laid eggs at this point.

[dspdrew]

Update 12-4-2019

 

The all-black variety eventually died off. I still have, and are selling some of the smaller lower elevation variety. I just put the larger higher elevation variety into hibernation. Most of them have around 10 or so workers.

[dspdrew]

Update 5-20-2020

 

I just took these out of hibernation. They actually did really well and hardly lost any workers. I am keeping the three largest colonies with eight workers each.

 

 

 

[dspdrew]

Update 9-19-2020

 

They're all dead now. I think the heatwave was too much.

[TechAnt]

Update 9-19-2020
 
They're all dead now. I think the heatwave was too much.

Rest In Peace too.

[dspdrew]

Update 12-4-2023

 

I can't ever seem to get any good colonies of these things going.

 

Right now I have one larger high-elevation colony with seven workers, and two smaller, lower-elevation variety colonies, the largest being only six workers.

 

The largest low-elevation colony actually just produced a pretty big pile of new eggs recently, which is pretty surprising.

 

I just put the high-elevation colony into hibernation yesterday.

[bmb1bee]

What temperature do you typically hibernate these?

[Hiromilovesmealworms]

high elevation can be at around 36-42 degrees Fahrenheit. My colony hibernated well at around 37 degrees before they got thrown out

[dspdrew]

I hibernate them around 45 degrees.

 

You have to remember that temperatures six feet underground are different than outside.