177 replies to this topic

[Chicken_eater100]

Be sure ya hydrate the nest.
And do yours eat dog food?

does it look like it?

[sgheaton]

Hah.....Actually........ I don't have a dog so I don't know. I would have to assume that they probably would. 

[AnthonyP163]

How is this colony? Are they out of hibernation? If not, when will they be?

[sgheaton]

The colony is still alive! I've checked on them ... like three times. They hang out in the bottom and out world. I actually have "ANTS" on my list for this weekend. I'll try for some new pictures.

 

I'm cutting the lid down to size so that'll fit flush. They are not out of hibernation yet. I'm not sure when I brought them out last year (will have to go back through my journal to see) but I don't think they'll be moved anytime soon. It's currently "Silent Hill: Cold Edition" right now outside. I NEED to take care of the L. Flavus(?) queens I have left in the closet.

 

Alright... I'll update this weekend. 

[sgheaton]

03/07/2018  - Self Reprimanding 

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L. Flavus out of the closet as of yesterday. Given to PirateChef. Good luck buddy! 

 

We checked in on the tets yesterday...and I need to get to work. A second lid is in my car. The band saw is in the shop..... but my coffee and updates need to happen now....

Got a half dollar sized mold section going on. Actual mold and not the spiderweb hair stuff. Missed a cleaning, face the mold! Luckily its in the outworld so I just need to get to work on it. Their food plates also were nasty. Formicarium was alright. Wasn't as dirty as it had been. Gauge said it was 92% humid but I watered things anyways. Need to replace the sponge magazine.

 

Didn't take a picture to show my negligence, but I do hope I get on it. Meanwhile I'm making date plans for the weekend and have a never ending task list. Ugh. Just thinking about all the partially completed projects... Milton Bradley needs to rework The Game of Life to include Life Wild Card Factors which can literally be anything. 

[sgheaton]

Looks like I brought my ants out of hibernation (tomorrow) of last year. Well, might as well follow suite this weekend. Why even call it a weekend. Work is never stopping. Freaggin' working days is what they are!

 

k.. 2 days to cut this lid. Ready go....!

[sgheaton]

03/18/2018  - De-Hibernation day!

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Zagara, The Brood Mother, was originally captured sometime during the 6/20th/2016 week. Not sure I wrote that out or specifically said it somewhere. Need to actually start working as well so I can't go back and figure it out. Either way..

 

De-Hibernation Day! Wake up!

They weren't too happy to be blinded by the light:

 

Changed out the sponge magazine. Really needed to as it fell apart was acting as a mold pillow. Also went through with a metal scraper and gathered together sand/mold/leftover food/shell mold/mess/insect carcass mess into a pile. Vacuumed it up in an incredibly sophisticated paper towel+vacuum combo. 

 

So working a Band-Saw is hard. A bit of an art if you will.

Notice the smooth, perfect edge: 

 

Compared to the crap crap edge:


Tried to cut a lid down to size, didn't work. I've got 2 more though the price went back up to original. Should have bought more when they were -50% off. Oh well.

 

Gave some fresh food. I don't think my liquid feed is good anymore, and by good I mean still together. Pretty sure it's way past expiration. Water, honey, part of a Cadbury Egg Cookie:

 

Forgot to check underneath to see their underground apartment, but I think they've still got a set up goin' on the outskirts:

 

Attached the heating cable:

 

And calling it good for now as I re-cut another lid. 



3/19/2018
Checked this morning and there is an explosion of movement! 

 

Still haven't seen Zagara, The Brood Mother, in awhile but I've still got ants, so... I should still have a queen? If I start seeing eggs on the glass, I'll know she's still alive in there somewhere. 
 

Edited by sgheaton, March 19 2018 - 6:01 AM.

[sgheaton]

3/20/2018 - Queen Spotted

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Located Zagara, The Brood Mother, yesterday when I looked in to check up on things. Lots of eggs in the works. Lots of movement in the outworld and in the same.. area of formicarium quadrants. Dare I name the rooms? No, because I'll probably just spat off some alliteration nonsense for when the time actually comes. For now though, she is alive and well, and will disappear for another year. 

[sgheaton]

4/1/2018 - Simply Update

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Between marshmellow or greasy fry, potato sponge won. 

 

Outworld is something of interest to watch. Their "dead pile" appeared magically over night. I should have taken a picture of it because I'm fascinated at how they grouped it all up. Kind of reminds me of the fish that attracts others with crop circles in the sand on the bottom of the ocean.

 

Haven't been able to spot Zagara, The Brood Mother, since her last spotting. Not really expecting to see her much either. Eggs'n'action still happening so I'm not concerned.

 

I'll need to address their outworld soon, and complete their lid sooner than later. And it's already April?! Da hell.... Still snowing in Colorado. Had some yesterday morn actually. <4% ant movement around my yard. 

Edited by sgheaton, April 2 2018 - 4:58 AM.

[sgheaton]

4-9-2018

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Spoiled everyone with a cricket yesterday. 

 

There was much enjoyment to be had:

 

Even spotted Zagara, The Brood Mother:

The brood room is full enough that their eggs are spilling over into a new chamber. Between those living in the outworld and those inside the formicarium.. I'd expect an explosion in numbers soon. 

[sgheaton]

7/2/2018 - Overdue Update

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Long overdue for an update on things. Been really busy with LIFE. Meh. Tetramorium are a'constant in Colorado right now. Found 2 earlier as I was walking from one building to another at work. Oh hell I even put one in Drews boxbox yesterday and didn't take ant pictures, nor did I make a journal for it... but I remember it now? Ugh... ...and leave it this post as a reminder to myself... baaahhhhhh ....... damnit. 

 

Things are well!

 

Decided to change out the sponge magazine because it was past time. Holy hell you'd figure I fired the first shot and the war was on! Missed the pictures due to the whole, "Fight or flight" aspect... but when you've got 5 dozen ants crawling with force together in a line at you up the tank wall, you put the lid on and go play a game while they calm down! Was awesome seeing them unify though. 

 

They were not happy with the changing of the sponge. Some remained behind on the pieces, the others were just along for the ride.

-

 

Feelin' mighty generous with the strawberry, bread, turkey, and cheese pieces. Chicken still appears to be their favorite. Why not personificate them a bit more and say they enjoy buffalo wings the most. Whatever. Ants!

 

What was really interesting was how they pooled together at the moisture points... Made me realize I have been letting things get way too dry lately... 


Gave some more water to things and they seemed to eagerly receive. That's about it for Zagara, The Brood Mother. 

Edited by sgheaton, July 2 2018 - 11:52 AM.

[sgheaton]

9/25/2018 - The Great Release (Discontinued 6-22-16 / 9-25-18)

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Where to begin... So I only come to this site when I'm at work to kill some time. Currently on a 35/90 day vacation, go to school kids, and I figure I should update things. Haven't in two months.

Lasius Towers is even starting to die: 

 

Which is a good place to begin.. I am not a very good care taker when it comes to these ants. I've only gotten as far as I have due to the hearty nature of the Tetramorium. I've had all sorts of problems and they've kept truckin'. I have learned a TON from the website, videos, and first hand. But the commitment... It's tough! I have only given them one cricket. Food? I mean.. scroll up.. Fruit flys? Never! Just constant gruel and mash up in this place and you have to truck through a constantly wet marshland of a swamp to get to it! 

 

So I suck at staying consistant on taking care of these critters. I clean my fish tanks every other week. My ants? I've got ants? I've had that thought multiple times and they are in my living room.

..Kinda takin' up space: 

That's not the thoughts I should be having with my ants! 

 

I give them water...every...two weeks? Food...I dunno.. Haven't done real food or bugs in forever.. I've got mold growing in places because I have yet to still drill a hole in top (on the backup cover that still needs to also be slim cut down). Ventilation is poor.

I've got mold: 

 

I can't imagine that they are too pleased: 

Normally I've got a hussle and the busslin' goin' on but simply isn't happenin' right now in the current state of things... So I've decided to let Zagara, the Brood Mother, and her colony go. 

 

 

 

 

Took out the dowel rod:

-

There was a bunch on confusion:

Even more so when I removed the sponge from the channel der. Didn't take a picture of that though. 

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Propped the hydrostone formicarium up against the glass for now:

-

And gave them some time to move on:

 

 

 

 

Decided to give them the incredibly fertile grounds of Lasius Towers. Though there are squirrels and birds feasting on the bountiful sunflower seeds, there aren't any chemicals here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went and did some other stuff to come back to all sorts of movement in the grounds: 

It really made me feel a lot better at least. There wasn't all that movement before. They were grabbing seeds and dirt movin' all over. Hah, probably panicking like the "Lice" episode of South Park.  While Colorado will probably get snow in... oh.. two months here.. I think they will be much better off here than in my tank, slowly dieing off. 

 

I did not see Zagara, the Brood Mother, during any of this. I'm going to pretend that she was carried into their new home to cause me problems next year. 

 

Hooray space and a clean mind knowing they are no longer here: 

 

Onto the many other projects I'm working on: 

& 

 

Another journal to be created next season!!

Edited by sgheaton, September 25 2018 - 12:30 PM.

[sgheaton]

Admittedly, I do miss having an active ant colony going. I'd like to have a new colony going. I'll wait till next year, giving me some time to work on things. 

[T.C.]

Ayyyee, your still alive. I have been a little sleepy in the hobby myself. I still got a few small colonies, but miss the old collection.

[ANTdrew]

I just finished going through this excellent journal. As I was reading, I kept thinking, “Please don’t let them die, please don’t let them die.” Despite what I hear about them being the easiest ants, far too many Tetramorium journals end in death for my liking. I can only hope that Zagara will go on to bigger and better things.
I just started caring for two Tetramorium colonies this past June myself, and I can vouch for how much of an investment it is. I worry more about them than my two toddlers, and unlike human babies, there isn’t much clear advice out there. Despite my mistakes, both queens have already hit about 300 hundred workers- this species is a fricking force of nature! I just hope I can get them through winter.
Good luck to you and Zagara; I hope you will be able to start up a new colony next season. If not, at least you’ve had an amazing ride seeing something few people ever will right in your living room.

[sgheaton]

I like to think that they are still alive and doin'' well in the Sunflower Garden of my old Colorado home. It was a safe, flourishing area for them to relocate into. I've since moved to Minnesota and have plans to start back up here when...next year..... Too much going on right now that I would like to make improvements with what I learned from my last go around. Glad you enjoyed the journal! I will make another one .. eventually... so stay tuned! 

[sgheaton]

Have a new journal of tertramoriums, but this time in Minnesota. Posting here now because I keep losing this thread and I don't want my past journal to disappear! 

[Antkeeper01]

dang wish you were still here