30 replies to this topic

[CallMeCraven]

*Update 03/08/2017*

I am on an emotional roller coaster right now! I came home from a long day at work followed by a not so good workout at the gym, and decided to check on my main lady (don't tell my wife). When I opened the lid to her shoe box I was immediately alarmed! The thermometer in the box said it was 95*f and when I glanced at my ant she was curled up in a ball. I immediately re-arranged the heating cable in the box to remove as much of it as possible and picked up the test tube, praying for signs of life. Happily her antennae started to twitch as if she knew daddy was home. I brought her out into my much cooler living room to watch her closely and allow her to cool off while her cardboard home did the same. Then I noticed it!

 

 

I am a daddy!

 

In the past four days my little P. occidentalis queen popped out two eggs! All it took was a long winter and she decided to start putting out in the best way she can! I am so happy, now I just need to hope my luck holds out and she does not eat them.

 

P.S. Sorry about the potato picks. I should really pick up one of those clip on macro lenses for my phone.

P.S.S. I just realized the genus of Pogonomyrmex was misspelled in my journal title... RIP me, how embarrassing.

Edited by CallMeCraven, March 8 2017 - 7:00 PM.

[T.C.]

" Craven, this is your wife. I just want to say I am offended. It was already bad enough a full grown man is keeping ants! Let alone loving them more than your wife! You will find the divorce papers on the mantle above the fire place!"

Seriously thouh, nice to see, got a keep an eye on them heating cables. They will fry your ants.

[CallMeCraven]

*Final Update*

Well, the time has come to say goodbye. Actually that time occured last month. I noticed that my queen appeared dead, drowning inside some condensation that built up in her test tube. However I was wrong... or so I thought. Upon picking her up, she started twitching and running around... relief fell upon my shoulders. 

 

Fast forward to the next day and she was crispy. Legs curled up and no happy smile to great me. RIP Pogonomyrmex occidentalis queen. You were my first, but you shall not be the last.

 

Here are some pics of her moldy corpse for posterity.

 

[CallMeCraven]

*Revival Update 05/11/2017*

Good news everyone! My original Pogonomyrmex occidentalis queen is still dead... wait that is not good, but nothing I can do about that.

 

Instead I have managed to capture a new P. occidentalis queen in and Artemisia nova ecological site while on a site visit with my boss. I put her in a new test tube set up with some dirt from the area of the claustral chamber I found her in and she has been digging away. She can not seem to make up her mind on how she wants the tube arranged.

 

Instead of starting a new journal thread, I figured I would just continue this one. Pictures will be soon to come, as I am expecting a macro lens for my smartphone in the mail this weekend. Exciting times and fingers crossed for this queen!

[XZero38]

you are aware that these queens are semi-claustral? 

 

Check out my P. Occidentalis journal and look at the setup i had for my queens. I had mine setup in a test tube in a plastic container.

[CallMeCraven]

you are aware that these queens are semi-claustral? 

 

Check out my P. Occidentalis journal and look at the setup i had for my queens. I had mine setup in a test tube in a plastic container.

Ill be sure to check out your journal when I find it. My last queen I provided seeds, honey water, and pieces of meal worm, all of which she declined. I think she was just infertile and a lame duck overall, possibly having something to do with the late time of the season in which I caught her.

 

I have read that some populations can be fully claustral, while others are semi. Source: https://en.wikipedia...ex_occidentalis(I normally wouldn't cite the wiki, but this particular post is well cited). Nevertheless I will try to find a larger container and give her the option. Thanks for pointing this out.

Edited by CallMeCraven, May 12 2017 - 7:23 AM.

[XZero38]

The link to my journal is in my signature just click on the species name.

[CallMeCraven]

*Update 05/13/2017*

 

As promised i have taken pics of my new queen, as well as her new home. I changed her set up a bit from the simple test tube/sediment set up to a slightly more elaborate tube in outworld set up (thanks for the suggestion XZero38). I have provided her honey water, bits of meal worm, and crushed sesame seed (only seed i had on hand). She seems to really be enjoying the honey water and meal worm bits. She even posts up on the feeders themselves for some grooming time. She has yet to discover her new tube w/ water in it. I am sure she will eventually though. For now she is back in the closet for some peace and quite in the dark. 

 

Here are the pics with my new macro lenses and not.

 

Spoiler

Edited by CallMeCraven, May 13 2017 - 4:18 PM.

[Alabama Anter]

Better luck Craven!

[FeedTheAnts]

Update?

[CallMeCraven]

Update?

Sorry, I thought i had closed this journal out . The queen lived until about August before she kicked the bucket. I checked her one day and she was playing host to some gray mold . I plan on catching more P. occidentalis queens this summer as they are pretty common in my area. I will follow nurbs sage advice this time and try out one of his semi claustral set ups.

 

For now my Formica argentea colony is coming out of hibernation with some fresh eggs along with all 5 of her workers, and two of last years Crematogaster spp.queens have laid their first clutch of eggs. None of those have a journal going, but its actually on the list for this weekend, along with giving my Formica queen so sugar water and protein.

Edited by CallMeCraven, March 2 2018 - 10:24 AM.