70 replies to this topic

[fortysixandtwo]

Here you can see all the different stages the brood are at. They have now brought them all outside. Waiting on them to go back inside so I can give them dinner and put them away. Any day now ladies....

 

 

[MichiganAnts]

 

Checked the ants today. Definitely very good progress in Camp Modoc. Now two generations of brood: new pile of eggs, and the previous eggs are now larva. Making sure they get protein with each feeding now in the form of prekilled crickets and roaches. 

 

Camp Vicinus, for whatever reason, the growth is stagnant. But the brood is still alive. Giving extra protein, hopefully that speeds things up.

 

Camp Modoc. You can see the two distinct piles of eggs and larva. Workers and queen look fat and healthy:

 

 

Camp Vicinus. You can get a clear shot of the larva here, there is growth, just not much. No new eggs yet:

 

 

Funny behavior observation: After adding water to the hydration tube for Camp Modoc, some water got in the nest. One worker proceeded to take all the larva out one by one, line them up, and is now thoroughly investigating them and cleaning them. Can't get the food tray back in until she brings them back inside.

 

In this process, I saw another worker carrying what looked like a dead worker out. Damn, lost another. Then she puts it down, and the worker gets up and starts walking around. Wtf :laughing:

 

that's what workers do to let others carry them. if a worker is not moving and isn't balled up, then its dead and keep updating your journal nick!

[fortysixandtwo]

 

 

Checked the ants today. Definitely very good progress in Camp Modoc. Now two generations of brood: new pile of eggs, and the previous eggs are now larva. Making sure they get protein with each feeding now in the form of prekilled crickets and roaches. 

 

Camp Vicinus, for whatever reason, the growth is stagnant. But the brood is still alive. Giving extra protein, hopefully that speeds things up.

 

Camp Modoc. You can see the two distinct piles of eggs and larva. Workers and queen look fat and healthy:

 

 

Camp Vicinus. You can get a clear shot of the larva here, there is growth, just not much. No new eggs yet:

 

 

Funny behavior observation: After adding water to the hydration tube for Camp Modoc, some water got in the nest. One worker proceeded to take all the larva out one by one, line them up, and is now thoroughly investigating them and cleaning them. Can't get the food tray back in until she brings them back inside.

 

In this process, I saw another worker carrying what looked like a dead worker out. Damn, lost another. Then she puts it down, and the worker gets up and starts walking around. Wtf :laughing:

 

that's what workers do to let others carry them. if a worker is not moving and isn't balled up, then its dead and keep updating your journal nick!

 

 

Haha yeah I just thought it was funny. Lazy little turd

[fortysixandtwo]

Growth still seems stagnant in Camp Vicinus. Not sure why. They did appear to have eaten the crickets at least that I put in there a few days ago.

 

Camp Modoc on the other hand is doing great. Steady brood growth. The crickets were torn to pieces and consumed. All the fish food I put in was also consumed. For some reason the ants scattered the moss and wood chips all over the food tray and elsewhere. Not sure why.

 

[fortysixandtwo]

First pupa in Camp Modoc! This colony appears to be doing well. No idea why Camp Vicinus is not showing any serious growth.

 

[fortysixandtwo]

Just caught my first carpenter queen. Looks like a Camponotus modoc?

 

Caught her @ 2:30 pm, full sun, about 82 F. ~3200 elevation. Outside of Nevada City, CA

 

 

[fortysixandtwo]

Well Camp Modoc is moving along great. Should have many new workers soon.

 

Camp Vicinus has not made any progress.

 

Also here are all the queens I have caught so far. Believe there are two C. vicinus, one C. modoc, and one I am not sure of that is much smaller than the rest.

 

 

[Antking117]

Very cool, i want modoc, but unfortunately it is not in my location! Keep us posted!

[T.C.]

Update?

[YsTheAnt]

Just saying that colony doesn't look like a modoc. The queens have reddish purple legs and they are a bit fatter, and the workers have shorter legs. I might be wrong, but pretty sure those aren't modoc. I mean the first colony btw.

[TennesseeAnts]

Well Camp Modoc is moving along great. Should have many new workers soon.
 
Camp Vicinus has not made any progress.
 
Also here are all the queens I have caught so far. Believe there are two C. vicinus, one C. modoc, and one I am not sure of that is much smaller than the rest.
 

 

The smallest queens are most likely from the sub-genus myrmentoma and are a very small Camponotus.