139 replies to this topic

[AntsBrazil]

Hello everyone, this is my second journal(check my first one about my 3 Pachycondyla: http://www.formicult...a-sp-journal/).This journal will be about my 6 Atta sexdens +1 that is probably dying(or dead already).

I came to my university day 06/11/16 at night (22:00) I started to see a lot of dead Atta males in the ground, and some that were walking around. That was the signal that the big Atta nuptial flight that happens every year in Brazil had happened that day or the day before. When walking to my home I found an Atta alate, placed it inside a test tube right away and captured a male to show you guys:

 

This queen is HUGE, she looks amazing. That same night I came to this forum's chat to show you guys my catch and I were convinced to go outside to catch some more. Then 30 minutes later I came back with the girls:

 

 

I was desperate because I didn't expect to find that many. I talked with some friends from a Brazilian group and they gave me some tips, the day after the catch I bought what I would need: 1kg of plaster, 6 plastic containers and some coffee cups.

Made a thin layer of plaster as it seems to be what they like, placed some water to make it wet and also placed the cup of coffee with a humid cotton ball inside.

 

 

When I was placing 2 of them I noticed a very small brown ball I thought that it could be the fungus. The first one I picked it with my finger and placed in the container and then placed the queen, the queen right away moved to it, grabbed it and started moving around holding it, so for sure it was the fungus(I hope I didn't destroy it in the process). The second fungus was in the cotton so I removed the part of the cotton where it was and placed inside so she could move it herself.

 

 

Also an interesting thing the alate less than 1 minute after I placed her in the plaster container she removed her wings =D very happy about that.

OBS: I released the first alate that I captured but today (07/11) I found another one inside my university building and decided to keep this one.

 

 

Edited by JPSMedeiros, January 14 2018 - 4:25 PM.

[AntsBrazil]

OBS:The queen that probably is that was the only one inside a test tube. 

[noebl1]

I have a framed/mounted Atta Texana queen alate and can't get over how big they are compared to the queens we find around here; even dwarfs the Camponotus varieties. 

[Vendayn]

Keep in mind, if the fungus is on the cotton...cotton destroys the fungus. Drew found out that discovery out. Any time the fungus was on the cotton, it would die for some reason. Don't remember the exact reason and I'm leaving right now, so can't look. But I think it gets tangled up in the cotton or something.

[AntsBrazil]

Thanks for the reply. The queen already removed the fungus from the cotton and I removed the cotton. 

I found 7 more queens, I noticed that they were flying again and decided to catch some more just to be sure to have a colony since I'll have to move them about 100km to my house. 

These ant's have a strong smell, I think that it's pheromones.  

Separated them so they don't fight, some of them lost their legs even tho:

 

Better container design:

 

 

 

 

 

How I change the post title? tried going into more reply options but didn't find it.

Edited by JPSMedeiros, November 7 2016 - 2:25 PM.

[Kevin]

Edit the original post.

[Leo]

so jealous no fungus growers anywhere near hong kong

[Alabama Anter]

Same... At least we have Trachymermex

[AntsBrazil]

5 of them that were in the smaller setup died, I think that they got attacked by other fungus since all the 5 setups had some brown marks on the plaster, the other 2 that survived didn't have those marks. All the 6 queens in the big setup are fine. Now I have 8 queens, I'll update the post, again.

[AntsBrazil]

Update 11/14/16. 

We lost some queens, don't know exactly why but I guess that the natural selection is taking part. 

I moved them to my house and the process probably stressed them. We have 3 in the big setup and 2 in the small one. 

All the queens have a good size of fungus and some eggs that I can't count because they are on the top of the fungus and they have similar colors.

 

 

 

There's some eggs there in the middle of the fungus.

 

All 3 of them that are in the same setup have almost the same amount of eggs+fungus, the ones in the smaller setup I can't really see much but they seem to have a smaller amount of fungus+eggs.

Edited by JPSMedeiros, November 14 2016 - 1:29 PM.

[Canadian anter]

wow really nice! you're doing better than DREW the first time he attempted Acromyrmex versicolor. Do not release ANY of these (ship them to me )

[AntsBrazil]

The Atta is easier than the acromyrmex to keep, because they don't go out to forage for plants. They just need leafs when the first worker arrives. 

[Kevin]

The Atta is easier than the acromyrmex to keep, because they don't go out to forage for plants. They just need leafs when the first worker arrives. 

In the wild I believe they still do look for plants, but I'm not familiar with fungus growers so I can't tell you you're wrong

[Alabama Anter]

wow really nice! you're doing better than DREW the first time he attempted Acromyrmex versicolor. Do not release ANY of these (ship them to me )

Lol even if he did it's too cold over there

 

[AntsBrazil]

 

The Atta is easier than the acromyrmex to keep, because they don't go out to forage for plants. They just need leafs when the first worker arrives. 

In the wild I believe they still do look for plants, but I'm not familiar with fungus growers so I can't tell you you're wrong

 

The Atta uses her poop to grow the fungus.

[Canadian anter]

Alabama anter have you ever heard of the term indoors?

[fortysixandtwo]

Very cool. Eager to see how this progresses. Leafcutters in general have always fascinated me.

[Alabama Anter]

Alabama anter have you ever heard of the term indoors?

I have, but have you ever heard if it's cold outside the cold can transfer inside. Also I bet they will die in the mail So good luck

[AntsBrazil]

Update 11-27-26

VIDEO UPDATE  

 

 

3 of the queens have a healthy fungus, all these 3 are in the big setup, but 2 of them in the small setup lost their fungus somehow and now only have eggs.

 

Usually she taking care of the eggs and fungus but I can't take a photo of it since as soon as I remove them from the dark place that they are being kept they start acting aggressively to protect the brood and fungus. 

 

 

 

[drtrmiller]

I talked with some friends from a Brazilian group and they gave me some tips...

Can you kindly link to that local group? I'm interested in reading their discussions.