139 replies to this topic

[antgenius123]

Wow so jealous

[T.C.]

Same, this is a pretty cool Journal. He started it in November and it already has 80 replies and 2,015 views.

[AntsBrazil]

Update 01-26-17

 

Thanks again, your replies and likes really show me that you guys are enjoying the journal.

I'm one day late(again), so this video was recorded 01-25-17. The colony is doing well I can't really tell the numbers since a lot of them are inside but I would say at least 35~40 wokers(or a lot more hahaha) when we could see all the ants I counted 20 so now we should have a lot more. The numbers of ants with bigger heads(I'm calling them harvesters)  are exploding so are their foraging amount.

I read a post that an entomologist in an Brazilian group made and apparently I need to but some rice flocks(image 1) and some corn bran(image 2) so they can regulate the moisture of the fungus and help them give form to it. 

 

 

 

[Connectimyrmex]

The fungus garden looks like a cute little bonsai rock with tiny orange grapes sticking out

 

I hope this colony does great! If you get too many workers you may have to let them feed outside

If you do that, then should you deploy the bee queen method? (You make a foraging hole far too small for the queen to fit through). I don't know if majors can fit through those holes, though.

[AntsBrazil]

Update 01-27-17

 

They keep doing well!

They look very busy doing their stuff all they long. The colony is consuming a lot of plant material, so now I'll place a bigger flower and some other leafs so they can grow as much as they want. 

OBS: Video recorded 01-26-17

 

[T.C.]

Special Request: Looking super good, very rapid growth! Could you hold something closely over top of the nest, like a quarter for scale so I can see just how large everything is? Careful you don't drop it onto the nest if you do.

[AntsBrazil]

Update 01-27-17(2)

 

New brood chamber!

I decided to update again today with a smaller video just so I can record and post the videos at the same day.

The ants decided to make a new brood chamber, I hope that there's a lot more brood inside the fungus chamber, I can't give a good estimation on the numbers but they seem to be growing very fast, and it's getting difficult to place the larger amount of plants that they need everyday.

I don't have a quarter like you guys have, I have Brazilian coins that I can use and then post the size of the coin here too.

Edited by JPSMedeiros, January 27 2017 - 6:24 PM.

[T.C.]

Ok, whatever coin works. I failed to think that they don't have American currency in Brazil. Anyways, keep the updates coming. I am watching it closely. This is the only journal I have ever seen that can be updated 2 times in a day, and that there is actually something different to see. I LOVE this journal. It really is amazing. You are so fortunate to have this colony.

[AntsBrazil]

  It's really great that you are liking it, the support that I'm getting is awesome. I wish I could get a bigger public to see the journal and watch the videos, would be awesome, but it's hard to make people get interested.

[Nincadaguy]

Just give it time man, it takes time for people to find treasure 

[AntsBrazil]

Update 01-28-17

 

They are eating a lot!

The ants devoured an entire big flower (from video #10) and some of the leafs that I placed.

OBS: The coin has 2,3cm, but the coin is not at the same height as the ants so it's not the best way to do it but it's what I could do.

 

 

 

 

Edited by JPSMedeiros, January 28 2017 - 12:31 PM.

[Nathant2131]

Can't wait until the next update 

[Alabama Anter]

Make a YouTube channel dude!

[AntsBrazil]

Update 01-30-17

 

Trying some different plants. 

They keep doing well, not much to say, but they keep growing, slower but growing for sure. They are trying to cover this new brood chamber.

Alabama Anter, I do have a Youtube channel(AntsBrazil).

The first video is 6 minutes of footage 4x faster so you guys can see some movement, the other one is the regular format. 

 

 

[Connectimyrmex]

I love leaf cutter ants. They always remind me of farming Pheidole with massive queens.

[AntsBrazil]

Update 01-31-17

 

Fungus color changed again!

I placed this plant(Clerodendrum thomsonae), and they seem to like it a lot, they completely covered the fungus with this plant material and now it's very green. Every thing seems to be alright.

Also I placed a piece of paper inside the setup with 3 cm so you guys can see the size.

 

 

[Nathant2131]

Very cool.

[Nincadaguy]

looks like the queen has finally settled down on the fungus

[Nathant2131]

looks like the queen has finally settled down on the fungus

I noticed. I wonder if she goes inside it once it gets big enough. I would assume so.

[AntsBrazil]

She was there just for a moment, now she is circulating the fungus like if she is inspecting the work haha. Once the fungus is bigger she will find a place to hide inside it.