70 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

This thread is where to post any information about the upcoming Acromyrmex versicolor flight, which will take place in Southern California, some time around August. 

Edited by Gregory2455, October 16 2014 - 9:50 PM.

[dspdrew]

I take it you're planning to try to show up for it too? There's about seven people now who are all hoping to make it out there on the day they fly haha.

[Gregory2455]

I am going to do everything I can I opened this thread so I can be updated as quick as possible.

[Gregory2455]

I have a few questions:

Acromyrmex versicolor is supposedly polymorphic. I cannot seem to find a picture showing the diversity of the castes, anyone have one?

When I catch a few of these queens, they will likely have dropped their fungus pellets.

Anyone know where I would be able to get some spare fungus?

If nobody knows where I could get fungus what would chances be of digging to the side of a mature colony and trying to find an outlying fungus chamber? 

 

          Thanks for any help at all, trying to figure some things out before they have their mating flight.

[dspdrew]

Acromyrmex versicolor is supposedly polymorphic. I cannot seem to find a picture showing the diversity of the castes, anyone have one?

 

I don't think I do, but from what I remember, they just have a slight size variation sort of like S. xyloni, only not that extreme.

 

 

Anyone know where I would be able to get some spare fungus?

 

Anh and I tried for a long time to get fungus for the queens we collected. Unfortunately most people have no incentive to help out, and probably won't.

 

 

If nobody knows where I could get fungus what would chances be of digging to the side of a mature colony and trying to find an outlying fungus chamber?

 

It's possible, but I know we tried and failed. We dug a four foot wide, 2 foot deep hole and never found anything. I suspect it's probably very deep being that these live in the desert where it's extremely dry.

[Gregory2455]

If I could get one fungal pellet from one queen, could I farm it myself to make extra/back up fungus? It is a fungus, so how hard can it be?

[123LordOfAnts123]

It's a fungus that's evolved over millions of years unable to survive without ants, so no, you won't be able to culture it. Just like brood, the fungus is meticulously groomed, coated with antibiotics, and fertilized with ant feces.

[LAnt]

So how does the queen survive in the wild?

[Gregory2455]

She takes a little pellet of fungus before she flies away from the parent colony, and once she starts to dig her founding chamber, she regurgitates it and starts to tend for it, that is what all leaf cutter species do. But, Acromoymex versicolor can sometimes be polygynous, during the founding stage, in which case the least dominant of the founding queens goes out to forage to feed the fungus. I am pretty sure after the founding stage, the queens fight and choose one.

[dspdrew]

Planning to head to our Acromyrmex spot tomorrow to bury our Acro traps.

[LAnt]

That sounds like a good idea. Is it a container in the soil?

[dspdrew]

Basically yes. It will trap the entire  founding chamber, fungus and all.

[Gregory2455]

what's gonna tempt the queen to dig on your trap?

[dspdrew]

From what we observed last year, they all seem to dig their nests right under the small Ironwood trees, in the hundreds.

 

[Mathiacus]

I hope it works out for you. Would the disturbed ground above your trap be a more tempting digging location for them?

[dspdrew]

Not sure. They really seemed to dig most anywhere under these trees.

[Gregory2455]

I heard their favorite past time is to defoliate ironwood trees.

[dspdrew]

They sometimes use the little flower pedals on their nest.

 

[Gregory2455]

Yep, I have seen that before... Off to Idaho in four hours. 

[Mercutia]

Definitely would be nice to have some fungus growers around here. You guys are so lucky to have such interesting ants in your region.