18 replies to this topic

[dermy]

So since I don't currently have any colonies awake [and I've been hibernating a lot of them since like September] I thought I'd at least wake up a new Queen and try to start a Colony. I'm also probably gonna wake up one of my Camponotus Colonies soon. Anyway, the last Colony I had of Lasius neoniger ran away [literally the workers ran away and the queen ended up dying] so this time I'm using a different setup, just a standard pill bottle setup. I've started anything from Myrmica to Camponotus in these so Lasius should work out fine. I woke up my queen around Dec. 27/2016, and basically left her alone in the dark. Now Jan. 7/2017 I decided to take a look at her, she has some eggs that should hatch out into larvae fairly soon. She's really mellow for a Lasius Queen too, most freak right out when I open up the tube and stuff.

 

 

 

[dermy]

 

 

She finally has cocoons, it didn't take as long as last time .

 

 

I better not open it up when workers come to feed them and have them run away from me again. I'll do it in my bathtub so they can't run that far or at least I can easily pick them up if they do .

 

 

I plan to reverse-hibernate these in the Summer.

[dermy]

March 9/2017 First Workers!

 

It took a lot less time then usual to get workers then usual. I'll edit this post later with more information much too busy at this time.

[Nathant2131]

Will stick around for updates. Big emotion for this species for me 

[Kevin]

I better not open it up when workers come to feed them and have them run away from me again. I'll do it in my bathtub so they can't run that far or at least I can easily pick them up if they do .

That's just wonderful, isn't it?

[dermy]

I think the colony has 6 workers now

 

 

Here's a quick video of them eating some syrup:

 

[dermy]

There's like 12 workers now, and things are looking good. My best colony I've ever had [from a queen] in a really long time. I've got "methods" to keep them out of harms way at least for now until they grow too large....

 

 

 

I think there is a dozen or so Workers in the Colony now

[Antking117]

Sweet! I wish I could get my own ants! No one sells queen ants, and i fail to be able to capture camponotus ants! This year though, I have bought much more equipment to hopefully catch about 50 queens and some shall survive! Those ants are very active looking too!

Edited by antking117, March 22 2017 - 2:19 AM.

[Nathant2131]

Looking good. What are you feeding them?

[Alabama Anter]

Nice! I have two neoniger and they both have larvae.

[dermy]

Looking good. What are you feeding them?

Some syrup [not in that video though] and a mealworm part, they make pop noises when you rip them apart....

[dermy]

I moved them, and now they are doing well. I had to speed up my video or it will take me 1 hr and 15 mins to upload it to youtube.

 

 

[dermy]

April 13/2017

Fed the colony their first Mealworm part today I was surprised with their reaction, they are finally being less skittish then when they first eclosed. The colony is starting to get it's second generation of workers as well. I'm in no hurry to give them a foraging area. I'll wait until the tube is so full that every-time I open it ants are trying to get out. Then I'll probably connect a small little foraging area.

 

Here's a quick video on their reaction [lots of workers I know why everyone says Lasuis are great beginner species, even though I'm not a beginner it's fun to watch a colony grow this fast!]

 

[Jelly]

April 13/2017

Fed the colony their first Mealworm part today I was surprised with their reaction, they are finally being less skittish then when they first eclosed. The colony is starting to get it's second generation of workers as well. I'm in no hurry to give them a foraging area. I'll wait until the tube is so full that every-time I open it ants are trying to get out. Then I'll probably connect a small little foraging area.

 

Here's a quick video on their reaction [lots of workers I know why everyone says Lasuis are great beginner species, even though I'm not a beginner it's fun to watch a colony grow this fast!]

 

 

What do you have them in? 

[dermy]

Pill bottle with a child resistant cap [for obvious reasons] they work really well for starting colonies and keeping them until they get large enough for a foraging area/better nesting area.

[dermy]

Quick little update here's a video I made on 4/20/2017

 

 

Lots of workers and lots of activity, I'm expecting exciting things from them hopefully before it's time for hibernation. Which is in about a month or two. Since I'm reverse Hibernating them.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by dermy, April 22 2017 - 1:50 AM.

[dermy]

This Colony has a lot of larvae, so I'm expecting a population explosion when they finally eclose to workers in a few weeks. Until then I've been feeding them as much as they can handle:

 

 

Kind of skittish ants, I hope as the generations pass they get bolder. It's fun watching a colony with that many workers scared of food but then my Camponotus queen will just happily eat whatever.

[dermy]

Another quick Update, this colony has been doing very well, they are now bold enough to walk around most if not all the tube

 

Next thing I'll need to give them a foraging area soon!

 

[dermy]

 

 

 

I cleaned their tube again, man Lasius are messy ants. I see a lot of larvae, so I should start providing them with more Protein, no foraging area, they are too scared to even venture into a tube when I tried. I'm guessing the next batch of workers will be more "brave" than these.

Edited by dermy, May 20 2017 - 10:46 PM.