63 replies to this topic

[ParaStatic]

My Aphaenogaster finally decided to move in to my Ant Topia mini nest

Will try and get some proper pictures with them wandering around the large outworld.

 

 

 

Looks great, thanks for sharing Guzzer. 

[Guzzer]

So mini update.

 

Aphaenogaster colony is booming - new arrivals every few days and they have moved in really well into the Ant Topia V3 nest

 

Myrmecia piliventris: I haven't checked up on her in a few weeks. I knew she was feeding as every few days she would take in with her a chopped up mealworm and then a few days later remove the empty shell. I couldn't resist having a look and have seen that the larvae has spun into a cocoon. No photos as I really didn't want to disturb her for long.

 

Camp. cf  Lownei - moved in easily into Ant Topia V4.. bit large for them with only just queen and 4 works, but I have dropped in some wood chips in and they have decided to redecorate their nest.

 

Iridomyrmex bicknelli - still in their mini founding chamber/outwork from THA. Looking at around 20+ workers. These little guys eat ANYTHING

 

Camp. consobriuns;  have a total of 4 of them and even though they're settled in their tubes (no cotton pulling) no signs of eggs. One of them did lay an egg the first week but I can't seem to see it now. Perhaps she ate it.

 

Newest arrival: Myrmecia pilosula (jack jumper) just found her wandering around so I scooped her up. She is now in her own testube with and outworld. She does have her wings and have been told that these queens shed their wings as soon as their mated.. So I might have an infertile queen. Either way I will keep her for now. She can enjoy free food/accommodation.

 

 

 

 

Sorry for average photo but she is really skitterish and 'jumps' around heaps

[CrazyLegs]

Nice, I've been looking around up here, none of the big girls have flown yet. I'm starting to see males gathering at nest entrances though. Hope I don't miss the action. It really is a right place right time sort of deal.

[Guzzer]

Nice, I've been looking around up here, none of the big girls have flown yet. I'm starting to see males gathering at nest entrances though. Hope I don't miss the action. It really is a right place right time sort of deal.

 

Good luck! Another person told me its not where they are/take off - its where they land . As you can see further up in this thread when the Camp. consobrinus were flying there were 100's of them and each nest have even more. Still I spent a whole 6 hrs looking and only found 4 in total - which none seem to be fertile.

 

I will continue to look for more Myrmecia. As much as I want it to, the one I caught yesterday I just think is not fertile (from what people have told me)

Edited by Guzzer, February 27 2017 - 6:22 PM.

[CrazyLegs]

Your right, the smaller the ant the further it is able to fly from the nest sight. However I have also heard that Myrmecia brevinoda are poor flyers and aren't able to travel too far from where they originated. It seems to hold true as all the nests of this species I have found are relatively close together. I figure if I see them leaving the nest it will be wise to spend a good amount of time in the bush being eaten alive by mosquitoes looking for them.

[Guzzer]

 I figure if I see them leaving the nest it will be wise to spend a good amount of time in the bush being eaten alive by mosquitoes looking for them.

 

I usually do that, but the day I found the jack jumper I had a commitment I needed to get to. I had actually snuck out for an hour or so looking for some feeder insects as I have run out of mealworms. Wasn't really out looking for queens. Plus I also have too many colonies on the go.

 

I just some her and just had to scoop her up

Edited by Guzzer, February 28 2017 - 2:05 PM.

[Guzzer]

So I have been having some concerns with my Iridomyrmex purpureus as they really have not shown any interest in eating. I had supplied them with honey but all they have been doing was covering it up with dirt. I have had success with pinhead crickets.

Yesterday I tried with some 100% Maple Syrup = success! They pretty much were all over it.

 

 

 

Also got a very short video of the queen getting fed:

 

 

 

Oh... and my Myrmecia pilosula dropped her wings. There is still hope!

 

[Leo]

cool ants man!

[Guzzer]

Had a crack at a Nest/Outworld combo. Ended up being bigger than what the colony requires so will block up the nest and place a small nest in there in the meantime. Heaps of room in the outworld for a new nest.

 

 

 

[Guzzer]

Update on my Pheidole sp.

 

Since the Iridomyrmex purpureus moved into their own formicarium, that opened up the Inception Chamber for new inhabitants. Since my test tube Pheidole colony is thriving I thought I would reward them with new housing.

Only took them overnight to all move in

 

Thought I would take some video before they moved as test tube setups are much easier to get my camera up nice and close

 

 

 

Also overnight a new soldier ant arrived

Edited by Guzzer, March 19 2017 - 4:08 PM.

[Guzzer]

Our newest arrival: Myrmecia piliventris worker. Also I haven't checked on her in a few weeks and today we noticed she has 3 more larvae

Will try and get some better photos over the next few days.

 

Edited by Guzzer, March 20 2017 - 6:59 PM.

[Guzzer]

Iridomyrmex purpureus chomping down on some crickets.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guzzer]

So took a gamble and added a 2nd Pheidole queen to my existing colony. Was stressful as once she found the nest the colony went into hyper alert. I left them be after a few days and checked again on them.

 

Looks like they've made peace

 

[Vanko]

How do you call a sponge you put in the formicariums? I mean is there any specific name or it's just sponge 😃

[Martialis]

 literally just "sponge"

Edited by Martialis, March 28 2017 - 6:53 AM.

[Guzzer]

My Myrmecia pilosula hasn't been out of her nest in weeks. I usually don't disturb them unless necessary. I know she's okay as the small crickets have been vanishing and I have been finding corpses but I haven't seen her in over a month.. until the other day. She decided to have a bit of raw honey.

 

[CrazyLegs]

Love the Monoclonius in the background.  She has larvae or she's eating the crickets?

[Guzzer]

Love the Monoclonius in the background. She has larvae or she's eating the crickets?

Thought​ we have some fun with her temp founding outworld.

Last I checked she had larvae. I will try and get some photos tonight.

Edited by Guzzer, April 11 2017 - 10:05 PM.

[Guzzer]

And here are some larvae... all 6

 

[Guzzer]

Went on a 4-5hr hike over the long weekend to Cape Otway - here are a few photos we took along the way: