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Dspdrew's Myrmecocystus yuma Journal [197] (Discontinued 12-14-2021)

Started By dspdrew , Aug 19 2014 9:46 AM
dspdrew journal myrmecocystus yuma

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63 replies to this topic

#1 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 19 2014 - 9:46 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
8-19-2013
 
I found a few Myrmecocystus yuma queens 8-16-2014, a little east of Lucern Valley in the Mojave Desert of California. I dug them out of their founding chambers about three days after it had rained. These were about seven or eight inches deep.
 
Most of them started laying eggs the next day.
 
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#2 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 24 2014 - 1:30 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 9-24-2014
 
Two days ago, about one month and one week after collecting these, one of these queens got her first worker.
 
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I've had a few of these die, but still have a decent amount left. These, like all other Myrmecocystus, seem to make a mess of their brood, and let a lot of their eggs and larvae dry up and die.

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#3 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 24 2014 - 2:19 PM

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Pretty ants! I love Myrmecocystus! :D


#4 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 24 2014 - 4:19 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Doesn't everyone? :D


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#5 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 24 2014 - 4:32 PM

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These M.yuma queens have a smaller semi-clausteral/ parasitic look to them, I don't know why.


#6 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 24 2014 - 6:28 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

They are really the same proportions as all the other Myrmecocystus queens, just a lot smaller. Gaster sizes can range big time in any of the species depending on what's in them.


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#7 Offline Alza - Posted September 24 2014 - 10:37 PM

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i see.


#8 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 24 2014 - 10:55 PM

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Both my myrmecocystus were FAT.


#9 Offline Alza - Posted September 24 2014 - 11:00 PM

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with ants being fat is good i assume 


#10 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 24 2014 - 11:02 PM

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Yeah.


#11 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 25 2014 - 2:39 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I've had lots of really fat ones turn skinny, and some skinny ones turn fat. It can change as they eat or develop eggs.


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#12 Offline dspdrew - Posted November 24 2014 - 9:43 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 11-24-2014
 
Only two of these queens have workers right now, with the largest having seven. The largest colony also has about 50 larvae, and three cocoons, and is being kept in a foraging container with sand.
 
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#13 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted November 24 2014 - 10:25 PM

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Wow! A species of Myrmecocystus that do well in test tubes! That is a first... :thinking:


#14 Offline dspdrew - Posted November 25 2014 - 6:32 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

There's a bunch of them that still don't have any workers. I wouldn't say they do well.


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#15 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted November 25 2014 - 10:50 AM

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I would argue that 50 larvae in a test tube is "doing well." :lol:


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#16 Offline dspdrew - Posted November 25 2014 - 4:32 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Maybe that one. Certainly not the others. I wouldn't even say the one with 50 larvae is doing well. Seven workers in three months is not that great.


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#17 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted November 25 2014 - 4:33 PM

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It is compared to other Myrmecocystus... :thinking:


#18 Offline dspdrew - Posted December 3 2014 - 7:43 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 12-3-2014
 
First of all, I have confirmed these are M. yuma.

 

There are now three colonies with workers. I moved another colony (one with two workers) into a foraging container.


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#19 Offline LAnt - Posted December 3 2014 - 8:33 PM

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3 out of ?

#20 Offline dspdrew - Posted December 3 2014 - 9:55 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Three out of six.


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