2124 replies to this topic

[ConcordAntman]

I’ve seen a pair of C. pennsylvanicus queens over the past few days but nothing yet like the flights I’ve seen prior to 2020. I have 2 observations that I’d not seen before. At yesterday’s feeding (I feed crickets, mealworms, fruit, and on-demand Sunburst every 48-72 hours), I got some shots of my C. americanus mobbing their feeding dish. That’s quite unusual as they’re my most timid foragers. It wasn’t until I was editing my shots (for color and exposure) that I realized the workers were bringing eggs and larvae to the food in the outworld rather than vice versa.

 

 

 

 

 

Also, I’d mentioned my June 2020 C. novaeboracensis queen had lost all her nanitics. This old lady is proving to be tough! She’s been foraging for herself and has actually moved her tiny brood pile into the feeding dish I’d fashioned from a Poland Springs bottle top (that sure adds a degree of difficulty to feedings). If you look closely, you can see a pupa and some early instar larvae. 

 

 

I’m sure this latter behavior is not too uncommon. Likely a matter of survival. But the former behavior seems a bit unusual. I’ve read about workers moving larvae to the food source in the nest but exposing the larvae to risk outside?!? Anyone else see this? 

[ANTdrew]

Our ants don’t really consider their outworlds outside. I think the lack of airflow and light cues makes it difficult for them to differentiate their nest from the outworld. This explains a lot of the weird things ants do in their outworld.

[Chickalo]

Our ants don’t really consider their outworlds outside. I think the lack of airflow and light cues makes it difficult for them to differentiate their nest from the outworld. This explains a lot of the weird things ants do in their outworld.

I've noticed this with my old Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony.  Once they began moving brood into their AC Test Tube portal (it was all I had at the time)

[ConcordAntman]

 

Our ants don’t really consider their outworlds outside. I think the lack of airflow and light cues makes it difficult for them to differentiate their nest from the outworld. This explains a lot of the weird things ants do in their outworld.

I've noticed this with my old Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony.  Once they began moving brood into their AC Test Tube portal (it was all I had at the time)

 

Ha! That’s the set up I use after the nanitics eclose. I hook 2 test tubes to at AC test tube portal and use that as a feeding chamber/outworld. It makes feeding and cleanup easier and seemed to work until she lost all her nanitics. 

[ConcordAntman]

We’re halfway through the Camponotus nuptial flight season and I haven’t seen any big flights so far. Has anyone else noticed this? We’ve had it hot and dry then cooler and wet. Perhaps with this week’s storm system we’ll see some?

[ANTdrew]

We had a sizable pennsylvanicus flight down south here last night. A bunch of males showed up at my blacklight, followed by a queen.

[ConcordAntman]

So, I’ve got some news and some random ruminations. For the news, nanitics 2.0!

 

 

This is my C. novaeboracensis queen found June 2020 who was devoid of her first brood of nanitics (two died, two I inadvertently squished   ). Over the past 36 hours, the first of her nanitics 2.0 eclosed. You can see here a tidy little brood pile. I shot this with my phone during feeding session and managed to catch the Queen Mother foraging 

 

 

then feeding her little one. At the time, I wondered, shouldn’t this be the other way around?

 

 

Akaant, it seems the C. americanus queen and her colony finally seem to like my feeding regimen. They’re foraging much more actively than ever and she laying a brood pile. We’ll have to see what happens. 
 

Finally, I’ve got to get more Fluon and Sunburst (in that order). My 2018 bottle of Fluon is almost empty and likely not too effective. My C. pennsylvanicus colony of the same vintage is active and large enough that feeding can become a life or death version of release and capture (sadly 3 lid fatalities today ) Once I get that squared away I might need to get an Inception Chamber or Mini-hearth from THA. 

 

 

 

[ANTdrew]

You could also consider ordering a new lid with the removable vent. That way you can just drop food in without taking off the lid.

[ConcordAntman]

I’ll check THA’s site for it and make an order but I still need fresh Fluon. Thanks for the suggestion. 

[ANTdrew]

Mack made me one special order for $12. Be advised that the hole is kind of small, about half an inch.

[ConcordAntman]

Thanks! Quick question. My new supply of Fluon won’t arrive until Saturday. Until then, I’m chilling my big colony (10-15 minutes in 54 degree cooler) before feeding. That shouldn’t harm them? I’m just anxious, I’ve had them over 3 years. 

[ANTdrew]

Just feed once between now and Saturday, and they’ll be fine. I think a feather, aspirator, and ninja skills would be less stressful than chilling them, for the ants at least.

[MinigunL5]

Have you tried baby powder with talc in it? It's available at some store and I prefer it to fluon.

[ConcordAntman]

Just feed once between now and Saturday, and they’ll be fine. I think a feather, aspirator, and ninja skills would be less stressful than chilling them, for the ants at least.

Weren’t you the one who said “I feed my colonies like a Russian grandmother” (when I read that, I laughed so hard I almost hurt myself). The Fluon arrives tomorrow (thanks to Amazon Prime).  I just got a shipment of Dubias and crickets from Rainbow Mealworms. I’m now feeding every 48 hours. Even my most timid foragers (2017 C. americanus colony) seem to be thriving (and laying) with this regimen. 
 

 

 

 

 

A feather!? They don’t cling to the feather barbs?

 

Have you tried baby powder with talc in it? It's available at some store and I prefer it to fluon.

I haven’t, I just went with the Fluon I purchased when I got my first formicaria in 2018. Thanks for the suggestion though. 

[ConcordAntman]

When my Fluon+ shipment arrived, I chilled my big colony so I could wipe off the earlier applications (I hadn’t done that previously) and apply a fresh coating. With that done, I expected a relatively easy feeding session next time around. That didn’t happen! It was was messy. Three escapees (all recaptured) one fatality   I always have 70+ workers in the outworld with 100+ in the nest. Too many to count. I painted the inner surface of the lid and a 1” rim at the top of the outworld with Fluon+. Even with ample time to dry, enough ants can still cross the barrier that even swiping my feather like a one-armed bandit doesn’t keep them contained. It’s almost impossible to clean the outworld or refill their feeding dish (trying to minimize fruit & insect parts being strewn around) without casualties or fatalities (good thing this queen is so prolific). I may have to go back to a quick chill just prior to feeding though I really don’t want to harm a colony I've had for 3 years. I’d be really interested in hearing how those of you with big colonies and active foragers in the outworld handle this!

[ANTdrew]

Your ants have officially entered the gremlins after midnight phase. My best advice is to get them a larger outworld. Take a look at the ones Boog and I have made on here. You can see mine in my Crematogaster journal. Boog’s was designed for Camponotus and was my inspiration. You’ll need to make your own because commercial outworlds are ridiculously small for mature colonies. I could even fashion you one if you help cover the cost.

[ConcordAntman]

Damn, I knew there was a reason not to feed these critters late at night  This is the same colony that I’m having THA make an annex that would double the nest area but there was that leak in the water tower and I haven’t gotten the replacement back yet.

 

 

 

I was hoping that with a larger nest there’d be fewer workers in the outworld. I hadn’t planned on enlarging the outworld. What do you think? I’ll take a look at your design and PM you after.  

Edited by ConcordAntman, June 29 2021 - 8:00 PM.

[ANTdrew]

If you consider that a queen’s brood production remains relatively stable over time, and youngest workers take on brood rearing tasks, the amount of ants in the nest remains somewhat constant over time. What really ramps up is the number of older workers that have gone through the mental switch to foraging outside the nest. Their pheromone scents change along with their whole mentality to be: explore, explore, explore. This is especially true with a large, solo foraging species like yours. All commercial formicariums fail miserably to take this into mind, as their outworlds are pathetically small. A much larger outworld would alleviate a lot of your difficulties now, but at the same time, keeping a pristine level of cleanliness may be a thing of the past.
My Crematogaster colony is probably about 8k or more now. I only clean once a year, during diapause. I can easily feed them without escapes, though, thanks to the two huge outworlds I made. The long tubing connecting them helps give them a sense of distance travelled as well.

[ConcordAntman]

Your ants have officially entered the gremlins after midnight phase. My best advice is to get them a larger outworld. Take a look at the ones Boog and I have made on here. You can see mine in my Crematogaster journal. Boog’s was designed for Camponotus and was my inspiration. You’ll need to make your own because commercial outworlds are ridiculously small for mature colonies. I could even fashion you one if you help cover the cost.

I can’t find your Crematogaster journal. I looked through the journal forum and then ran a search. Could you post a link? Thanks!

 

Never mind, I just found it!

Edited by ConcordAntman, June 30 2021 - 3:06 AM.

[ANTdrew]

It’s in the wrong subforum.