2124 replies to this topic

[Aquaexploder]

Aquaexploder (provided they survive things are a bit hairy)

Are your P. imparis ok?

[noebl1]

Aquaexploder the book is also available on google play books for like 10 bucks. Plus side to that is you always have it around for reference and it's searchable. The Identification keys will likely be useful to have around.

I'm pretty good with my winter ants for now (provided they survive things are a bit hairy), but come next year it might help me narrow down some sppts for some pheidole.

 

haha I did both I got the Google books version of it first using the Google Rewards ("free") money, then bought the book later once I realized I like it.   

[RhodyAnts]

Aquaexplode, My winter ants appear to be healthy but do not appear to have any brood. Reevak and I discussed this a bit on my journal and I think it comes down to being kept too warm. I don't have ac and live on the 3rd floor so they've taken the brunt of the heat this summer. I just had the last visible pupa eclose so that puts his birth in june, probably during that cold spell. I have modified a mini fridge to keep them in the 60-70 degree range so hopefully they'll start laying again. My biggest concern is that they have less than 10 workers in each colony so with a 75 day replenishment time i'm not sure any of the workers will be around to care for the young. These queens seem pretty self sufficient so they might pick up the slack. I hope....

I'm also gonna start mixing in super worms into their diet, along with the D. Melanogaster.

[Aquaexploder]

This is also the problem I am facing with my one queen P. imparis colony. She still has a nice brood pile, however their are very few eggs. Most of the brood is larvae and pupae. However my 2 queen colony has a nice mix of all of them.

[RhodyAnts]

what's the temperature been like?

Also should maybe move this to my journal page for further discussion so as not to clutter this thread up.

http://www.formicult...view=getnewpost

[Aquaexploder]

I have an established A. Picea colony

I have recently found a queen of this species. Could you please give me care tips?

[ColKurtz]

 

I have an established A. Picea colony

I have recently found a queen of this species. Could you please give me care tips?

 

There is a care sheet on this species on this site.  I recently found one also.  Any additional tips are welcome.  

[ctantkeeper]

MYRMICA?! OMG I NEED THEM
I'm getting my collecting equipment ready...

Also, I just caught an adorable Lasius latipes queen. She got attacked by her L. alienus workers, so I put a drop of honey on her thorax and sent her back in. The workers drank the honey off and fed it to the queen! She was successfully adopted.

lol!!! good luck with collecting queens . I will trade any with you that I happen to come across. Btw, I have never heard of anyone introducing a social parasite queen to host workers like that. Again, you need to share some of these tricks (including AI) with the rest of us in some sort of post!!!

[ctantkeeper]

I found another Aphaenogaster dealate today. Also as I asked previously, do we have any fungus growers in New England?

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis can be found in Rhode Island.

[Nathant2131]

 

I found another Aphaenogaster dealate today. Also as I asked previously, do we have any fungus growers in New England?

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis can be found in Rhode Island.

 

Really? I thought their range stopped in Northern NJ. Is there any literature mentioning they can be found even farther North?

[ctantkeeper]

 

 

I found another Aphaenogaster dealate today. Also as I asked previously, do we have any fungus growers in New England?

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis can be found in Rhode Island.

 

Really? I thought their range stopped in Northern NJ. Is there any literature mentioning they can be found even farther North?

 

There is a scientist at Uconn who gathers laboratory colonies from RI. I believe his name is Professor Classen (I think that is how it is spelled). I met up with him once, but it was a long time ago.

[Aquaexploder]

There is a scientist at Uconn who gathers laboratory colonies from RI. I believe his name is Professor Classen (I think that is how it is spelled). I met up with him once, but it was a long time ago.

How did you meet him? Just curious because I might want to meet him.

[RhodyAnts]

Guess who's hunting/getting a fungus grower next year!!!! --> This Guy <-- :-D

[Aquaexploder]

Guess who's hunting/getting a fungus grower next year!!!! --> This Guy <-- :-D

Same! Let me know if you find any!

[RhodyAnts]

http://www.jonathanklassenlab.com/

[RhodyAnts]

I've seen reports of them illinois . They're colder than most of southern new england. I aslo read they are found on long island, so southern CT and Block Island and the coast are possibilities. They apparently prefer entirely sandy soil conditions in open areas like pine barrens. Southern MA, the cape and Islands could also be strong possibilities. Oh and their nest is apparently very unique and unlikely to be confused with other species! Now we need a nuptial flight range!

 

I do recall as a child seeing ants carrying leaves while out playing in the woods/swamp. Probably unrealated but....

 

http://eol.org/pages/614221/details

Edited by RhodyAnts, August 16 2017 - 5:31 PM.

[ctantkeeper]

 

There is a scientist at Uconn who gathers laboratory colonies from RI. I believe his name is Professor Classen (I think that is how it is spelled). I met up with him once, but it was a long time ago.

How did you meet him? Just curious because I might want to meet him.

 

I was meeting with another Myrmecologist by the name of Eldridge Adams to talk with him about his research /  career and to get a tour of his laboratory, which happened to be located next to professor Klassen's office. He was extremely friendly and informative. He even gave me a tour of his office and of his laboratory colonies as well!

[ctantkeeper]

http://www.jonathanklassenlab.com/

Thanks, this is the guy. Sorry for botching up his name btw.

[RhodyAnts]

http://www.jonathanklassenlab.com/

Thanks, this is the guy. Sorry for botching up his name btw.

No prob. It was close enough to get an instant hit, and more than any of the rest of us had!

Was reading that they also like "arid" soils. So I figured cactus. There is a species of cactus native to new england (MA, CT, and RI) and lo and behold all along the south coast and islands. New Port, Cape, Nantucket... Etc. I think this might be a real possibility. Becuase of it's spotty and restricted habitat, small colony size and it's unique feeding. It is distinctly possible that this one has been overlooked, or is moving north with the warming climate. We should be able to find a nuptial flight range by taking it from other northern portions of it's range. Guess I might be making a trip to block island or new port soon.

[Connectimyrmex]

I shall search for Trachymyrmex in my region now. (I'm feeling unnecessarily eloquent)

 

Also, I finally caught my Connecticut white whale (a myrmecophile!). It died, but still.

Can you guys guess what it is?