Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Greg's Nylanderia sp. Journal (Discontinued)

nylanderia journal

  • Please log in to reply
62 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 10 2014 - 9:01 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

So a few days ago, the first out of two Nylanderia cf. vividula queens I have had workers eclose. Out of all my colonies, this was by far the single species that had the largest amount of brood in her first clutch a total of about 12 workers eclosed all together, with more pupae following soon. I see why this species drove even the famously invasive Linepithema humile out of Simi Valley. Another thing, they run FAST. The queen alone runs faster than any of my other ant species' workers. The workers almost fly through the test tube, which makes feeding a little difficult, but once the fruit fly is in, it is quite interesting to watch.

 

It is funny, when they are callow workers and start getting darker, their head and thorax become almost completely black, but their gaster still looks completely unpigmented, making them look like Tapinoma melanocephalum, but later, their gaster becomes dark too.  :)

 

gallery_114_224_426288.jpggallery_114_224_162842.jpg


Edited by Gregory2455, February 20 2019 - 10:24 PM.

  • Justin likes this

#2 Offline Alza - Posted September 11 2014 - 8:51 PM

Alza

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 864 posts
  • LocationThe Village

update



#3 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 11 2014 - 9:14 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

This was yesterday. :D



#4 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 16 2014 - 7:40 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Ok, so in the recent flights here in Simi Valley, I caught about 5 more. I am going to try a polygynic founding. Also, I put in a few males I found into the test tube of the planned polygynic group (3 Queens), and they seem to mate with no problem in captivity. 


Edited by Gregory2455, September 16 2014 - 7:42 PM.


#5 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted September 16 2014 - 8:36 PM

Myrmicinae

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 274 posts
  • LocationFort Collins, CO

Ok, so in the recent flights here in Simi Valley, I caught about 5 more. I am going to try a polygynic founding. Also, I put in a few males I found into the test tube of the planned polygynic group (3 Queens), and they seem to mate with no problem in captivity. 

 

That's very interesting.  Were the males collected directly from nests or were they found in flight?


Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#6 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 16 2014 - 8:43 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Obviously they were caught in flight, so therefore wanting to mate.



#7 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted September 16 2014 - 8:49 PM

Myrmicinae

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 274 posts
  • LocationFort Collins, CO

Obviously they were caught in flight, so therefore wanting to mate.

 

I see.  The reason I ask is that, in most ant species, the males in particular require special environmental cues to begin searching for females.  This is one of the reasons that matings in captivity are so rare (potential inbreeding being the other major issue).  If these had been taken from a nest, it would be an interesting phenomenon to note about the species. 


Edited by Myrmicinae, September 16 2014 - 8:52 PM.

Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#8 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 16 2014 - 8:55 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

No, this is the largest Nylanderia flight this year. Alates have been being released for the last three days in a row.



#9 Offline Anhzor - Posted September 16 2014 - 9:20 PM

Anhzor

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 112 posts

humn i think i caught like 30 of these the other day.



#10 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 17 2014 - 5:23 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

These workers are like little rockets on a sugar rush! :D


Edited by Gregory2455, September 17 2014 - 5:23 PM.


#11 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 22 2014 - 4:23 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Update: 9/22/2014

This colony has not really changed in size, but some of the ones I caught in the recent flights have some pretty decent brood piles and one I caught about a month ago is due to get workers any time now! 



#12 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 3 2014 - 9:05 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Update: 10/3/2014

This colony is booming in population! Two smaller batches of brood have eclosed, giving this colony a population of over 25 workers! :D

They are very fast, making it a challenge to test tube feed them...

 

gallery_114_224_909702.jpg

gallery_114_224_1515075.jpg

 

Also, another one of these queens got workers.  :D


Edited by Gregory2455, October 3 2014 - 9:43 PM.


#13 Offline Tpro4 - Posted October 3 2014 - 10:30 PM

Tpro4

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 304 posts
  • LocationNorth Hills, CA
Okay how do you catch so many queens. I caught a drone today like seriously wtf!
Remember Dragon Warrior, anything is possible when you have inner peace. - Master Shifu

Current Queens:
1 Unknown Pogomyemex
1 Solenopsis Xyloni

#14 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 3 2014 - 11:31 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

I caught all these Nylanderia, along with my Crematogaster and Dorymyrmex insanus out of my pool.



#15 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 4 2014 - 4:02 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

gallery_114_224_139119.jpggallery_114_224_617554.jpg



#16 Offline DesertAntz - Posted October 4 2014 - 5:35 PM

DesertAntz

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 202 posts
  • LocationArizona

Those are neat looking ants. Can I find those in Arizona?


  • Tpro4 likes this

The good man is the friend of all living things. - Gandhi 


#17 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 4 2014 - 5:40 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Yes. According to Antweb, there have been samples collected around Chiricahua National Monument. These are usually ants that live in Suburbs however, like I found them. :)



#18 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 5 2014 - 12:47 AM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia



#19 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 10 2014 - 12:16 AM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Here is my newest colony. :)



#20 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 11 2014 - 12:16 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

The larger colony had a bit of a die off a few days ago, but now seem ok. 







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: nylanderia, journal

1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users