49 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

I received this Solenopsis invicta queen with six workers from dspdrew on Friday, 26th of September 2014. Right now, they are doing good, they have one large larva, and a couple smaller ones, with some eggs. The queen seems nowhere as attached to her clutch, unlike Solenopsis xyloni, instead, she sits next to it and lets a worker sit on top of the brood. These guys also look like heavier eaters than Solenopsis xyloni.

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

[Gregory2455]

These are my most camera shy ants. Sorry the pictures may not be as good as others.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 10/15/2014

This colony is still growing extremely slow, but I am not complaining. They finally have pupae since I first got them.

[Gregory2455]

Feeding on fruit flies! (Drosophila melanogaster [Wingless Variation])

[Gregory2455]

Update: 11/3/2014

This colony is about to get their first worker since I received them from Drew! You can see the pigmented pupa in this video.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 11/12/2014

This colony has gotten their first new worker since they have come into my possession. Seriously, I can set a record with these guys for slowest colony growth in a Solenopsis colony. Other than that, they are completely healthy looking. 

[123LordOfAnts123]

Stop removing their brood, then!

 

Seriously, I have such a hard time believing a Solenopsis invicta colony is capable of growing so slowly. I've had them go egg to adult in 20 days.

[Gregory2455]

They just refuse to grow. Mine were collected from the same area dspdrew and Chromerust got theirs, and from the same flight, as I think this journal already says. I think Drew's is growing fairly slowly too. What I noticed, is they were making another female alate larva, as it was almost the size of the queen already when it must have been injured in feeding, as it has now been given up on and eaten. Maybe, with this huge larva out of the way, they can focus on making me more workers. (Just a note, I know how big a male larva gets. This was larger than that already and still growing daily, so it must have been a female reproductive.)

[Gregory2455]

These guys have blue larvae now from the Blue 100 I have been feeding them.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 12/10/2014

Filled up on Blue 100.

[DesertAntz]

I noticed the workers are shaking their gasters. Is this a specific behavior or just something random? 

[drtrmiller]

I noticed the workers are shaking their gasters. Is this a specific behavior or just something random? 

 

The specific behavior in the video was to release alarm pheromones to alert nestmates of potential danger.  Solenopsis startle rather easily—a small vibration or sudden change in lighting can be enough to do the trick.

 

You'll also see them do it when tending brood to release small amounts of venom to disinfect the brood and kill fungal spores, as well as when certain predators are attacking, so as to spray small amounts of venom at the foe.

Edited by drtrmiller, December 10 2014 - 2:50 PM.

[Gregory2455]

Yeah, it is called gaster flagging.

[dspdrew]

Yeah, it is called gaster flagging.

Mine do that all the time. It's pretty funny looking.

[Gregory2455]

How large are yours Drew? What kind of a heat source are they under?

[dean_k]

What kind of a heat source are they under?

 

Heat source : His love.

 

J/k

[dspdrew]

There's way over 70 workers by now I would guess. No heat source.

[DesertAntz]

Hmm, I wonder why your colony has such a slow growth rate greg? 

 

I wonder if your queen would have made it had she stayed in the wild. I would guess not since her colony's growth is remarkably slower than normal. But who knows. 

Edited by DesertAntz, December 12 2014 - 6:14 PM.

[Gregory2455]

DesertAntz. They have a heat deficiency. They are in about 75 F all the time. That is a lot colder than their comfortable 85-90 F.

[Chromerust]

That's a real problem Greg. Why don't you stick a simple light bulb over them? I don't understand that. If you don't have a lamp just get one at goodwill or thrift store for $5 bucks