61 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

I caught two Tetramorium Sp.E (caespitum) queens in San Francisco, while visiting people, in late July, along with some Formica cf. fusca queens. Since I was not there for ants, I had no gear to keep them in, and the two stayed together in a dry, empty water bottle until I got back home. They were immediately moved into test tubes, and both started laying eggs. After a while, it was obvious one of them was infertile, but I tried to keep my hopes up. Then, in the recent heat waves, the infertile one, along with one of the Formica cf. fusca, and my fruit fly culture was wiped out by the heat, which easily went over 100 degrees Fahrenheit indoors. By now, I am pretty sure this second queen is easily my largest colony right now, I gave up on counting workers, but I will make an estimate soon. Since this species is known to live up North where it snows as well, I will be giving these guys a little bit of a hibernation period, but rather short compared to what Crystals and Mercutia have to do in Canada. Even during hibernation, they will be kept at decent temperatures.

 

Edited by Gregory2455, February 20 2019 - 10:05 PM.

[dermy]

Cool colony I hope they do well in hibernation.

[Gregory2455]

Thanks!

[Gregory2455]

[Gregory2455]

This colony's hibernation, along with all my other colonies have had their hibernation delayed thanks to the refrigerator having a problem. The situation is that my house has three refrigerators and two freezers, but two of the refrigerators are also ~2 degrees below freezing. The other one's temperature swings from around 40-55, so this is the one I will use, but thanks to the fact it's freezer shelf has a mini glacier on it, it needs to be thawed next weekend. This colony, along with all my other hibernating colonies should be in hibernation by next Monday. 

[Gregory2455]

Video Update: 10/18/2014

Colony is still growing and shows no sign of wanting to hibernate, with a massive pile of new larvae.

 

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

[Myrmicinae]

Yeah. Tetramorium caespitum don't seem to need hibernation at all. I have a couple of very large colonies and their appetites remain high all year. I think that they would try to keep eating and growing, even if you chilled them.

[Gregory2455]

They will have a chilling period at ~50 degrees Fahrenheit for ~2 months.

[Gregory2455]

Should this colony be hibernated?

[Myrmicinae]

Should this colony be hibernated?

 

I would say that it is a matter of preference.  T. caespitum certainly don't seem to need it, but it would probably prompt faster growth in the spring and give you time to build a new formicarium.  I hibernate my ants at a temperature of ~45 F.  As I mentioned earlier, I have heard from others that T. caespitum will still accept some food, even when chilled.

Edited by Myrmicinae, October 22 2014 - 12:45 PM.

[Gregory2455]

Dang, over the last few days, some bacteria has turned their water yellowish, it seems dangerous, because I have started to see the population go down, and some remains of dead workers in the midden. 

You can actually see the yellow at the end of the newest feeding video.

[Gregory2455]

A few new deaths this morning too...     

[Crystals]

Might want to attach a new test tube and see if you can get them to move.

They will probably take a few days and need some persuading to move. 

It may be easier if you put the 2 test tubes in an outworld for two days and then remove the old one (shaking them gently out of the old tube if needed).

[Gregory2455]

That is what I plan on doing. This colony WILL NOT die.

[dean_k]

Make sure you place a bright white paper or napkin under their current tube. It makes them feel much brighter. It may not work on all sp but worked for me and they moved in few hours.

[AntsAreUs]

Just saying Gregory, I'm very unlucky. My first experience was with Tetramorium and they all died.  That is why that is my picture.

 

I've always loved Tetramorium and I've always thought they were such in awesome species to keep, but I missed all the flights this year so I have to wait til' next year.

Edited by Gaige Daughtrey, October 30 2014 - 12:38 PM.

[Gregory2455]

Tetramorium are fairly easy to keep, just the moment they get workers, give them a foraging container!

[AntsAreUs]

Tetramorium are fairly easy to keep, just the moment they get workers, give them a foraging container!

I already know all this but I was feeding them in a test tube and they seemed to be fine with that.

[Gregory2455]

Mine are in a test tube also. that's what this is all about, they have overpopulated the test tube and waste is getting into the water, making it toxic.

[AntsAreUs]

Mine are in a test tube also. that's what this is all about, they have overpopulated the test tube and waste is getting into the water, making it toxic.

Actually I only had them for about a month and a half so that couldn't of been...