90 replies to this topic

[Mettcollsuss]

Okay, I changed my mind. I am going to keep this colony, but also going to do the experiment. I'll keep two T. immigrans colonies and compare them.

[Mettcollsuss]

    Okay, so I forgot to update this journal for a while. I tried to put them in hibernation, but they remained active. Their test tube was super dirty, so I moved them into an AntsAustralia Acrylic Nest. I attached a small outworld with a thin layer of grout at the bottom to the nest. I placed in a small liquid feeder with sugar-water into the outworld. They decided to use it as a hydration source and moved into the outworld. I then removed the feeder and added extra water to the nest and they moved back. So apparently they like it super humid.

 Here's some photos of them in their acrylic nest. The larger workers in the photo are the ones from the brood boost.

[Mettcollsuss]

Okay, so the colony went through a bit of a crisis. Long story short, they are now half their original size and in a test tube.

[Mettcollsuss]

1-17-18

I just checked on them. They are doing alright. There are a few new eggs. I offered them half a mealworm and the accepted it. They are recovering well.

[Mettcollsuss]

1-22-18

The colony is now fully recovered. They are eating well and acting as if nothing ever happened.

[Mettcollsuss]

1-25-18

They now have a pile of about 50 brood, divided equally between eggs, larvae, and pupae.

[Diesel]

My Tapinoma Sessile colony is the same way. i took them out of their old setup and into a new one. the old setup had alot of humidity and the egg #s exploded in their new setup I'm under the impression they've eaten some . i may move them back.

[Mettcollsuss]

Ant eggs can explode?!  

[TennesseeAnts]

I think he means exploded in growth.

[Mettcollsuss]

I think he means exploded in growth.

oh.

 

I feel silly now.

[TennesseeAnts]

It's alright. It's human to make mistakes.

[TennesseeAnts]

.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, January 25 2018 - 5:05 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

2-1-18

The test tube is getting pretty dirty. I'm attempting to move them. I got the best photos I could with all the dirt in the tube.

 

 

 

 

[Mettcollsuss]

2-7-18

I finally got them to move the other day. Because they had been taped to another tube for a week, I hadn't been able to feed them. I gave them a drop of sugar water, which they loved.

 

I gave them a fruit fly for the first time today. They ignored it when presented alive, even when it walked right over their brood pile. Once I crushed it, though, they devoured it.

[Mettcollsuss]

2-13-18

Most of the brood is pupae now, and about 90% of these pupae are really close to eclosing. I'm expecting a population boom any day now.

[Mettcollsuss]

2-16-18

Photo update! 

The queen isn't visible in the photos because she's hiding under the brood pile and a bit of protruding cotton.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

[TennesseeAnts]

Why are some of your workers so large?

[Mettcollsuss]

I boosted my colony with some pupae from an established wild colony.

[TennesseeAnts]

I did that with my colony too!

[Mettcollsuss]

3-5-18

They had a small population boom a couple days ago. I attached their tube to one of drew's dirt shacks. They've been using it as an outworld for a few days, but recently started digging. I placed in a honey water feeder. With the constant supply of sugar, the queen's gaster is a lot bigger than usual and she seems healthier. I also gave them their first darkling beetle (adult stage of a mealworm), which they loved. I also gave them some chocolate, which was a hit.