209 replies to this topic

[FeedTheAnts]

Two Camponotus chromaiodes soldiers eclosed today. I've been waiting for these large cocoons to eclose for a while now, and it turns out they are filled with soldiers.

 

(The best pics I could get, the soldier is in the middle)

 

[FeedTheAnts]

 

 

How many workers do the Abdo-lemons have?

I'd say anywhere between 650 and 800. It's just an estimate though, as they are in a terrarium.

Wow! That is around how large my Pacific Empire is! (They have about 600 workers). Also, how common are F. pallidefulva in Tennessee?

 

They are pretty common. Pallidefulva and subsericea are the two most common species of Formica here.

[FeedTheAnts]

The Camponotus chromaiodes have gotten a lot of new workers in the past week. I think the population is in the mid thirties, with two majors.

Spoiler

The Camponotus castaneus aren't doing as well, but at least the workers have stopped dying.

Spoiler

 

 

[TennesseeAnts]

How many workers do the Abdo-lemons have?

I'd say anywhere between 650 and 800. It's just an estimate though, as they are in a terrarium.

Wow! That is around how large my Pacific Empire is! (They have about 600 workers). Also, how common are F. pallidefulva in Tennessee?

They are pretty common. Pallidefulva and subsericea are the two most common species of Formica here.

Ok, thanks! What about Camponotus castaneus?

[Dotdispenser]

I live in East Tennessee and have found that Camponotus Castaneus are fairly rare ants. However, if you find one colony of them, there will typically be a large amount of colonies nearby. Also, they’re mostly nocturnal and nest under large stones (I have literally never found them anywhere other than under stones)—especially stones that get morning and afternoon sun, but evening shade.

TL;DR: they’re pretty rare, but if you find one there’s bound to be WAY MORE nearby under large stones.

Edited by Dotdispenser, June 26 2018 - 11:36 AM.

[FeedTheAnts]

I live in East Tennessee and have found that Camponotus Castaneus are fairly rare ants. However, if you find one colony of them, there will typically be a large amount of colonies nearby. Also, they’re mostly nocturnal and nest under large stones (I have literally never found them anywhere other than under stones)—especially stones that get morning and afternoon sun, but evening shade.

TL;DR: they’re pretty rare, but if you find one there’s bound to be WAY MORE nearby under large stones.

I agree. The reason they are usually always around each other may be because they like their dirt a particular way. So, when you find one colony in an area full of clay then chances are you will find lots more colonies also nesting in that area because the dirt is the way they like it.

[FeedTheAnts]

The AntsCanada Hybrid Nest came yesterday. After a couple hours of manipulating the temperature in their setup I finally got the Valentines to move in. I love the nest, in fact, I'd probably give it a 10 out of 10. One thing that was surprising was how heavy the thing was.

 

Condensation... I know

Edited by TennesseeAnts, June 26 2018 - 3:37 PM.

[AntsMaryland]

My dual cotton chamber test tube setup could have saved your winter ants - RIP

By any chance, what is your "dual cotton chamber test tube setup?

 

Thank you for any help!

 

-AntsMaryland

[CoolColJ]

 

My dual cotton chamber test tube setup could have saved your winter ants - RIP

By any chance, what is your "dual cotton chamber test tube setup?

 

Thank you for any help!

 

-AntsMaryland

 

 

 

see here  http://www.formicult...-chamber-walls/

[TennesseeAnts]

I live in East Tennessee and have found that Camponotus Castaneus are fairly rare ants. However, if you find one colony of them, there will typically be a large amount of colonies nearby. Also, they’re mostly nocturnal and nest under large stones (I have literally never found them anywhere other than under stones)—especially stones that get morning and afternoon sun, but evening shade.
TL;DR: they’re pretty rare, but if you find one there’s bound to be WAY MORE nearby under large stones.

Yeah, I have noticed that. I am in Nashville right now and I lifted a fairly large stone slab, and boom! Ants everywhere! There were tons of super majors and some alate pupae. Even found C. chromaiodes colonies. Also, if you look under rotting logs, you will find red runners. (Little red cockroaches). (They stink though!)

EDIT: Nevermind..... Those Camponotus are actually C. sansabeanus....

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, June 27 2018 - 4:16 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

The Valentines have settled into their nest and picked out their favorite chamber for most of the brood. The ants themselves seem to like the wet side of the nest while they keep almost all of the brood at the uppermost chamber.

The colony's eggs

 

My Aphaenogaser colony is producing male alates. I've only had one fly thus far, but they still hang out at the entrance of the nest all day long, almost like they want to fly.

 

Edited by TennesseeAnts, June 30 2018 - 6:55 AM.

[YsTheAnt]

That egg pile though!

[TennesseeAnts]

Yesterday I found seven Crematogaster queens! Also found some Pheidole queens.

[FeedTheAnts]

Since the Aphaenogaster colony started producing alates and it doesn't seem like the colony is going to get much larger, I decided to move them into a pretty setup. I kinda view these ants as being more of a showpiece than anything else, and so I wanted to give them something natural looking to live in. I don't really mind not being able to see the inner colony anyways, because there isn't much to see. These ants are also the funnest ants to watch hunt, because they are super aggressive. 

 

What I ended up making was a small terrarium blanketed in moss( I promise it was, the ants just buried most of it), and some lichen covered oak bark. The ants actually dug right up against the glass, which is pretty cool. 

 

By the way, the Aphaenogaster colony's name is now the "Moss Monsters". I named them this because of there mossy enclosure and aggressive nature. If I was a bug being put into that enclosure, I would be scared to death of the "monsters" in the dirt.

 

Anyways, here are the pics.

 

I just have to say, the setup looks way better in real life

 

Edited by TennesseeAnts, July 1 2018 - 4:04 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

EDIT: Nevermind..... Those Camponotus are actually C. sansabeanus....

 

Really? You found Camponotus sansabeanus in Tennessee? I don't think they are in TN, It must have been C. castaneus.

Edited by TennesseeAnts, July 1 2018 - 4:23 PM.

[TennesseeAnts]

EDIT: Nevermind..... Those Camponotus are actually C. sansabeanus....

Really? You found Camponotus sansabeanus in Tennessee? I don't think they are in TN, It must have been C. castaneus.

Positive. Camponotus castaneus majors have orange heads, and a yellow ish thorax and gaster. My ants had black heads, an orange thorax and a striped gaster. Also, they were HUGE ants.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, July 1 2018 - 8:16 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

Just some pics of the Moss Monsters eating cockroaches, their favorite food. It think I have decided this is my favorite ant setup.

 

 

[CoolColJ]

Are you raising wood roaches? If not, they are so easy to keep and just breed themselves without even trying. Easy insect food source

[FeedTheAnts]

Are you raising wood roaches? If not, they are so easy to keep and just breed themselves without even trying. Easy insect food source

No, I'm not. I just catch them around my yard. If I ever get some feeders then I'm thinking about starting with mealworms. Or maybe catching some of the fruit flies that are all over my house.

[CoolColJ]

Are you raising wood roaches? If not, they are so easy to keep and just breed themselves without even trying. Easy insect food source

No, I'm not. I just catch them around my yard. If I ever get some feeders then I'm thinking about starting with mealworms. Or maybe catching some of the fruit flies that are all over my house.

Wood roaches are easy and practically raise themselves. Harmless, cute, don't smell and make no noise.

Whereas the other options are cannibalistic, will change form, make noise, smell etc
And require a lot more maintenance, complex setups etc

Fruit flies are easy, put fruit in a container and wrap the top with Glad Wrap, and poke a small hole in it.
Better if you have a electric fly swatter just under the wrap, kill both the fly and any parasites in one quick jolt