5 replies to this topic

[sgheaton]

9/17/17

 

1. Location of collection:   Backyard, Firestone, Colorado
2. Date of collection: 9/18/2017
3. Habitat of collection:  Under a rock/grass/dirt/yard.

 

I'm up to ...I think 5 individually captured, one has removed her wings. Then ... a container of 3, another container of 3, and yet another container of another 5. Lately, every time I go outside, I can spot a colonies movement instantly. Yesterday when I let the cat out, noticed that there was all sorts of action going on over here:


"Hey, look. Ants doin'''''''' their flight thing."

 

Probably... 20 or so queens. Buzzin' all over. I watched one try to fly, kinda fly, then get caught in my wind blast getting blown from my mouth to go flying farther into my garden. Quickly ran inside and began capturing. Not knowing what to do, I grabbed the rock that had 6 queens on it and dropped it on the bead organizer. Master huntsman, right here.

 

Reminded me to go check on the other's I had captured already. One removed her wings. Sweet, she's the only one to do so, so far. Kinda forcin' me to make this journal junk about them so I know when/what/where. 

 

MEANWHILE, ran out of containers, noticed the bead organizer had hole/gap all over it so the first trap at the lid, so this wouldn't work out well. 

 

So upgraded it into Alcatraz v2.0.

 

They'll be fiiiiiine.There's still a small gap (The worker tried to make the swim already) but the queens haven't squeezed out. I don't think they can..... Which is a horrible assumption to make, so we'll see. 

 

I really don't want all of these queens as I've done zero research on them. Don't even have a set up. Will most likely buy someone elses prebuilt as I'm super busy with other works. At least the journal has been created! More stuff hopefully to come later. 

Edited by sgheaton, March 7 2018 - 5:43 AM.

[sgheaton]

9/19/2017

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Located my "anting equipment box" in the garage during the dice tower construction yesterday. Transferred 3 queens into separate containers. The remaining 3 got another 3-cup forced party session going on. While Alcatraz v2.0 was humorous and seemed to be working alright -- I'd rather get them off my kitchen counter and into my closet!

....

The are upstairs in the hottest room of the house, on a shoe organizing rack with the others. 3 in test tubes, 4 in cups, 6 in the bigger jars? I don't know what I have... 

[mANT]

Do you sell any queens?

[sgheaton]

10/6/2017 

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Ya' know the drill. Home from work, let the cat outside. "Hey look, ants!"

 

While I didn't have all the Tetramoriums like I did last year, I've had these dang L. Flavus all over my gardens. As far as I can tell, they aren't hurting anything and haven't made it into the house. I leave them be for the most part.

 

Actually went and checked on the other ....8 I've got? I looked at them yesterday but didn't count them. Uh huh. Anyways, 3 were dead so I dumped them and picked up three new queens. In the closet they go. Some in simply a container. Some in test tubes. Few with water. One has holes drilled into the top.

"Why don't you drill more holes in the top of your lids?"  ---- "The drill is directly downstairs in a toolbox in the garage. that's too far when my computer is in the room over. I'll mess with it later." and here we are a year later! I'll most likely just buy someones prebuilt formicarium due to being busy. 

[sgheaton]

10/10/2017

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Snowed in Colorado yesterday. Was 28 degrees outside this morning. Curious to know how all those outside colonies are doing. 

 

The queens are still in their solo cups, alive and well for the most part. Remembered I had 3 in some cups. Checking up on them.... ....well I don't remember one of the cups, the other one had 2 dead queens and one alive. One of the dead queens was ripped in half. Taking this as a sign that the queen left behind was queen gladiator.. ..gladiatress?? She was king poop, and as such needed to be treated kindly. So back on the shelf she'll go to be checked on in a couple weeks. 

[sgheaton]

03/07/2018 - Transferred Ownership

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Hey here's something other than , "I have ants, I forgot about ants, I still have some ants, here are some ants," update. Last update was in October '17, and now a new one in March '18. 

 

I met PirateChef yesterday. Super cool dude. He out tattoo'd me in a no contest. Didn't have much time to talk music/games/etc but we'll hang out I'm sure. We've been in contact via e-mail for awhile. I could search the dates if I really cared but no need to get that exact. I decided I wasn't doing anything with these queens and would much rather have them find life somewhere other than my closet. I caught them an left them in the "warm upstairs." Like, never hibernated, etc.. So I'm giving them all to him. Down to 4 queens! Initially caught *scroll up* and down to 4. Lame.... 

 

What's kinda baffling is how they still have their wings. 

 

But what is SUPER exciting is the eggs that came ...2 weeks ago? Again, could check e-mails because I checked the tubes and didn't have anything. Had a week of life crap, rechecked and saw eggs!

And there are two queens in the tube. 

 

I really hope PirateChef is able to raise the colony. I have no doubts that he'll do a better job of it than I did. Remain focused on your projects! ... Impossible!!!!!!