19 replies to this topic

[Ants_Texas]

Ants_Texas' Odontomachus brunneus Journal (Started 3/4/18)

 

 

About Odontomachus: Odontomachus is a native but extremely rare ant genus that happens to live in Texas. Texas has four species of Odontomachus, and three are native. The native speices are Odontomachus brunneus, Odontomachus desertorum, and Odontomachus clarus. Odontomachus haematodus is the only exotic trap-jaw species in Texas, and it originates from South America, The Caribbean, and Central America. 

 

The Backstory: I bought this colony from a local Texan, and they started with around 25 workers and 2 eggs. The reason for the lack of brood is because they were recently taken out of diapause. 

 

The Catch: Having a trapjaw colony in the first place in Texas is a great honor. Trapjaws are among the rarest ants in Texas. This colony has something even more special up its sleeve, though. This colony has two queens.  This isn't common among native Texas trap-jaws, but I'd assume that Odontomachus haematodus tolerates multiple queens. 

 

AntsCanada Thumbnail Style

 

Without the Clickbait. (Sorry, Mikey)

 

Enjoy the Journal! I'll definitely be putting in lots of effort to this colony, especially due to its polygeny. 

Edited by Ants_Texas, March 8 2018 - 4:47 PM.

[AntsMaryland]

This sounds like such a cool journal! Can't wait to get some more updates!

[Jadeninja9]

Woah I am very excited about this journal. I saw your post about them yesterday on your Instagram

[Superant33]

Very interesting. I will be reading this journal with great interest. Are you sure that haematodus is in Texas?

[Ants_Texas]

Very interesting. I will be reading this journal with great interest. Are you sure that haematodus is in Texas?

Yes, definitely.

[Superant33]

Interesting, didn’t know that. I am assuming they are found in more coastal areas, like Corpus Christi? Regardless, I will be on the lookout. Thanks for the heads up.

[Ants_Texas]

Update 3/8/18:

I actually mucked up this ID and it's actually Odontomachus haematodus. This most likely explains the two queens. Not as rare as I thought, but still an amazing colony nonetheless. The colony now has four eggs, which is double the brood they had earlier.

[Ants_Texas]

Update 3/25/18:

This colony had about 9 workers die out. I moved them into a clean Mini-Hearth Type II to figure out why, and it was very apparent. There was a lot of spots of black mold inside/outside the nest. Neither of the queens died, and they now have seven eggs. Enjoy the gallery. These pictures were taken after the move. Any year now I'll get my macro working.

 

 

 

 

[Superant33]

You should be required by law to make at least a weekly update. I haven’t found any odontomachus around the San Antonio area, so I must live vicariously through you! 😂

[Ants_Texas]

Haha I wish. It would just get a bit boring every week saying, “They laid two more eggs”.

[Aaron567]

Wow.. I didn't know they were tolerant of multiple queens. I'm gonna have to combine some of the haematodus queens I catch this summer.. haven't ever had much success with them..

[Ants_Texas]

Wow.. I didn't know they were tolerant of multiple queens. I'm gonna have to combine some of the haematodus queens I catch this summer.. haven't ever had much success with them..

Yeah definitely do that! Even with two queens they seem to lay eggs slowly, but then again every egg counts. I wouldn't put more than two together though.

Edited by Ants_Texas, March 25 2018 - 2:36 PM.

[Superant33]

Aaron, didn’t you have a journal too? Anyway, please update with anytime you have new info. Odontomachus are fascinating. During my time in Texas, I have only come across two queens. It ended badly for both of them. May have baked one to death under a heat lamp. Allegedly. So any info you provide will be much appreciated. Just hope it doesn’t take me another two decades to catch two more queens. San Antonio is an anting hell.

[Aaron567]

Aaron, didn’t you have a journal too?

 

Yes, I have my Odontomachus journal, but they have not died nor made any progress so there hasn't been anything to update.

[123LordOfAnts123]

I’m far less familiar with O. haematodus, but I’ve had 2 Odontomachus (brunneus and ruginodis) colonies with double queens. Both colonies were captured with several dozen workers. It was apparent that only one queen ever contributed to the brood pool; the other queen would lay occasionally but the more dominant queen would seek them out and eat them or the workers would quickly feed them to the larvae.

[Ants_Texas]

Both queens have died as of 4/4/18. Workers will die out quickly, these ants are very good at dying. I'm not even going to try to keep these ants again, but any other species of Odontomachus would be great. Sadly, yes, this means the journal is ending.

[Superant33]

Sad news. Mine stayed alive until I baked them to death (allegedly) under a heat lamp. They laid eggs, but I never saw larvae. Based upon your pics, I think I had the same species. Has anyone had success with haematodus?
I have only heard of colonies dying slowly or at best not growing.

[Dnail]

Both queens have died as of 4/4/18. Workers will die out quickly, these ants are very good at dying. I'm not even going to try to keep these ants again, but any other species of Odontomachus would be great. Sadly, yes, this means the journal is ending.

is this genus hard to keep?

[Nonamebuticey]

Aaron, didn’t you have a journal too? Anyway, please update with anytime you have new info. Odontomachus are fascinating. During my time in Texas, I have only come across two queens. It ended badly for both of them. May have baked one to death under a heat lamp. Allegedly. So any info you provide will be much appreciated. Just hope it doesn’t take me another two decades to catch two more queens. San Antonio is an anting hell.

I am also in this area! Are you having better luck then me?

[Superant33]

No. And my honey hole for Pogonomyrmex and honey pots has been developed. Luckily I have established colonies of honey pots that are thriving.