11 replies to this topic

[JohnTX]

Looks like I had a tragedy with my favorite colony during a recent business trip.  Was wondering if anyone else had experienced this.

 

The story: 

 

My best performing colony was  a Crematogaster sp. queen I got last summer.  She had about 20 workers and was living in a Mini Hearth formacarium and doing well.  I was just getting ready to move the colony to something a bit bigger.  I was heading out on a 5 day business trip so dropped in a feeder with some Sunburst Ant Nectar and another water filled feeder to tide them over until I got back.  When I arrived home tonight I checked on them and saw a ton of small workers swarming around the outworld and though "man, this colony just exploded!"  That's when I noticed the queen laying in the outworld, barely moving.  Looking closer I noticed a pile of Cermatogaster workers in the corner and that the smaller ants were of a different species.  

 

The queen looks mortally wounded, barely moving, and missing parts of legs.  One of the workers was moving a bit.  I moved them into a spare Mini Hearth I had, along with what brood I could find, but don't have any hope they will survive. 

 

A bit upset with this; it was an awesome, active colony that fed well and were growing.

 

 

Can anyone help me identify the invaders?  They are 1-2mm and move very fast and erratically.  They emptied the byFormica feeder and there is a good picture below of them sitting fat and happy underneath it.

 

 

 

The crime scene photos:

 

The outworld as I found it, with the injured queen:

 

 

 

 

 

Pile of dead workers:

 

 

 

 

Invaders in the nest when I uncovered it:

 

 

 

 

Close up of the invaders (found under the feeder):

 

 

 

 

Injured queen:

 

 

This is how the invaders breached the nest.  Hole on the right is the fill port, the one on the left is a new hole into the nest (see the tiny ants coming out).

 

Edited by JohnTX, March 8 2018 - 8:51 PM.

[LC3]

I think these are Brachymyrmex.

[CoolColJ]

man those invaders have some full gasters...

[gcsnelling]

I agree, Brachymyrmex.

[dspdrew]

Well that sucks. I'm assuming those nests are not designed to house Brachymyrmex or other ants that size. This would also mean they can invade them too.

[nurbs]

That hole on the left... did the ants make that? Or did it come like that?

[Vendayn]

yeah brachymyrmex

Edited by Vendayn, March 9 2018 - 6:25 PM.

[JohnTX]

That hole on the left... did the ants make that? Or did it come like that?

 

There was a chip in the paint and a small divot when I got it, but it seemed cosmetic.  There was not a tunnel, they did that.

 

I taped up the hole last night and trapped them inside to see what they would do.  I can see where they are slowly trying to dig a new tunnel next to the water tower and making progress.

 

This was a 2017 type II version, which is supposed to be harder, but I guess they are able to work the seams around the water tower.

[nurbs]

 

That hole on the left... did the ants make that? Or did it come like that?

 

There was a chip in the paint and a small divot when I got it, but it seemed cosmetic.  There was not a tunnel, they did that.

 

I taped up the hole last night and trapped them inside to see what they would do.  I can see where they are slowly trying to dig a new tunnel next to the water tower and making progress.

 

This was a 2017 type II version, which is supposed to be harder, but I guess they are able to work the seams around the water tower.

 

 

That's crazy! They CHEWED through the Type II? Wonder if the hole or crevice was already there.

[JohnTX]

 

 

 

 

That's crazy! They CHEWED through the Type II? Wonder if the hole or crevice was already there.

 

 

Here's a picture I took just now.  You can see the tunnel they are digging.

 

(I promise the smashed invader was not in retaliation!) 

 

[nurbs]

 

 

 

 

 

That's crazy! They CHEWED through the Type II? Wonder if the hole or crevice was already there.

 

 

Here's a picture I took just now.  You can see the tunnel they are digging.

 

(I promise the smashed invader was not in retaliation!) 

 

 

 

A lot of the Mini Hearths have that "crevice", check out the below video at the 1:55-1:58 marker. Just surprised they were able to chew through it. 

 

[nurbs]

You're also not the only person to have squished them between the glass. Welcome to the club