6 replies to this topic

[YsTheAnt]

YsTheAnt's Liometopum Occidentale Journal

On May 4, I caught a Liometopum occidentale queen in my pool. It was quite warm that day, and I saw her floating around at ~3PM. This queen never shed her wings, but I still kept her since I have heard that queens found in pools and on blacklights don't always shed their wings, despite being fertile. It took a long time for her eggs to become larvae, so I was debating whether or not she was fertile. Shortly after, I started seeing some larvae, and a week and a half later, pupae. As of now, she has 10+ pupae and some eggs in her brood pile:



The queen sitting over her future gremlins .



Her brood pile.

I will update this when she gets her first workers, probably in a week or two, or if I catch more.

Edited by YsTheAnt, June 24 2018 - 10:26 AM.

[Scrixx]

That's pretty interesting, it's as if the brood are synchronized. Does this species lay in batches? That would make more sense. Also that's 18~ nanitics right from the start.

[Enderz]

That's pretty interesting, it's as if the brood are synchronized. Does this species lay in batches? That would make more sense. Also that's 18~ nanitics right from the start.

Scrixx, they have very large amounts of nanitcs, as drew's many journals have shown.

[YsTheAnt]

That's pretty interesting, it's as if the brood are synchronized. Does this species lay in batches? That would make more sense. Also that's 18~ nanitics right from the start.

I would think so, they have Pupae and eggs, and my guess is when the Pupae eclose, the eggs hatch.

[Enderz]

Quite cool that the queen didn't shed her wings, goes to show that even winged queens can be fertile. I wonder how big you will be able to grow them to.

[sirjordanncurtis]

I find that queens which land on wet/shiny surfaces often don’t detach their wings, due to its change in texture and (hardness?)
I had one queen which cut off her wings half way after a few days though... dk how that worked out for her

[YsTheAnt]

Update: 6/24/18

I have decided to give this queen away to a cousin, as I have way too many ants to take care of and she was not doing too great. If I catch more I will probably keep them though.

This queen was up to 18 workers, but then got down to around 5.

Edited by YsTheAnt, June 24 2018 - 10:28 AM.