625 replies to this topic

[CatsnAnts]

We have our first worker in Sygn’s colony (C. subbarbatus)! I can’t wait for it to darken so the stripes stand out!

[CatsnAnts]

Alright, long story short, my parents decided they didn’t want my ants in the house anymore (so I had to move them back to the shed, but I might be getting my own “ant space”!) anyways, I carried the first box with no problem, but the second box (with my pheidole queens and Colobopsis queens) was being carried on top of the first box. To say the least it slipped off and one of the pheidole (dark ones) escaped when a test tube broke. Other than that, one pheidole queen died for an unknown reason, AND the wingless red pheidole bicarianata queen now has a pile of eggs! I was pretty worried that I disturbed all of my ants and couldn’t stop thinking about it, but they all seem to be doing great (besides the two that I lost).

Edit: also, Topa has her first worker as well, she got it yesterday.

Edited by CatsnAnts, July 7 2019 - 3:10 AM.

[NickAnter]

I hate it when I drop a tube. Congrats on the Pheidole eggs, and the subbarbatus workers.

[CatsnAnts]

I hate it when I drop a tube. Congrats on the Pheidole eggs, and the subbarbatus workers.

Thanks!

I also think the pheidole queen has around 10 eggs. The last (boosted) subbarbatus queen finally got her first worker, and it is a subbarbatus worker. I think she has been eating the C. caryae brood.

[ANTdrew]

Damn. I was going to warn you. I think you could’ve kept them in the house, but you were bringing in new queens and colonies daily. Sorry, but they probably think you’ll just keep on bringing in more and more colonies. Moderation is key in these matters; just wait till you’re married.

[TennesseeAnts]

Moderation is key in these matters; just wait till you’re married.

Very true.

[ANTdrew]

Just a few minutes after I posted this, my crazy a&$ wife attacked me about my ants. It’s a hard struggle, really.

[CatsnAnts]

Just a few minutes after I posted this, my crazy a&$ wife attacked me about my ants. It’s a hard struggle, really.

Tell me about it

[CatsnAnts]

Temnothorax ambiguus has a lot of larvae ! I’m really looking forward to these guys, while my Temnothorax curvispinosus colony might just collapse in on itself.

The one pheidole queen with eggs is still tending to them.

My subbarbatus queens got their second workers today!

[ANTdrew]

Congrats! How’re they doing in the shed?

[CatsnAnts]

Congrats! How’re they doing in the shed?

Actually, great! It’s a lot warmer in there, and I’m going to get my own “ant space.” I probably won’t even have to do anything specially for hibernation because it gets chilly in there during winter! My parents also feel bad that they had to move them, so they offered to let me spend more money on ants (previously I wasn’t allowed, even though I have a job ). Overall, I’d say it’s going good, if not better than when they were in the house!

[ANTdrew]

Excellent! They must be realizing this is a positive pursuit after all.

[CatsnAnts]

We finally have noodles! My winged Colobopsis cf. obliqua queen (I think she’s obliqua) now has two eggs! I don’t know if she’s fertile or not, but I really hope so!

Pheidole queen layed some more eggs, I think she’s as around 15 now. They’re really small though, so it’s hard to count.

The five queen Temnothorax ambiguus colony has (I kid you not) around a little over 40 eggs/larvae (mostly larvae). They are definitely going to have a lot of workers, let’s just hope they don’t do the whole “plemetriosis process”.

My temnohorax curvispinosus eleven queen colony still has all eleven queens. They have split off into three groups though, but the workers still communicate with all the groups. I curious to see how this is going to work out.

Just checked on my Strumigenys colony, and they have a LOT of new workers (I’d say 50 total workers) and around 12 new eggs. Do these ONLY eat springtails, or will they eat other meat?

[TennesseeAnts]

They can be eat other insects, but springtails are the best for them. The only other thing I have gotten them to eat are fruit flies and the little white crawly things that live with springtails.

[ANTdrew]

A good source of springtails I’ve found is the rotting grass crap that sticks on the bottom of my lawn mower.

What’s the noodle thing? Is that how the eggs look?

[TennesseeAnts]

A good source of springtails I’ve found is the rotting grass crap that sticks on the bottom of my lawn mower.
What’s the noodle thing? Is that how the eggs look?

Yes, the noodles are the eggs. They are extremely elongated. They look like little translucent noodles.

[CatsnAnts]

WHOO WHOO! The one pheidole cf. morrisii queen that layed a single egg in the beginning now has a pile of eggs and has partly shed her wings! I am now getting a clearer look on her and I am almost certain that she is not Pheidole morrisii, but instead like mentioned previously: a darker variant of Pheidole bicarinata. I really hope I get 2 Pheidole colonies going!

Also, subbarbatus queens are getting their third workers today!

The winged Colobopsis obliqua queen still has her two eggs, the Colobopsis mississippiensis is looking very settled down and will hopefully lay some eggs too.

[Kaelwizard]

I want Ph. bicarinata. I really like them.

[TennesseeAnts]

Mine has larvae!

[Canadian anter]

Damn. I was going to warn you. I think you could’ve kept them in the house, but you were bringing in new queens and colonies daily. Sorry, but they probably think you’ll just keep on bringing in more and more colonies. Moderation is key in these matters; just wait till you’re married.

Haha I must be lucky then. Neither my family, nor any significant others I've had have ever been opposed to my hobby. Some of my friends who know about it even give me queens they stumble upon