625 replies to this topic

[CatsnAnts]

Just a short update in saying that all of the queen ants are doing GREAT! They are all doing so well in fact that I think I am slowly, SLOWLY, slowly going to acclimate them to light. I mean, I already check on them almost everyday, and they are pretty used to it, so they don’t really freak out anymore, even the Formica! I have them in a very dark place right now, with just a little bit of light so that I can still see them. In a week or two, I will up the light amount by a little bit. They all seem fine with it so far! (Also, I accidentally knocked my Lasius cf. flavus/alienus over and she got pretty anxious, so... ya... I just hope she doesn’t eat her eggs!)

[CatsnAnts]

Well... so much for acclimating them to light, I went on vacation for a week and just got back today. I didn’t want to risk stressing them out without me being there, so I covered them all back up. Anyways, here’s the deal:

Camponotus subbarbatus (Topa)

She ate all of her eggs . I moved her to one of my new test tubes and gave her some honey on a Q tip. She really liked it. Hopefully I can still start a colony with her.

Lasius cf. flavus/alienus

She is doing great with about 40 - 50 eggs, pics coming soon!

Crematogaster cf. cerasi

She also has about 40 - 50 eggs.

Formica pallidelfulva

She has her first two pupae! One is in a cocoon, and one is not.

Formica neogagates

Lots of larvae at every size.

Tetramorium

Lots of no-cocoon pupae.

Formica from pallidelfulva group

Has eaten all but two larvae.

Edited by CatsnAnts, July 14 2018 - 4:44 PM.

[Major]

How do you have crematogaster? Don't they fly in August to October?

Edited by The_NY_Major, July 14 2018 - 6:08 PM.

[CatsnAnts]

I honestly don’t know how, and yes, they do fly from August to October. I have heard though that North America has earlier flight schedules, to build on that, I caught either a Lasius flavus or Lasius alienus sometime in june, which is strange as well, so maybe I’m just getting really lucky with my finds? I think it was the first of July when I caught that Crematogaster queen. Anyways, it’s really nice to have a head start before hibernation.

[CatsnAnts]

Hey! Some more good news! I guess I didn’t see the two pupae that my Formica neogagates was sitting on. So I guess that I will be getting workers from this colony soon! I’m so excited!

[TennesseeAnts]

How do you have crematogaster? Don't they fly in August to October?

I found 20 Crematogaster queens in early July this year. Also, I'm in Tennessee.

[DaveJay]

I love the look of the Camponotus subbarbatus queen, it's a shame she ate her eggs, she's stunning!

I looked up the species briefly, the workers look striking too!

I'm new to ants but eating eggs is how some animals regain the protein expended so that they can lay more eggs when the environment is deemed more favourable for raising young. It means they decided that conditions weren't right so they are cutting their losses and will try again later.

If you now have her in different conditions chances are she will lay again as soon as possible, so there's still hope!

[CatsnAnts]

I love the look of the Camponotus subbarbatus queen, it's a shame she ate her eggs, she's stunning!
I looked up the species briefly, the workers look striking too!
I'm new to ants but eating eggs is how some animals regain the protein expended so that they can lay more eggs when the environment is deemed more favourable for raising young. It means they decided that conditions weren't right so they are cutting their losses and will try again later.
If you now have her in different conditions chances are she will lay again as soon as possible, so there's still hope!

I also love the look of this species! That’s why she’s my favorite! I guess I will do a little update in saying that I have moved her to a warmer place, so hopefully she will lay again. Also! I went against my own rules and took a colony from the wild. *sigh* I couldn’t resist. It was a small founding colony of camponotus castaneus barely an inch in the ground. I LOVE their colors and that they nest in soil. Here’s a picture:



Currently they have seven workers, one large larvae, and about ten small larvae! I’m so excited!

Edited by CatsnAnts, July 18 2018 - 11:19 AM.

[DaveJay]

It sounds like you came across a founding colony at exactly the right stage.
I bought a very similar colony this week, my first, a Queen, 7 workers and brood. A great way to start with a species imo. Mine are Camponotus consobrinus, a larger Camponotus species, I'm really happy with them

[CatsnAnts]

It sounds like you came across a founding colony at exactly the right stage.
I bought a very similar colony this week, my first, a Queen, 7 workers and brood. A great way to start with a species imo. Mine are Camponotus consobrinus, a larger Camponotus species, I'm really happy with them

That’s awesome! It’s always great when some gets interested in antkeeping! Good luck with them! (I’ve also read your journal, those ants are gorgeous!)

[CatsnAnts]

A little update (I’m doing a big update when the first nanitics arrive) in saying that I caught a new queen today! She is a Camponotus nearcticus queen! I found her flailing about on her back on a step leading up to our deck. I scooped her up, and put her in a test tube. It seemed that her front legs could not support her weight even though she was not missing any limbs. As time went on (like 30 minutes later, or right now) she started getting better. I hope she will make it!

[CatsnAnts]

WOO WOO! We’ve got nanitics! Well, okay, just in two of the colonies, both tetramorium. But as I promised, a full blown update on everyone with pictures (except Camponotus castaneus because I will take a picture when they dig more. Dig you ask? Ya, I kind of just threw together a mini formicarium, I’ll show you later. ANYWAYS, here’s the deal:

Topa // No colony name // Camponotus subbarbatus

I moved her to new new test tube and she still hasn’t laid any new eggs since she ate them all! I even fed her honey and gave hear some more heat! She is still one of my favorites, but she is also slowly etching her way down to number two. Also, she got a new test tube, so I got a really good picture of her! (Again, just using a simple flashlight lense taped over my phone’s camera):


No queen name // No colony name // Camponotus nearcticus

I just caught her yesterday, and don’t really expect her to lay eggs yet, but the great news is that she is getting better! Her legs seem a lot less unstable and she can now right herself barely if she falls on her back! I really hope she lays eggs because I love smaller Camponotus ants and Topa just doesn’t seem to be doing the job. Here’s a pic:


No queen name // No colony name // Crematogaster cf. cerasi

Ya, I put cf. in the name now because I’m not sure it’s she is a Cremarogaster cerasi. She is doing very well so far and has a large pile of brood! I think I may have over done it when I daid 40 - 50 brood, it’s more like 30. She seems to take very good care of her young and so far has not eaten any of her brood. She is climbing the leaderboard to be my favorite queen! Here’s a pic:


No queen name // No colony name // Tetramorium immigrans

Wow! I am really taken aback at how much a first nanitic can make you not want to release a colony after all! They are just SO cute and each of the colonies currently has three nanitics. By no means is this my favorite colony, but I might just decide I keep them! Here’s two pics of each colony (we’re back to the temporary setups, so here goes the quality):



No queen name // No colony name // Formica from pallidelfulva group

Wow. What a total 1/10 fail mom. She only has one larvae left, and I have decided that I am going to release her. I just have no interest in her. Here’s a final pic:


No queen name // No colony name // Lasius cf. flavus/alienus

I absolutely LOVE this queen, I have just always had a special place in my heart for Lasius species. She especially. She has lots of brood and her eggs are turning into larvae just like my crematogaster queen! Here’s a pic, or two:



No queen name // No colony name // Formica neogagates

This queen is quickly rising to the top of my favorite queens list. She should be getting workers any day now! She has like eight or nine pupae! I can really see why it’s worth it to be an ant keeper, just to see those first workers! Here’s a pic:


No queen name // No colony name // Formica pallidelfulva

This queen is also rising quickly on my favorite queens list! She has five pupae and one larvae right now! I suspect she will be getting her first worker soon, I can’t wait to see what the colors are on the workers! Here’s a pic:


No queen name // No colony name // Camponotus castaneus

This colony is currently in a dirt and sand mixture setup, they have been digging and I will send pictures later when they have dug more!

That’s really it for now! If ANYBODY has ANY name suggestions for the queen or colony, let me know! I know, I originally wasn’t going to name the queens, but I feel it gives a touch of personality.

Edited by CatsnAnts, July 23 2018 - 4:58 AM.

[CatsnAnts]

Little update time! Some happy news in my opinion! I finally released both of my Tetramorium and my Formica from the pallidelfulva group. Wow, my stress has been lifted. I would rather have a few colonies that I can thoroughly enjoy rather than have too many that you just don’t have time to take care of. As of right now, I am on the road to have four colonies since my Camponotus castaneus is not doing to well, they won’t even go out and forgage, ugh! The four colonies are my two Formica (pallidelfulva and neogagates) which should be getting workers in the next few days hopefully, my Crematogaster cf. cerasi, which has a few larger larvae, and my Lasius cf. flavus/alienus which just got it’s first pupae! My other two queen that have not laid eggs yet are Topa my Camponotus subbarbatus, and my Camponotus nearcticus, although I don’t really expect them to. I am shooting to have four colonies, as I realize five will be to much, but maybe not the first year though.

[CatsnAnts]

I have some great news! Topa, my Camponotus subbarbatus queen, has just laid her first egg after her massive egg eating incedent! She must feel better and safer now, I gave her a fly with honey this morning and her gaster is full, so she must like it. I have so much hope for his colony as she was my first true queen this year.

[Major]

Queens eat eggs to get more protein to help them start over if they think conditions become better.

[CatsnAnts]

Well, ya, I realized that the hard way... but at least she’s on the road to recovery. Also, I just found my Camponotus nearcticus queen dead right now, but it was bound to happen since she was not well from the start.

[Major]

Ah. Nearcticus are tough. I caught mine when I was a beginner, so I identified her as C. Pennsylvanicus. Now I realize how dumb I was. Treat C. Nearcitcus how you would almost all Camponotus.

[CatsnAnts]

I’m bored, so you know what I’m goin to do, an update! It’s on my remaining colonies (not Camponotus castaneus though).

Topa // No colony name // Camponotus subbarbatus

She still has only one egg, but she hasn’t eaten it either, so it balances out. I find it funny that since I check on my queens practically everyday, they are so used to light and vibrations that even my Formica don’t freak out anymore. It awesome! I hope that since she’s used to all of that stuff, she won’t eat her eggs again. Here’s a pic, or two:



No queen name // No colony name // Crematogaster cf. cerasi

She’s doing absolutely splendid! I should be seeing pupae any day now, and that makes me thrilled! I am super excited to raise a colony of these ants! Here’s some pics:



No queen name // No colony name // Lasius cf. alienus/flavus

She is also doing really well! She has a decent amount of pupae now and lots of larvae! It even looked like she laid another batch of eggs, if that’s even possible. Take a look:


No queen name // No colony name // Formica neogagates

I’m really surprised at how well she is doing considering I look at her and my other Formica everyday. She has never once eaten any of her brood, and is now so acclimated to every disturbance, she never freaks out! I’m really happy with her progress, here’s a pic:


No queen name // No colony name // Formica pallidelfulva

I do suspect that at one point she may have eaten a couple of her larvae, or maybe she just only laid six eggs. I guess I’ll never know, nor do I care bacause she is doing really well. Take a look:

[CatsnAnts]

Topa // No colony name // Camponotus subbarbatus

She laid her second egg! I think this means she is surely on the road to recovery!

No queen name // No colony name // Formica pallidelfulva

One of her pupae has started to darken! How long do you estimate before it ecloses?

[TennesseeAnts]

Topa // No colony name // Camponotus subbarbatus
She laid her second egg! I think this means she is surely on the road to recovery!
No queen name // No colony name // Formica pallidelfulva
One of her pupae has started to darken! How long do you estimate before it ecloses?

If the pupa is now turning dark, any day it should hatch! Congrats in advance!