180 replies to this topic

[rbarreto]

Do all Myrmica sting or is it just Myrmica rubra?

[Major]

Do all Myrmica sting or is it just Myrmica rubra?

I am fairly sure all Myrmica and I don't want to try out (yet)

[Zxirl]

Any Formica subsericea workers yet? I am currently experimenting with pleometrosis in this species as well (4x tube: 1 queen, 2x tube: 2 queens, and 2x tube: 3 queens). So far all tubes have good sized piles of eggs/larvae with no signs of hostility between the queens. I'm really interested to see what happens once the workers arrive though.

[Major]

No workers, but plenty of cocoons. So any day now. One queen seems to linger towards the entrance so maybe she has been banished? And another queen just tends to her own egg pile. When I put them together they panicked. So I put the in the fridge for 7 minutes and thus seemed to calm them down. After that there were no issues.

[Zxirl]

Interesting. I'll keep my eyes peeled for your update when workers arrive.

[AntsAreUs]

Do all Myrmica sting or is it just Myrmica rubra?

All Myrmica sting and most are somewhat painful. Some Myrmica are fairly timid though and won't bother stinging you unless forced.

[Major]

I only have 5 colonies which is an all time low for me. I have a Myrmica queen (hasn't layed), I have a 100 worker Temnothorax Longispinosus, a 30 worker Camponotus Pennsylvanicus, 3 queen Formica Subserica, and a Tapinoma queen with one worker. I most likely won't be able do get pics in a while.

[Major]

Well, here are the pic of all my current colonies/queens.

Tapinoma Sessile:


Temnothorax Longispinosus:


Formica Subserica:


Camponotus Pennsylvanicus:



Myrmica sp.
(Nest only photographed, queen is in the dirt.)

[Major]

I dug my Myrmica queen up and took some pics (a potential trader wanted proof I wouldn't trade him for dirt) I think that the pic is pretty good. I took nurbs advice and got a cheap macro lens (temporarily) and here is the pic:

[ZllGGY]

colonies looking very good my friend.

[Major]

colonies looking very good my friend.

Thanks man! Great to see you here!

[ZllGGY]

 

colonies looking very good my friend.

Thanks man! Great to see you here!

 

yah sorry it took so long busy with work and still trying to come up with creative ideas for additions to my potential business

[Major]

colonies looking very good my friend.

Thanks man! Great to see you here!

yah sorry it took so long busy with work and still trying to come up with creative ideas for additions to my potential business

Didn't know you had a business. Good luck with it! What's it called?

[ZllGGY]

colonies looking very good my friend.

Thanks man! Great to see you here!

yah sorry it took so long busy with work and still trying to come up with creative ideas for additions to my potential business

Didn't know you had a business. Good luck with it! What's it called?

don't have one quite yet as it's still in the very early stages but it's called ZllGGYS Insectarium and it's going to be a insect zoo and a pet shop

[Major]

Quick update

Formica Subserica:
3 queens, three workers, a large egg pile, and a few pupae/larvae/cocoons. I have moved them into an Aus Ants Size 1 (the older version, second latest.)

Temnothorax Longispinosus:
Same old, same old.

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus:
30+ workers and over 70+ brood!

Tapinoma Sessile:
She has a massive eggs pile, she loves honey.

Myrmica:
I will be selling her to a buyer in Brooklyn. She still hasn't laid eggs.



Saturday I will be in Pennsylvania for a day and a half then I'll go to NYC for a week. I will still update the journal though as I will bring all my ants.

[Major]

So I made some money from selling ants so I decided to buy a blacklight. I got an DC/AC Power Inverter, don't remember the exact one I bought but it was something like this Soyond 150W Car Power Inverter Charger DC 12V to 110V AC Converter with 3.1A Dual USB Charger https://www.amazon.c...i_ziUCBbQG35MGG. Then I got a 24 in. 20 watt black light and an extension cable. The easiest thing to get to complete this setup is a white sheet, but of course I don't own one. Gonna have to go out today to buy one, great, it's pouring. At least tomorrow will be a good day to blacklight. I have also been added as an official GAN farmer yesterday but on the website it displays me as "we have a gan farmer but no available species" when I sent GAN all my species info. Anyone know how to fix it?

[Major]

So when I was a begginer ant keeper I found my first very large Formica sp. hill. I thought I'd find a bunch of queens so I knocked it over. (Now I hate myself for doing that) Ants come pouring out, no queen.

Back to the present. I stumbled across the exact same destroyed hill. No Formica their. But, there are still holes, even though yesterday the holes got wiped of by rain... I get my shovel and dig it up a little. Brachyamyrmex Depilis! I immediately start putting them in a container, even the alates. Then I realized that their very rare so I shouldn't capture them. (Their rare in my area) I snapped a stick in frustration and disappointment only to come across a 19 worker Temnothorax Curvispinosus colony! I excavate the stick and put them in a test tube.


Also, all my blacklighting equipment arrived!

-Blacklight
-Extension Cable
-DC/ AC Power Inverter
-White Sheet
-Cotton (I ran out the other day)

Other stuff I need that I already have;
-Test Tubes
-x2 Flashlights
-Car (For power)
-Someone to come with me
-Chairs
-Something rare that I have never found before, patience (*in small quantities)
-A book (entertainment)
-Myself


I'm going to go from 8:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST. It's around 90% humid and in the high 80's and high 70's. I'm ready. Anything else that I may need?

[ZllGGY]

good luck on the black lighting. ill probably get a black light trap next year. it'll be better too when i have my own house XD 

[Major]

edited

Edited by Major, July 17 2023 - 3:10 PM.

[Zxirl]

Quick update

Formica Subserica:
3 queens, three workers, a large egg pile, and a few pupae/larvae/cocoons. I have moved them into an Aus Ants Size 1 (the older version, second latest.)

This is exciting