84 replies to this topic

[PurdueEntomology]

I was able to disconnect the container holding colony and looked for their brood.  There was plenty of food-brood gathered but a section of the container was not visible so I am not sure of the status of their own brood from the eggs laid going on three weeks ago.  I am not certain about this species eating its own brood which I would find rather unexpected since they have clearly been eating the food-brood being offered.  It is a wait and see game now. 

[PurdueEntomology]

Collected fresh fire ant brood to feed the colony.

 

[gcsnelling]

Very cool, keep up the good work.

[Nare]

What will happen during the winter months? I assume the colony will still need brood to eat? Will you be able to find colonies to take brood from? I'm not sure how severe your winters are, but where I live, there's too much snow, and the soil's usually frozen, so finding host brood would be impossible.

EDIT: Do you think you'd be able to freeze host brood for feeding at a later date? That would ensure a steadier food supply.

Edited by Nare, September 1 2018 - 5:13 PM.

[Superant33]

Start a few fire ant colonies. They are easy to raise. Also, more updates and videos.

[PurdueEntomology]

Superant33:  Yes, keeping fire ants would be easy but it would take some time to build up a colony.  I will consider that.  I will work to improve posting more videos etc, I unfortunately do not have a proper camera to get close ups, so I need to solve that to make the updates here and just for my own log keeping better. 

[YsTheAnt]

You can buy a clip on macro attachment, and combine that with a camera app that allows for manual focus to get stellar closeups of your ants.

[Superant33]

This is a great journal. I honestly think that one of the reasons why the ants are still alive (maybe even prospering) is that he takes the time to feed them brood. Good job.

[PurdueEntomology]

Been a while since I posted.  The colony is still with me....

 

[PurdueEntomology]

[PurdueEntomology]

Today was able to actually observe the queen/gyne for quite some time.  I had given them fresh food brood which as usual the workers cache in different locations, one area was in a connecting tube where I found the gyne.  She feeds herself it seems.  I have not observed any trophallaxis at all in this species and I wondered how the gyne ate, so it seems like the workers she feeds herself. 

[PurdueEntomology]

Update:  The colony has been moved to three large outworlds.  These have been interconnected with two tubes forming three spaces.  I have done this as it seemed best that the colony have as much room as possible allowing for lesser disturbances thus stress.  Photos coming.

[PurdueEntomology]

Queen images below...for those who are curious...

Edited by PurdueEntomology, September 30 2018 - 5:46 AM.

[PurdueEntomology]

 

Images of Queen...

[gcsnelling]

Images are not showing, at least not for me.

[PurdueEntomology]

Are the images not coming through?  they are on my computer..

[gcsnelling]

No, at least not for me,neither thumbnails or clicking on them is bringing them up.

[nurbs]

Start a few fire ant colonies. They are easy to raise. 

 

This is perhaps the best use of Solenopsis you guys have come up with.

[dspdrew]

No, at least not for me,neither thumbnails or clicking on them is bringing them up.

 

That's weird. They're working for me.

[gcsnelling]

They now work for me strange.