20 replies to this topic

[Mercutia]

Hi guys,

 

So I've been super slack this year when it's come to making a journal and posting pretty pics of my colonies because... well... I'm a lazy slacker. But I finally got around to taking some pictures of some of my favorite catches of this year. And I guess any activity in new queens and new developments in any of my ant colonies will go here; mostly because it is too much work to make multiple journals.

 

 

Formica sp (subsericea)

 

Big fat queen trying to carry her brood away from me. I have about five of these girls from this year and all of them have brood without any issues.

 

 

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

 

 

Look at that beautiful pile of brood. This is my first time keeping Camponotus and I absolutely can't wait for those cocoons to eclose. Any day now!!!

 

 

 

Camponotus novaeboracensis

 

By far my favorite catch of the year so far. That beautiful red coloration and patterning on her thorax makes her a joy to stare at. Her gaster has gotten quite fat too and she has a nice pile of larvae and a few cocoons. There is nothing sexier than a lady dressed in red .

[Gregory2455]

Beautiful ants, I want a Camponotus... 

[jimbodw07]

Lucky, lucky! I've always wanted a Camponotus colony. Are these the species that nest in wood?

[Mercutia]

Often Camponotus species (Carpenter Ants) like to nest in dead or decaying logs. I find a lot of colonies like to dig under the base of living trees though too.

 

The Camponotus novaeboracensis I actually found digging in between the interlock on my front porch. She was in the middle of building her founding chamber when I found her. I squealed with glee and shocked all the friends I was with... especially when I bent down to pick up a bug. xD

[dspdrew]

Lucky, lucky! I've always wanted a Camponotus colony. Are these the species that nest in wood?

I can give you one if you want, I have way too many as it is.

[Crystals]

Most Camponotus species in Canada nest in rotten wood, but Camponotus novaeboracensis and Camponotus vicinus prefer to nest underneath rocks.

[dermy]

Yeah I've seen a few colonies that nest under rocks that happen to be on the roots of dead trees, in my grandma's garden. I have never seen a carpenter ant colony around my town ever, yet hundreds of queens fly yearly...

 

Good luck with the colonies, hope you find a few Lasius species when they fly.

[Crystals]

Most wood-dwelling Camponotus colonies live in the center of live trees.  You may occasionally find an outpost at the base of the tree, but often there are no other signs that the tree might have a nest in it.

 

Lasius should fly in a couple of weeks.

[Mercutia]

[dspdrew]

Nice camera.

[Mercutia]

LOL. Iphone 4 camera. Still good. 8)

[antsinmypants]

When I was growing up in Hawaii, I recall these large Hawaiian carpenter ants in our house. My mother hated them, but they were fascinating to me. I distinctly remember several winged alates that were behind a picture frame approximately 12 x 12 inches. I played with them until the house was finally fumigated. I miss not only them but also my youth growing up in the islands. Due to the polluted air of the California Central Valley, we residents of Fresno are the only ones being fumigated right now. http://waynesword.pa...m#CarpenterMaui

[Mercutia]

First Formica nanitic eclosed today (from this year)!

 

 

 

Also my Camponotus pennsylvanicus are fat. Gotta love those liquid feeders.

 

[dspdrew]

Yeah, those liquid feeders definitely keep them fat.

[Mercutia]

Dead Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen. She didn't make it through hibernation.

 

The loopy Aphaenogaster occidentalis queen. She seriously has a screw lose or something. Either she is face down into the glass or she is on her back twitching. She still produces lots of brood though. Every day proof that a monarch can be completely brainless.

 

So far my favorite right now, Camponotus herculeanus. Big pile of eggs and a really nice sized larva.

 

And my personal colony of Tetramorium sp. E are doing very well.

[dean_k]

No picture of P. Imparis, ma'am?

[Mercutia]

Lol, they're really not that interesting.

[benjiwuf]

so the Camponotus pennsylvanicus are queenless workers now? you wouldn't happen to want to give them to my workerless queen would you? haha

[BugFinder]

Am I just crazy, or are those really large ants?

[Mercutia]

They are big, but not as big as they appear. I suppose the workers for the Camponotus are about 6-7mm in length? The Tetramorium are about 2-3mm. Camponotus are the biggest ants we have in my region.