39 replies to this topic

[FeedTheAnts]

Those are some very swole looking Crematogaster queens! 

[NickAnter]

Very nice pics!!

[ANTdrew]

I’m confused about how old these colonies are because your first post says they were found in 2017. Thirty ants seems too little for a two year old colony. Did you mean 2018?

[Ender Ants]

I’m confused about how old these colonies are because your first post says they were found in 2017. Thirty ants seems too little for a two year old colony. Did you mean 2018?

Ah yes, I did mean that. Thanks for the catch!

[Ender Ants]

Capture Date: July 2019

Worker Count: 7

 

I guess I should update my other Crematogaster queens I caught this year. This is 1 of 3 of my newly caught Crematogaster queens this year. This is the same species as my very first Crematogaster queen on my YouTube channel. Maybe these are the same as that queen? I plan to move them into a Cubes n Tubes setup as I usually do when they reach 20+ workers. 

 

 

 

Edited by Ender Ants, October 25 2019 - 7:19 PM.

[Ender Ants]

December 13, 2019: Growth + Losses 

Instagram: @ender_ants

 

Colony: Crematogaster vermiculata in Cliffside Cubes & Tubes 

Worker Count: 50+

 

Quarantine really made me remember to upload these photos I took last year. The colony has still continued to grow slowly during 2019, but recently the workers have started to die off. I think the lifespan for these workers are about 3-5 months, but that's a very rough estimate. They're much shorter than any of my other ant colonies though. As of April 17, 2019, I think they're at 20-30 workers, but I'm now feeding them more protein thanks to my black-light. This includes bacon, a small moth, and a leafhopper. 

 

 

 

 

 

Setup: Cliffside Cubes & Tubes

 

 

 

 

 

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December 13, 2019:

Colony: Crematogaster vermiculata in Arid Rubble Cubes & Tubes 

Worker Count: 80+ 

 

This colony also has grown slowly, but surely. As of April 17, 2020, I don't think they've really lost a lot of workers, and are instead have more than before. I'll need to count them though to be sure. I'm also feeding them more protein. I've fed them bacon, a leafhopper, and this other winged-bug this past week. 

 

 

 

 

Setup: Arid Rubble Cubes & Tubes

 

 

--

December 13, 2019:

Colony: Crematogaster cf. coarctata in unnamed Cubes & Tubes 

Worker Count: 10+ 

 

This is one of the Crematogaster queens I caught last summer I believe to have been given workers from my dead queen in the moss setup. As of April 17, 2020, she has maybe 20 workers. A pattern I've seen with all my Crematogaster colonies is that they like to cover up their test tube entrance. The ones in my Arid Rubble setup use cotton, and this colony has used this sand substrate.

 

 

 

Setup: Unnamed Cubes & Tubes

Edited by Ender Ants, April 17 2020 - 2:55 PM.

[Temperateants]

Crematogaster is one of the best genii.

[NickAnter]

It changed to genii? I always thought it was genera, but, I could be wrong. I know there is a grammatical revision where everything with an "us" becomes an "ii" in the plural form of the word, but I was not aware it had occurred with any taxonomical things.

 

Edit: I looked it up, and "genii" is the plural of "genuis"

Edited by NickAnter, April 18 2020 - 6:43 AM.

[RushmoreAnts]

So I guess Crematogaster are the new brilliant minds of the ant world now............

[ANTdrew]

Western Crematogaster seem to grow way slower than eastern species.

[Temperateants]

LOLOL I was wrong lol. Genera. 

[TennesseeAnts]

Western Crematogaster seem to grow way slower than eastern species.

This is a true statement... 

[Temperateants]

for western species what would be a good growth? This is my crematogaster's second season right now they are at 18-20 workers. That might be less then expected because of my negligence last year.

[EthanNgo678]

Western Crematogaster seem to grow way slower than eastern species.

what's slow? My cremotgaster first year are at a little over 100 workers. 

[ANTdrew]

My year old C cerasi are in the thousands. I guess it’s all relative.

[EthanNgo678]

My year old C cerasi are in the thousands. I guess it’s all relative.

I think my colony will get that big, see this journal.

[RushmoreAnts]

I think they're both fast compared to most other species.

[ANTdrew]

My year old C cerasi are in the thousands. I guess it’s all relative.

I think my colony will get that big, see this journal.

That’s a really cool journal. I read it a while back when researching how to care for Crematogaster divas.

[Ender Ants]

July 30, 2024: Restart (Crematogaster cf. hespera/depilis [sp. 3]) 

Lost all of my previous Crematogaster colonies back in 2021 during quarantine I believe. 2022 I was out of ant keeping, and in 2023 I managed to find a few queens from black lighting, but none were fertile. Finally this year I found 3 more queens, with only one making it past the egg stage. One alate died, and I don't think the second queen is fertile because she's been tending to her eggs for the past 4 months. The 3rd queen (this one) is the only one to make it past the founding stage.

 

 

She looks similar to my previous reddish Crematogaster cf. hespera (sp. 2) queens, but I don't remember seeing hairs underneath her abdomen with those queens. 

 

 

August 19, 2024: Generation 1 [5 workers]

First nanitics have hatched, with some more still on the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 6, 2024: A Feast For Six [6 workers]

Was ready to take out this cricket since it looked like it was too much for the colony, but they turned it into an empty husk! Hard-working ants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 14, 2024: Carry The Torch [8 workers]

Moved this colony into a tubs and tubes setup shortly before leaving home for a few weeks.

 

 

Added the sticks from my first Crematogaster colony into this setup. Go even further beyond little ones.

 

Lots of brood developed while I was gone. Population boom soon!

 

Fully blocked entrance with a small hole seems like a common theme among Crematogaster.

 

 

November 15, 2024: Population Boom [21 workers]

Now in the double digits, the colony is still going strong with brood continuing to grow. Hopefully around 30-40 by the time it's new years, probably making this Crematogaster colony my largest during their first year. Workers hatch with a neat light orange thorax coloration, and turn darker brown as they age. Hoping they'll retain that lighter color in the next generations once I feed them more protein.  

 

 

 

One of the first few deaths from the colony.

 

 

Thoughts:
Loving this colony so far, it's been too long since I've last had Crematogaster's. Still have yet to see them raise their abdomen's in the air when they spot food, but I'll be expecting it and try to get photos when the time comes. 

Edited by Ender Ants, November 15 2024 - 4:49 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Awesome!