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cpman's Camponotus cf. sansabeanus Journal (Updated 6/16/2015)


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#1 Offline cpman - Posted April 9 2015 - 6:00 PM

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So, this queen finally settled in an laid an egg!
I found her wandering around at around 9:00 PM on April 3rd of this year along with many (hundreds) of others of her species.
I'm not sure on the ID, but it is my best guess. I haven't really extensively looked at her so that she'll be more comfortable.
I found her with an egg today, April 9th.
Here is a picture with her holding her egg in her mouth:
1EE0C28E-FF1C-46A7-96BE-48F9CA86706B_zps


Edited by cpman, June 16 2015 - 9:44 AM.


#2 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 9 2015 - 8:58 PM

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These look exactly like the ones we find so many of out here. They seem to be the very first Camponotus to fly.



#3 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted April 10 2015 - 12:11 AM

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These look exactly like the ones we find so many of out here. They seem to be the very first Camponotus to fly.

I guess this solves that year old ID thread! :D



#4 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 10 2015 - 5:39 AM

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Well not entirely, but I think it might be good enough, considering that was already the most likely ID.
 
Edit: I was just looking at the AntWiki page for these again, and I noticed they actually have a description of the males.
 

Male
Wheeler (1910) - Length, 8-9 mm.
Head proportionally shorter than in the male maccooki. Cheeks hairy. Antennal funiculi, tarsi and tibire yellowish brown; wings less suffused with yellow and paler than in the female; veins and stigma pale yellow.

 
Male Camponotus are usually useless, but these might help a little at this point. I'm going to check out the male specimen I have when I get home today and see if it matches up.


Edited by dspdrew, April 10 2015 - 6:17 AM.


#5 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 10 2015 - 6:17 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I just remembered I posted a picture of the male on my old ID thread, and from what I can see in the pictures, it matches up.

 

gallery_2_174_18938.jpg

 

 

I did see a few other male Camponotus on the internet that seemed to match the coloring, including C. ocreatus, assuming the images were correct, but I also saw quite a few that looked a lot different. I starting to wonder if most all the males from the Tanaemyrmex subgenus might look similar to this; if that's the case then this probably doesn't mean much. I think I might have some other male Tanaemyrmex specimens I can check out when I get home.

 

@cpman do you still have that male specimen?



#6 Offline cpman - Posted April 10 2015 - 4:01 PM

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Darn. I tossed it. I may have a picture of the whole thing though...

There was another one in a spiderweb last night, but it dissappeared....



#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 10 2015 - 4:43 PM

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I just checked, and I don't have any other Camponotus males.



#8 Offline cpman - Posted April 10 2015 - 5:18 PM

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They seem to be the very first Camponotus to fly.

 

This was the 2nd species to fly here. My Camponotus sp. 1 flew earlier than this. Among the larger species we've got around here, this one was the first.



#9 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 10 2015 - 5:44 PM

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Oh yeah, there is one that flies earlier around here--C. semitestaceus.



#10 Offline cpman - Posted April 12 2015 - 8:14 AM

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Update 4/12/2015:

 

So, this queen now has 6 eggs! I didn't want to disturb her for a picture.



#11 Offline cpman - Posted April 16 2015 - 7:43 PM

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Update 4/16/2015:

She has a lot of eggs now, probably around 10.

Here is a new picture:

F3018A98-8CD7-46F5-9BAE-3D08573D37F2_zps



#12 Offline Wamdar - Posted April 16 2015 - 7:56 PM

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Awesome!



#13 Offline cpman - Posted May 5 2015 - 4:13 PM

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Update 5/5/2015:
She has lots of large larvae. I think she should get pupae soon:
52DC5F50-3E9E-4FA8-A9F3-1BED68489553_zps

I'm excited for this species. The majors are enormous.

#14 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 5 2015 - 4:49 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Yeah they get pretty big. Most of the new ones I recently caught just got their first workers today.


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#15 Offline Forestflamboyant - Posted May 5 2015 - 5:22 PM

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Howdy! Does the test tube slip all the way into the tinfoil?? 


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#16 Offline cpman - Posted May 5 2015 - 6:19 PM

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Howdy! Does the test tube slip all the way into the tinfoil??


Yes it does. I wrapped it in foil, and taped it into a cylinder. I do this for all of my founding queens so that they can stay in the dark, but I can observe them easily.

#17 Offline Forestflamboyant - Posted May 6 2015 - 5:52 PM

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Cool!! But I don't use test tubes very much. Get tired of the mold and confined space to feed them. So I use specimen containers and they are stack-able. Have found as long as you put them in a very quiet place and dark the queens will lay. I'm able to feed and keep them very clean while being able to view. I still like your ideal and will come in handy for more difficult species!! Thanks!!! 



#18 Offline cpman - Posted May 30 2015 - 10:38 AM

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Update 5/30/2015:
I've got workers from this colony! This means I now have workers from all my Camponotus queens.
She has 4 nanitics now.

Because I'm leaving for 2 weeks, I decided to feed them today:
D166E08B-CF90-4228-A59F-49E36D295E8D_zps

#19 Offline cpman - Posted June 16 2015 - 9:43 AM

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Update 6/16/2015:

This colony is my largest now, at 7 workers. They've got two pupae and a bunch of other brood. I fed them again yesterday, and they gorged themselves on it.

Unfortunately, when I checked on them today, their tube was flooding! Therefore, they are chilling in the fridge at an angle to drain liquid until I can move them. It is going to have to be a forceful move, as their tube is smaller than my other test tubes, so I won't be able to just tape them together.

 

Here is a picture from yesterday:

BF091514-1FE8-4CBB-94E0-6BF370B0F8D0_zps



#20 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 16 2015 - 12:19 PM

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It is going to have to be a forceful move, as their tube is smaller than my other test tubes, so I won't be able to just tape them together.

 

That's how I always move mine. I couldn't possibly wait for all my colonies to move on their own.






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