Solenopsis Xyloni [001]
Summary (2019.01.26):
I caught a S. xyloni queen on this day along with about 25 workers. I placed them in a #4 small dirt box, they dug their nest and to be honest, with the exception of a few workers now and again during feeding, I have not seen much of this colony. I didn't create a journal as there was nothing to report really as I could not monitor any progress, etc.
Until today!
Summary (2019.03.27)
Brood Summary:
- 1 Queen
- Eggs (unable to inventory)
- Larvae (too many to count)
- Pupae (too many to count)
- Workers (easily approaching 75-100)
Today I wrapped a heat cable around the #4 small dirt box and made it extremely uncomfortable for the colony, additionally I haven't hydrated them in about a week maybe a week and a half. They have been connected to a formicarium I made out of a
- 3-7/16" sq. x 4-7/16" h Amac Box for about 2 weeks, once the heat set in it took them about 45 min to move out and into their new home!
This custom formicarium I built was specifically for them or any other small ant species, it should allow them to grow quite large before I need to find them a new home.
The cool thing is that I can now monitor them. I can tell you from all the trips carrying brood to the new home they have quite a stash of larvae and pupae and even some freshly hatched workers as they carried them across as well. I will post some pictures later today to complete the opening pages of this journal in addition I will describe the formicarium, it is one of my beta attempts using 100% hydrostone as a nesting material.
Edited by Xanuri, March 27 2019 - 12:07 PM.
