54 replies to this topic

[ponerinecat]

I got Hypoponera opacior today, it'll be my first actual attempt at keeping them. Dunno if I got fertile queens though, but I got a few alates+alate brood. Maybe I got ergatoid queens, but they look too similar to workers for my eyes to tell the difference. But if not, hopefully they'll mate with each other.

 

The ones here actively forage on the surface once the colony gets to a decent size. The colony I got numbered 50+ workers inside the colony not including foragers. So quite a large colony. They were eating a large dragonfly leg, which is how I knew they were there.

I have never seen them scavenge something that big. So that might explain why nobody's had much success, no large sources of protein.

[ponerinecat]

They stock food in the nest. There is a nice pile of spring tails in a little passageway by the entrance.

There are more, but the condensation blocks the cameras view.

[ponerinecat]

Colonies are highly polygyne and accept foreign workers but are sometimes aggressive to queens not of their colony.

[ponerinecat]

I've seen a rather odd behavior. 6-8 workers were running around the outworld performing what looked like dominance displays. Two workers tandem run for maybe 2-3 inches, then the leading ant turns around and faces its follower. Antennal probing ensues as well as the turning around ant tugging on the mandibles of its follower. The interaction lasts for a very short amount of time, less than half a second.Then they seperated. The same workers led others in tandem over and over again, and the interaction was not hostile, as aggresive behavior involves grappling and stinging.

Gamergates are not present and neither are there any males in the nest so I'm quite confused.

[Vendayn]

Hope you are okay with me using this as a sort of update on my colony, I won't update too much. But don't want to make my own thread for them (at least for now).

 

A bunch of alates eclosed, there are mostly males but I see some females in there. I wonder if they'll mate with each other or not. 

 

I did add a bunch of springtails to their setup. I used a little bit of substrate (just the dirt from where I got them) and want to lessen the chance of any mold appearing. I added about 10 or so springtails, so that should be a good number to start with.

[ponerinecat]

Hope you are okay with me using this as a sort of update on my colony, I won't update too much. But don't want to make my own thread for them (at least for now).

 

A bunch of alates eclosed, there are mostly males but I see some females in there. I wonder if they'll mate with each other or not. 

 

I did add a bunch of springtails to their setup. I used a little bit of substrate (just the dirt from where I got them) and want to lessen the chance of any mold appearing. I added about 10 or so springtails, so that should be a good number to start with.

Its fine, this is thread for anyone who wants to share their experiences. Tell us how the alates go, and watch for ergatoid males. They supposedly are peaceful unlike cardiocondyla.

[ponerinecat]

Yes, I'm a hypocrite. So today I flipped a piece of rock and found a colony underneath. Decided to keep them despite myself "giving up" the hobby. Ants stick to you. Aspirated them and realize d there were six queens, all ergatoid. Moved them into a plaster nest, which they seem to like, and fed them some syrup. Considering the number of gynes, I'm hoping they will begin producing queens in the nest through ergatoid males. We'll see how it goes.

[ponerinecat]

[ponerinecat]

 

 

 

 

 

[ponerinecat]

I found another nest, with even more queens. what's interesting about these is that they have reddish workers, even with pitch black queens.

[ponerinecat]

The first colony has moved to the outworld, and the second has plastered the walls with prey.

[ponerinecat]

They killed the cent, but began eating before it was dead.

[ponerinecat]

They killed the cent, but began eating before it was dead.

dragged it into the nest, still alive, then decapitated it and gave it's head to the queens.

[AntsDakota]

 gave it's head to the queens.

Nice trophy. 

[ponerinecat]

This again. I think one of my dealates is herding springtails. she's somehow gathered all the springtails provided (previously in the outworld) into her founding nest and now stands at the entrance facing a ring of springtails (as if she's guarding the entrance.) None of the springtails are dead and don't look injured either.