37 replies to this topic

[dean_k]

April 1, 2015

 

Emergency report!

 

These girls have set up a satellite nest and it is ... located on top of their liquid feeder !

 

The out-of-focus hole you see on top left is the nest entrance.

 

 

Edited by dean_k, April 1 2015 - 6:36 PM.

[Crystals]

Nice. 

 

Most of my colonies have a 1-2 worker "outpost" either where the food is always dumped, or by the exit. 

 

Once the colony tops 50 workers or so you start to see this behavior more, especially if the nest gets crowded.  They will create an outpost to make room for the brood.

[dean_k]

Perhaps, this formicarium was meant to be for them because the outworld has a small cave-in.

 

 

I originally blocked this with a ball of cotton but removed it. It should make a good outpost.

 

[AntLover101]

This is a very interesting colony. I will make sure to keep an eye on it. I'm hoping to catch a Camponotus queen early this season so this could help me.

[dean_k]

April 15, 2015

 

24 workers now. They are doing alright. 4 workers died since the last update but their death appear to be of neutral causes.

 

And as usual, they have a guard out in the outworld.

 

 

 

 

 

In the video, you can see the huge garbage file to their right. I have a solution to this when I get a battery powered vacuum. It has a connection hole right next to the garbage file. I plan to vacuum the garbage file.

Edited by dean_k, April 12 2015 - 4:36 PM.

[dean_k]

April 16, 2015

 

Just a minor update. It's something I didn't notice yesterday.

 

I now see some new eggs, and previous egg batch turning into larvae.

 

Meanwhile, this is the laziest queen I've seen so far. She basically sits still with her belly down to the ground and does nothing as far as I can see. I think she lays eggs while sitting like that also. You can see the queen on left side of the photo. She's usually inactive like that unless I starte to take video where she becomes slightly more active due to the bright LED light.

 

 

Edited by dean_k, April 16 2015 - 7:33 AM.

[dean_k]

April 22, 2015

 

Nothing to report really.

 

Just enjoy the routine footage. There are only few pupae but next generation of larvae are here along with another batch of eggs.

 

[Crystals]

It looks like yours are as well fed as mine are. 

[dean_k]

April 25, 2015

 

30 workers and, as mentioned before, there are very few pupae left but a lot of new larvae. I think all eggs seen previously have turned into larvae.

 

The reason for placing a napkin is to reduce incoming light so that larvae are seen more clearly.

 

Edited by dean_k, April 25 2015 - 4:04 PM.

[dean_k]

April 29, 2015

 

Watching the queen and her royal workers is boring but at least watching them play in outworld is better.

 

 

 

I had to place a flexible pipe cleaner like so because a worker got stuck on top of the liquid feeder and they seem to favor working around twigs.

 

 

Edited by dean_k, April 29 2015 - 3:06 PM.

[Gregory2455]

You should connect the pipe cleaner on one end to the top of the liquid feeder, and the other end to their nest entrance. Quick highway to their satellite nest.

[BugFinder]

Wow those eggs look so big!!

[Gregory2455]

Wow those eggs look so big!!

Camponotus eggs are huge.

[dean_k]

Somebody, please tell the queen to wake up.

 

The laziest queen ever, I've seen.

 

[dean_k]

Oh, Goddess! The queen is standing!

 

I haven't seen her stand up for weeks.

 

[Miles]

Oh, Goddess! The queen is standing!

She must have gotten tired of you making fun of her laziness!

[dean_k]

May 7, 2015

 

35 workers now. But there is no more pupa. A lot of young larvae though.

 

The lazy queen takes a while to react to the LED lights.

 

 

Edited by dean_k, May 6 2015 - 9:11 PM.

[dean_k]

May 8, 2015

 

Aqua 300 (by Byformica) strikes.

 

I've given them Aqua 300. I did give them Blue 100 not long after I got them from Crystal, but they didn't seem to show too much interest.

 

But tonight, Aqua 300 was fully accepted. In this long video, I focused on a specific worker who ate Aqua 300, went down to the queen's chamber (At 3:00) and passed her food to 3 workers before going back up (6:00) and eating more. This is the sort of video I love to take. There were 2 other workers who were eating it and passing it to other workers.

 

In other words, they loved it although it was rejected by all other colonies I have.

 

Edited by dean_k, May 7 2015 - 8:50 PM.