58 replies to this topic

[dermy]

That Pipe Cleaner idea is awesome, I hope they get back on track soon!

[dean_k]

May 4, 2015

 

This colony is doing bad. No queen has died but significant number of workers are dying off progressively.

 

This colony will be relocated to a simpler formicarum as soon as it arrives. Right now, I believe they are down to perhaps 30 workers.

 

 

[dean_k]

May 7, 2015

 

They had ... another mass die-off. I was certain I saw 30+ workers yesterday but today I saw only 10ish workers with a massive body file in their designated garbage site.

 

This forced me to relocate them. Their new nest is on its way but I could no longer wait. By time, it arrives, there may not be a colony for it.

 

 

 

So, this is their new home.

 

 

 

Can't go too much wrong with this nest.

If there is any positive news, it's that the 3 queens are still alive.

Edited by dean_k, May 6 2015 - 9:33 PM.

[Crystals]

I can't believe they keep dieing for you.  Especially since they did so well in test tubes when I had them.

Is their nest moist enough?

 

At least the queens are alive.

[dean_k]

At this point, I believe they need a simple and straight forward nest, like a test tube. I believe the reason they died like this is lack of sugar. I saw workers in the outworld but I don't think many made down there to the queens' chamber. Most ended up dying in outworld after seemingly getting lost.

 

So, Myrmcia need a simple nest.

 

The other Myrmica colony I have is doing okay because their formicarum is straight forward. It's just a huge chamber with an outworld on top. This colony's formicarium was a little more sophisticated and workers got lost and never came back, well most of them.

[Crystals]

That could be it. 

I know my first nest had an 12" tubing connecting the nest to the foraging area and I ended up cutting it to 3" because they never went that far. 

In the wild, I usually don't see even see the larger colonies more than a couple of feet from their nest.

[dean_k]

Unfortunately, that means my dream of having a mature colony of multiple queens living in a grand formicarium isn't quite possible with Myrmica.

[Crystals]

As long as the foraging area isn't several feet from the main nest, and the colony fills at least 30% of their nest, I don't see why it isn't possible.

But they definitely are not as far ranging as most species I have kept.  Although a more mature colony with over 300 workers may venture further.

[Myrmicinae]

Unfortunately, that means my dream of having a mature colony of multiple queens living in a grand formicarium isn't quite possible with Myrmica.

 

Have you seen videos of AntsCanada's Myrmica rubra colony?  It was huge.

 

[dean_k]

 

Unfortunately, that means my dream of having a mature colony of multiple queens living in a grand formicarium isn't quite possible with Myrmica.

 

Have you seen videos of AntsCanada's Myrmica rubra colony?  It was huge.

 

 

 

Yes, I watched that vid a whole ago. It was a mature colony caught in wilderness.

 

I have currently two Myrmica colonies now and I am fairly certain that they grow very slowly. The 1st colony I got From Crystal was 2 queens and 15 workers. Fast forward 6 months, I think they are at 25 workers.

 

2nd Myrmica colony is this one.

 

Getting a colony with few hundreds..., I will be probably in my 50s then.

 

 

As long as the foraging area isn't several feet from the main nest, and the colony fills at least 30% of their nest, I don't see why it isn't possible.

But they definitely are not as far ranging as most species I have kept.  Although a more mature colony with over 300 workers may venture further.

 

The problem I see is getting them grow.

Edited by dean_k, May 7 2015 - 10:06 AM.

[Myrmicinae]

 

 

Unfortunately, that means my dream of having a mature colony of multiple queens living in a grand formicarium isn't quite possible with Myrmica.

 

Have you seen videos of AntsCanada's Myrmica rubra colony?  It was huge.

 

 

 

Yes, I watched that vid a whole ago. It was a mature colony caught in wilderness.

 

I have currently two Myrmica colonies now and I am fairly certain that they grow very slowly. The 1st colony I got From Crystal was 2 queens and 15 workers. Fast forward 6 months, I think they are at 25 workers.

 

2nd Myrmica colony is this one.

 

Getting a colony with few hundreds..., I will be probably in my 50s then.

 

 

You could try starting a colony with a large number of newly-mated queens.  As I recall, someone on the Yuku forums (Chuck, I believe) achieved a relatively rapid growth rate this way.

 

I often wonder why Myrmica do so well ecologically.  They are very clumsy, slow growing, seemingly disorganized, and the queens are unusually short-lived.  They must have some sort of advantage, but I haven't found it yet. 

Edited by Myrmicinae, May 7 2015 - 10:31 AM.

[dean_k]

Actually, I prefer growing colonies from founding queens or from a small number at moderate speed.

 

Personally, I believe, in order to successfully maintain a large colony of certain species, one needs to know about them. What they like, what they dislike, their favorite habitat, food, and such. Researching on the Internet can only get you so far. It's something one needs to learn while caring for colonies of specific species.

 

From my 6 months exp with Myrmica, I've known few things about them. They fight each other. They lick each other. They do not like complicated nest. They are poor climbers. They do not make satellites and so on. They do not need hibernation.

 

Those experiences will count when I order or make their grand formicarium and my emotional attachment to such colonies will be far deeper.

 

I am keeping records of each colonies I am caring for and my experience with them will help me to find their preferred formicarium settings.

Edited by dean_k, May 7 2015 - 10:34 AM.

[Myrmicinae]

Actually, I prefer growing colonies from founding queens or from a small number at moderate speed.

 

The colony that I was referring to was actually started by founding queens in captivity - just a large number of them.

 

Edit:  I found it.  Just search "Chuck's Myrmica americana Journal" and it should be the first result.

Edited by Myrmicinae, May 7 2015 - 10:46 AM.

[dean_k]

 

You could try starting a colony with a large number of newly-mated queens.  As I recall, someone on the Yuku forums (Chuck, I believe) achieved a relatively rapid growth rate this way.

 

I often wonder why Myrmica do so well ecologically.  They are very clumsy, slow growing, seemingly disorganized, and the queens are unusually short-lived.  They must have some sort of advantage, but I haven't found it yet. 

 

 

Well, finding funding queens isn't going to be easy for me as I am occupied with running my smoke shop for most of the days which is why I've purchased from Crystals and Antnation guy who lives 15 min away from me.

 

There is one thing Myrmica is better than others from my observation. It's getting into troubles. Myrmica is the only species so far that its workers managed to drown in my liquid feeder. Even my Lasius workers, which are a lot smaller, were smart not to get drowned.

So, perhaps, it's their adventurous spirts. No risk, no reward.

[Crystals]

Believe it or not, once the colony passes 50-100 workers, their growth rate will increase.  Those last 6 months I held them, they tripled in size (only for half of them to drown when they managed to drain their entire liquid feeder).  The queens seem to know how many eggs and larvae they can care for at once.

 

As for finding newly mated queens, it can be nearly impossible to tell the closely related species apart - and I have never seen mass flights.  Just one here one day, one there 3 days later.

 

But I do admit, I have seen them pull some pretty funny stunts, and some days they seem to just be complete goof-balls.  They do have a certain charm to them.

[dean_k]

May 9, 2015

 

It's been a few days since their relocation. No ant has died so far. I was actually expecting few to die because it was really forceful relocation. I chased down each ants and picked them up to move.

 

I was glad to see that one worker was foraging this morning. My primary concern with them right now is their sugar intake. Protein isn't my concern because I am simply dropping mealworm pieces into the nest and they do eat those well.

 

 

[dean_k]

May 11, 2015

 

I've been paying them extra attention due to their freefall from glorious days.

 

Since relocation, no ant has died so far and they are foraging properly. By "properly", I mean a worker or two go out and look for sugar and protein. I don't think they laid any more eggs since relocation however.

 

Edited by dean_k, May 11 2015 - 6:53 AM.

[Crystals]

Is the nest humid enough?

 

I hope they spring back for you.

[dean_k]

Likely so.

 

The water tower is full and that's pretty much all I can do. Should they come back, I think I know a better formicarium for them.