Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Formica Exsectoides Journal


  • Please log in to reply
9 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Jamiesname - Posted May 22 2019 - 12:26 PM

Jamiesname

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 283 posts
  • LocationMichigan


I've finally found the time to work on a journal of my Formica Exsectoides colony. Last year I was out looking for Camponotus queens in an area with hundreds of these ant mounds ranging in size from 1' in diameter and a few inches high all the way up to 6'-7' feet in diameter and 3'-4' high. The ground was always COVERED in the ants from these mounds and everytime I went out there I hoped that I'd be there at just the right time to find a couple dealate queens after a nuptial flight. Unfortunately that never worked out, and I never did find any Camponotus queens either. I later assumed it was because nothing could survive the onslaught that these ants brought forth with their vast population. I'll have to measure out a square foot this year and count how many ants are in it. Anyways, over the winter I did some research and learned what species they are and that they're parasitic. they're also polygyne. I decided earlier this spring that I'd dig up a couple mounds to see if I could find a queen. I figured that my odds were fairly good since a colony can have several queens. Needless to say I found my first queen in the third mound that I dug, along with 2 more after sifting through a little more dirt. I decided since the first one was relatively easy to find that I'd shoot for one more. On my second scoop, in the fourth mound, I unearthed a huge bundle of ants covering 8 more queens. Afraid that this colony didn't have anymore queens, I put 2 back and left with 9 in total, plus a few dozen workers.

When I got home I inspected each worker and queen with my endoscope for mites, terminating only 3 that were visiblly carrying. Even though the workers and queens were from different colonies they didn't show any sign of aggression towards one another. In fact after they were mixed up I didn't know which queen came from where.

After inspection, I built an extra large, grout formicarium for them all. As it stands there is way too much empty space, but I figure with 9 queens it will fill up fast. I've posted pics below showing a couple bundles of eggs held by the workers. The ants seem to carry the egg piles around with them, never actually setting them down for more than a few minutes.

20190514 182147

These last 3 pics are of 3 ants hanging from a chamber ceiling, each working together to support a bundle of eggs in just the right spot to keep them under optimal conditions.

20190514 182112
20190514 182003
20190514 181822

Edited by Jamiesname, May 29 2019 - 1:33 PM.

  • Karma, AntsBC and ANTdrew like this

#2 Offline Jamiesname - Posted May 24 2019 - 4:10 PM

Jamiesname

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 283 posts
  • LocationMichigan
Here's a few more pics of egg piles and a couple queens. There's a few pupae somewhere in the formicarium as well. I'll work on getting some pics of them whenever I can do it without disturbing them too much.

20190523 174911
20190523 174740
20190523 174708
20190523 174652

Edited by Jamiesname, May 24 2019 - 4:12 PM.

  • Karma, TennesseeAnts, AntsBC and 2 others like this

#3 Offline Tfisupe - Posted May 25 2019 - 12:11 PM

Tfisupe

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 29 posts
Wow gorgeous...u wouldn't want to sell any would you?

#4 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 26 2019 - 6:16 AM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California
These are parasitic, right?

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#5 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted May 26 2019 - 6:58 AM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,920 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee
Yes.

#6 Offline Jamiesname - Posted May 29 2019 - 12:32 PM

Jamiesname

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 283 posts
  • LocationMichigan
The first workers to be born within the formicarium have finally eclosed. Here's a few pics of the first one I've seen. There's at least two more running around in there somewhere though; there's three pupa casings in the garbage pile in the outworld.

20190528 222910
20190528 222833
20190526 220100

Edited by Jamiesname, May 29 2019 - 12:34 PM.

  • rbarreto likes this

#7 Offline Acutus - Posted May 29 2019 - 12:40 PM

Acutus

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 835 posts
  • LocationMaryland

Very cool!! Congratulations! :D


Billy

 

Currently keeping:

Camponotus chromaiodes

Camponotus castaneus

Formica subsericea


#8 Offline ForestDragon - Posted May 29 2019 - 12:48 PM

ForestDragon

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 313 posts
  • Locationohia

they are gonna go BOOM with population gg man



#9 Offline Jamiesname - Posted May 29 2019 - 1:32 PM

Jamiesname

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 283 posts
  • LocationMichigan

they are gonna go BOOM with population gg man



I know. It's going to be insane lol. I'm already working on another huge formicarium to connect to this one. If I had to guess, they only occupy .5% - 1% of this one right now. It's going to go from one extreme to the other real quick though.

#10 Offline Jamiesname - Posted June 15 2019 - 1:06 PM

Jamiesname

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 283 posts
  • LocationMichigan
Took a few more pictures of brood. Also, I finally got a pic of some pupae. These guys are quick on the draw; whenever you move the formicarium to get pics they've already got all the brood moved to the farthest side away from the light. There was some condensation blocking a clear view, but you can make out the large piles of eggs, a pile of larvae and a few pupae that they left.

I'll get some better pics on my next update. Their formicarium is so big that it's a challenge pulling it down and moving it around for a better view.


20190615 165501
20190615 165424 20190615 165533
20190615 165422

Edited by Jamiesname, June 15 2019 - 1:08 PM.

  • TennesseeAnts likes this




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users