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AntsBC's Lasius americanus Journal (Discontinued)

antsbc lasius americanus journal

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#1 Offline AntsBC - Posted June 9 2019 - 1:24 PM

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Hey everyone,

 

I've decided to create a journal on my Lasius americanus queen, as she is about to get her first workers any day now.

 

In my parts, Lasius spp. are quite discrete, so I was actually quite excited when I found her walking on the side of a pool, last year in late July. Luckily, I had a test tube in my pocket (you never know when you're going to find queens) , so I was able to capture her.

 

She laid her first batch of eggs shortly after being housed in a test tube, and she overwintered them as larva. Now, she has almost too much brood to handle. I estimate around 15ish larva, and three pupae. Two of the pupae aren't in the picture; she has them set off to the other side of the test tube. I fed her half of a spider so hopefully she will be able to keep up with feeding all of her larva.

 

Here's some photo's of her with her brood:

 

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Edited by AntsBC, October 28 2019 - 11:20 AM.

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#2 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted June 10 2019 - 2:21 AM

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Lasius look so fun to keep! I really want them!
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#3 Offline AntsBC - Posted July 5 2019 - 10:15 AM

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Update, July 5, 2019: First Worker Born

 

This queen got her first worker yesterday. The nanitic is still very pale, and quite timid. She was hiding under her mom for the majority of the checkup.

 

I have high hopes for this colony, as I think they are going to grow quite quickly. This queen has the most amount of brood I've ever seen a queen have in her first batch, (I'm used to Formica, lol).

 

6ok9Tq5JZreQIOV5WmMgrCrYhdgIsdbzXd6Ip3gNi_XceAdVMYED3UN71Nld6Y0OZJKfN3M20-QO82NWspzOBWIABsPUSqFoLdcGvT2MhlqG9TJgeWvPOhD9


Edited by AntsBC, July 5 2019 - 10:20 AM.

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Formica planipilis (Parasitic sp.)

 

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#4 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 5 2019 - 11:11 AM

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So cool! Finding a non-parasitic Lasius is on my bucket list.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#5 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 5 2019 - 11:29 AM

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Congrats!
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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). 


#6 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 14 2019 - 1:14 PM

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How are they?
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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). 


#7 Offline AntsBC - Posted August 24 2019 - 1:13 PM

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Update, August 24, 2019:

 

These guys are doing amazing, considering the fact I have only been feeding them once every two weeks or so. I can't imagine how well they would do if I fed them seriously, as I do for my Formica colonies. It's a shame I didn't feed them more often earlier in the season; they could have easily been on their third generation by now. They have access to honey around the clock, so I think that must be a big contributor to their growth.

 

K3smCsQOn1Yv7yN4DdCYS5kXZGsRtoh5LV756CPizJcnuxbUeQCTw_H8vrZGzupmm4VG6GjXzMySD2EjUWP0G03g8S2SnJPxNQ8TSnyAkDRX0mpQxmmgZ3Rp72bqVI_pHWeK3pEON3RRPmgf8MiQHSONF7ZP9QEf

Edited by AntsBC, August 24 2019 - 1:17 PM.

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#8 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 24 2019 - 5:20 PM

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Why not max them out with protein?
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#9 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted October 27 2019 - 1:37 PM

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update???


There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike


#10 Offline AntsBC - Posted October 28 2019 - 11:20 AM

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Update, Monday, October 28, 2019:

 

Unfortunately, I have to inform you all that this colony has passed on from my grasp.

 

Here's a summary of what happened: 

 

I was moving these guys to a new test tube in our front garage.  Yesterday, I came to check on them only to find the test tube smashed in half with around five workers and some larvae left in the tube.  The exit was blocked off with duck tape.  Instinctively, I went to my Dad and asked what happened.  He informed me that the repair man (someone who was working on something in our garage) had accidentally knocked the test tube off the counter while he was working.  The queen and 90% of the workers were missing, so I'm assuming they must have been flung out of the test tube upon impact. 

 

Although this is a sad ending to this colony and to this journal, at the end of the day, it was just an accident.  At least the repair guy cared enough that he tried to contain the remaining workers by duck-taping the exit of the smashed test tube.  Unfortunately, his efforts ultimately accounted to nothing because the queen had been let loose, and without her, the colony is worth nothing.  I ended up putting down the remaining workers; may they rest in peace.

 

Anyways, I'll start this journal up again if I get my hands on another Lasius americanus queen/colony.


Edited by AntsBC, October 28 2019 - 11:27 AM.

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#11 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted October 28 2019 - 11:53 AM

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Best of luck, albeit, a somber ending

There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike


#12 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted October 28 2019 - 11:58 AM

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I am thinking of trying to catch some next year so I may PM you to ask some questions about his species. You probably know a lot more than me lol :)

There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike


#13 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 28 2019 - 3:24 PM

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Damn, that’s a shame. Hopefully the colony will go on to better things though. I finally found a normal Lasius queen on Friday.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#14 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted October 28 2019 - 3:27 PM

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HOW DO YOU FIND QUEENS THIS LATE?!!!!! :o


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There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike


#15 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 28 2019 - 3:50 PM

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HOW DO YOU FIND QUEENS THIS LATE?!!!!! :o

I don’t know. We’re down south here, so it was 80 degrees yesterday. Lasius are still flying, but mostly parasites.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#16 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted October 28 2019 - 4:36 PM

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Truth.
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#17 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted October 29 2019 - 7:15 AM

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It's 36 degrees by me, where I live is like an off brand Canada. We're supposed to get "substantial snow" on Halloween...


There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike


#18 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted October 29 2019 - 7:24 AM

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It's 36 degrees by me, where I live is like an off brand Canada. We're supposed to get "substantial snow" on Halloween...


I'm still collecting Lasius queens. :D
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#19 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted October 29 2019 - 12:25 PM

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*falls down stairs* Excuse me, what the f-
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There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike


#20 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted October 29 2019 - 12:42 PM

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:rofl:





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