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Antennal_Scrobe's Ant Journal

journal antkeeping queen formicarium

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387 replies to this topic

#101 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 19 2019 - 3:49 PM

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Should my Formica pallidefulva lay a second batch of eggs before hibernation, or is it normal to wait till spring? I've also been wondering about how often to feed a Tetramorium colony. Like at what point do they just waste the food rather than eating it? Every day? Every other day? Or do they just eat and eat and eat no matter how much you give them?


Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 19 2019 - 3:51 PM.

Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#102 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 19 2019 - 3:56 PM

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Just gave em' a massive glob of honey and I think they're gonna eat it all. I got a food coma just looking at the scene.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#103 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 19 2019 - 4:27 PM

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Tetramorium eating honey:

IMG 1399
IMG 1410
 
Tetramorium in the nest with their pupa and large larva pile:
IMG 1404

 

Formica pallidefulva doing nothing:

IMG 1402

 

Crematogaster queens:

IMG 1411

 

Myrmica cf. punctiventris sitting around:

IMG 1405

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus in test tube:

IMG 1408

 

From left to right, Brachymyrmex depilisFormica neogagatesLasius neonigerLasius brevicornisTetramorium immigrans.

IMG 1406

Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#104 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted September 19 2019 - 4:28 PM

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Wow.
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#105 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 19 2019 - 6:15 PM

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It occurs to me that this is the first time you guys have ever seen my Tetramorium.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#106 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted September 20 2019 - 1:37 PM

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Just found out what you meant. They don't show up on mobile. Sorry.


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#107 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 12:39 PM

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This day has had its ups and downs. My Pogonomyrmex came (Yay!). But my dog almost died (Not yay!). The Pogonomyrmex have 3 workers and some brood. Sadly some of the pupae were apparently killed during shipping, but I put them in the Mini Hearth as well, just in case they were alive, or if the ants wanted to eat them. The watering tube for the formicarium is blocked by some hydrostone (Or whatever that stuff is.), so I had to squirt water ontop of the mesh to actually fill the dish. Will email him about that. They didn't come with any seed packet, just 5 large seeds which I broke up and added in. 


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#108 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted September 21 2019 - 12:53 PM

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Good luck! I have had a dog and a cat die this year. Got a new cat two days ago though.

#109 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 12:59 PM

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Good luck! I have had a dog and a cat die this year. Got a new cat two days ago though.

Yeah, luckily though, Sunny is fine. She ate some milkweed which is apparently lethal to dogs. Veterinarian family member (Who is actually the president of the Wisconsin Veterinary Association.) said that anything terrible would have happened already at this point.


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Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#110 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 1:26 PM

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They are exploring the nest right now.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#111 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 1:38 PM

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Are bunched ironweed seeds safe to feed to them? How about joe pie weed?


Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, September 21 2019 - 1:46 PM.

Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#112 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 21 2019 - 1:43 PM

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I’d feed your Tetras protein everyday. Mine don’t waste anything. They are my cleanest ants by far. I love them.

Edited by ANTdrew, September 21 2019 - 1:45 PM.

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#113 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 1:48 PM

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One thing I like about these is how stupidly thin their waists are. When seen from above it sometimes looks like the gaster is just floating.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#114 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 1:56 PM

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Let me phrase the question better: what seeds should I NOT feed my Pogonomyrmex?


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#115 Offline YsTheAnt - Posted September 21 2019 - 3:24 PM

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Anything with pesticides on them.

My Pogonomyrmex love Kentucky bluegrass and crushed freeze-dried mealworms more than any other food so far.
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#116 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 21 2019 - 3:38 PM

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Good shots and nice diversity, by the way.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#117 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 3:43 PM

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Anything with pesticides on them.

My Pogonomyrmex love Kentucky bluegrass and crushed freeze-dried mealworms more than any other food so far.

I got a handful of birdseed from my neighbor, is there any chance it could be contaminated with pesticides?


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#118 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 3:58 PM

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Gave them a cricket leg. The way they approached it, it reminded me more of the bomb squad coming up on some weird backpack than anything else. I think they are in fact eating it though.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#119 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 21 2019 - 4:16 PM

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My wife buys these shelled hemp seeds to put in smoothies at Whole Foods. My Tetras love them, and I bet your Pogonomyrmex would, too!
I’m getting intrigued to order one of these colonies. Hmmmm
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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.

#120 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted September 21 2019 - 4:52 PM

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Do you know where I might be able to get a general variety of seeds? I'm looking for flax seeds specifically, but I'm not really sure what stores would sell them.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis






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