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Acromyrmex versicolor - Tucson AZ Photo journal

acromyrmex versicolor fungus

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29 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Maculata - Posted August 16 2019 - 9:48 PM

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I have 1 out of 6 queens with fungus.  It's small but already has eggs in it.

The other 5 queens have no fungus (it's been 5 days).  How long should I wait for fungus? How big should the fungus be before sharing?  

 

A60A0819 S NSI
Album: Acromyrmex versicolor
35 images
0 comments

A60A0625 S NSI
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Edited by Maculata, October 29 2019 - 9:13 PM.

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#2 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 16 2019 - 11:31 PM

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Did it grow that in a test tube?



#3 Offline Maculata - Posted August 17 2019 - 12:38 PM

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Inside the inner box of your starter Formicariums.  I had about 10 in test tubes last year but nothing succeeded.  Today the queen incorporated some bits of a red cactus fruit.  


Edited by Maculata, August 17 2019 - 12:39 PM.


#4 Offline Maculata - Posted August 20 2019 - 7:33 PM

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Drew,

I have reread your Acromyrmex versicolor post. How large should the fungus be before pulling a bit off and putting it next another queens eggs? Will it stick to the wall? I have been thinking of using flame sterilized tweezers for the transfer. Are there any good papers on growing these? I have read one or two last year but you seem to have more versicolor experience. Also in the desert, do you have a feeling on the depth of established colonies? Thanks

#5 Offline Maculata - Posted August 24 2019 - 10:02 PM

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Fungus grows, prefered food is bits of a small red cactus fruit ( soft inside is orange ).  Larger round black spots are seeds from that fruit. 

 

A60A0819 S NSI
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A60A0819 S NSI
Album: Acromyrmex versicolor
35 images
0 comments

 


Edited by Maculata, August 24 2019 - 10:08 PM.

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#6 Offline Maculata - Posted August 25 2019 - 2:37 PM

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Preferred food:  small red cactus fruit ( soft inside is more orange ).  
 
Photo Aug 25, 11 39 04

Edited by Maculata, August 25 2019 - 2:38 PM.


#7 Offline Maculata - Posted August 26 2019 - 9:50 PM

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How easy is it to pull off a bit of fungus?  It's hanging from the top, I am afraid if I try to pull a bit off with tweezers, it will just drop off.
 
Successful fungus queen.  I think there is an egg with a dark center visible in the fungus looking like it's growing.  
A60A0828 S NSI
 
Queen with eggs but no fungus.  The eggs so far are unchanged.   
A60A0831 S NSI

Edited by Maculata, August 26 2019 - 9:53 PM.


#8 Offline Maculata - Posted August 31 2019 - 9:54 AM

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Shared fungus with one queen, stuck a bit near her eggs.  She did not successfully develop fungus (may have just stuck the fungus on the fruit and let it dry out)

 

Shared fungus with second queen, exchanged lid with a little fungus near her eggs.  She did developed the fungus a little bit using cactus but seemed not very productive - added green leaves from sever plant near where captured.  She immediately started to work the fungus with green material.  Will update. 

 

First queen larva development remains robust

A60A0956 S NSI

Edited by Maculata, August 31 2019 - 10:57 AM.


#9 Offline AntsDakota - Posted August 31 2019 - 1:53 PM

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Looks like you didn't even need our help. :D


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#10 Offline Maculata - Posted September 1 2019 - 7:56 AM

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I read many of the historical posts so you guys helped a lot.  



#11 Offline Maculata - Posted September 1 2019 - 9:53 AM

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Another question....  How long can the colony go without a source for leaves/fruit?  I will be out for 2 weeks.  Does lowering the temp help (slow metabolic rates)?



#12 Offline Vendayn - Posted September 1 2019 - 10:38 AM

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I wouldn't mess with the temperature or the humidity if its at a point the fungus is growing healthily. It does better with a stable temperature.

 

With that said, I found anything below 70 degrees and the fungus "melts" and turns mushy. I had my colony too low at one point as I was testing temperatures and 69 degrees was far too low of a temperature.  But the colony did grow a ton slower in the low 70s.

 

If the water supply lasts 2+ weeks, then if enough substrate it should be fine with a small colony. I'm not sure I'd mess with it too much when its healthy. The fungus is very finicky I found.


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#13 Offline Maculata - Posted September 16 2019 - 10:37 PM

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I had someone feed them after 1 week.  At two weeks the fungus looked a bit poor; however, a day after feeding again the fungus looked better and the first nanatic is at work.
 
A60A2936 T NSI
A60A2937 T NSI
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#14 Offline Maculata - Posted October 28 2019 - 7:52 PM

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Colony doing well up to +20 workers, started second Fungus in adjacent chamber.  I can no longer remove the cover so the pictures are harder to take and are thru 1 or  2 layers of plastic.  The pictures are thru a tiny opening (you can see the whitish arch).

 

A60A0819 S NSI
Album: Acromyrmex versicolor
35 images
0 comments

A60A3192 S NSI
A60A3206 S NSI
A60A3197 S NSI
A60A3195 S NSI

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#15 Offline Kalidas - Posted October 28 2019 - 8:26 PM

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Oh man they look they are doing amazing. These ants quickly became my favorite after they were my first queens I caught last year.

If you ever have another issue where you are running out of ruffage to give them, a temporary food they may accept is corn flakes. My most successful queen LOVED Cor flakes above anything else in fact.

Awe man I really wish I hadn't missed the flights this year. Good luck friend

#16 Offline Maculata - Posted October 28 2019 - 8:39 PM

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Two closeups....
 
I collected and have frozen as many of the cactus fruit as I can find.  Have not tried any other foods since the cactus fruit worked.  I had tried many different nice green fresh leaves only to read a scholarly article that says that most desert plants are well protected from leaf cutting ants (adapted natural pesticides/fungicides).  A. versicolor has adapted to eating 90+% dead dried leaves or seeds after the pesticides have dissipated.  I think I believe it - the only plant that was ever subjected to leaf cutting in my yard was an exotic. There was a couple flights in Tucson this year.  Grabbed them the morning after rain when they were founding new colonies.  In far South East Tucson / Vail, there are clouds of 100,000+ of these when they hatch.   I am in the foothills and see only a few.  
 
A60A3197CLOSE S NSI
A60A3206CLOSE S NSI

Edited by Maculata, October 28 2019 - 8:41 PM.


#17 Offline Kalidas - Posted October 28 2019 - 8:47 PM

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Yeah pretty much all species of Acromyrmex like dried plants better. There's another forum I belong to called Leaf Cutter Ants Forums and the site admin (a guy who professionally keeps and sells leaf cutters to zoos) had posted something about that. Atta like wet plant matter Acromyrmex like dryer ones

#18 Offline Maculata - Posted October 28 2019 - 9:13 PM

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A showoff...
A60A3219 S NSI
 
 
The second chamber under development
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A60A3234 S NSI

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#19 Offline Zeiss - Posted October 28 2019 - 10:17 PM

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If this is turning into a journal for your colony, I suggest changing the topic's title.

 

Looks like they're doing great.



#20 Offline Maculata - Posted October 29 2019 - 10:15 PM

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Temperature of colony since inception.  I think I am going up the temp by about 5 degrees, I am concerned the lows are getting too close to 70F.

 

Orange = Original Chamber (Concerned about temp of this one)

Blue = New Chamber (Recently moved heater nearer)

 

FungusTemp

Edited by Maculata, October 29 2019 - 10:44 PM.






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