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Dspdrew's Camponotus laevigatus Journal [219] (Updated 12-4-2023)

camponotus quercicola carpenter ants journal dspdrew

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#21 Offline Mads - Posted April 28 2016 - 4:54 PM

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Update 4-28-2016
 
I just took this colony out of hibernation yesterday. There's only four workers left now, so hopefully she lays some eggs soon.

 

They didn't seem interested in crickets when they first warmed up, but they did drink quite a bit of Sunburst Ant Nectar. I gave them a little piece of a cricket today and they did feed on it.

 

I'm keeping these, along with all the other Camponotus found up in the mountains in another area of my apartment where it's usually about 80 degrees instead of the room where it's always over 90. I think this will probably be better for them.

80 degrees? We have our house at 68, and our furnace still kicks in from time to time.......The joys of living in the great white north I guess!

 

Mads



#22 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 28 2016 - 7:15 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I have the AC running to keep it from going over 80 too. :lol:



#23 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 10 2016 - 5:17 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 5-10-2016
 
This colony now has three new eggs. :) I forgot how HUGE their eggs are too.



#24 Offline Air - Posted July 7 2016 - 5:09 PM

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Update, please!



#25 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 5 2016 - 8:52 PM

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Update 8-5-2016
 
One of this queen's new eggs eventually developed into a major. This major eclosed about two weeks ago, and for some reason it's brown. Not only that, but it looks like it has a clypeal carina.  :thinking: At first I assumed it was just brown because it was callow, because black ants are always brown when they are callow, but two weeks have gone by and it's still brown. Then after taking pictures of it today, I noticed what sure looks to me like a clypeal carina. Im not completely sure because some Camponotus that supposedly don't have one, look to me like they do. If it is one, then this would not only mean that these can't be C. quercicola, but that they can't even be of the Camponotus subgenus at all. I guess it would be some sort of Tanaemyrmex, but I don't even know of any solid, medium brown Camponotus this size of any subgenus around here. I also don't know of any Tanaemyrmex around here that lay long skinny eggs like C. laevigatus either. I'm trying to remember if I could have possibly boosted them either on purpose or on accident while moving colonies around, but I highly doubt that would have happened; Besides, I don't even have any other species that produces workers that look like this. One other thing, why would the queen and minors be pretty much black, but the majors be medium brown? I've seen differences in colors between minors and majors, but not like that.
 
I moved these out of their test tube and into one of my small founding formicariums.
 
Edit: Okay after looking closer at it with my microscope, I think I can tell the difference between a clypeus with a carina and one without that looks like it has one. I now don't think this major has a clypeal carina, I'm just not sure why the line is so prominent in the pictures, because it isn't when looking at it with the microscope. I'm also not even completely sure this is a major, because it kind of looks like something in between minor and major. I just keyed it out, and it keys to C. quercicola. I just don't get the color.
 
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Edited by dspdrew, February 21 2024 - 9:45 PM.


#26 Offline Mdrogun - Posted August 5 2016 - 9:36 PM

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In Gergory2455's Tetramorium journal a large amount of workers looked callow due to malnutrition. Could this be what's causing the major to be brown?


Currently Keeping:
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis

Pheidole pilifera

Forelius sp. (Monogynous, bicolored) "Midwestern Forelius"
Crematogaster cerasi

Pheidole bicarinata

Aphaenogaster rudis

Camponotus chromaiodes

Formica sp. (microgena species)

Nylanderia cf. arenivega


#27 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 5 2016 - 9:43 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Not sure, unless their feeder hasn't been working. If so, then they would have gone a long time with out carbs.



#28 Offline kellakk - Posted August 6 2016 - 12:46 PM

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I have no idea why that worker's exoskeleton isn't melanizing, but I know that it's definitely a major. A minor or media worker wouldn't have such a large head.


Current Species:
Camponotus fragilis

Novomessor cockerelli

Pogonomyrmex montanus

Pogonomyrmex rugosus

Manica bradleyi

 

 


#29 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 6 2016 - 1:05 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

yeah it has the features of a major. It's just a really small one I guess.



#30 Offline dspdrew - Posted November 22 2016 - 12:41 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 11-20-2016
 

Unfortunately this colony only has two workers left and no brood. It has one minor and one major worker. I just put them into hibernation.



#31 Offline nurbs - Posted March 12 2017 - 4:31 PM

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Looks like it's time to update this!


Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#32 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 12 2017 - 5:16 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Looks like it's time to update this!

 

Yeah you're right. I just have to pull my current colony out of hibernation first.



#33 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 16 2017 - 12:45 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 3-16-2017
 

I just took this colony out of hibernation. Unfortunately there are no more workers.

 

The good news is I just found a few more of these queens 3-10-2017 and 3-11-2017, up at Chaney Trail in Altadena, CA. We found almost all of them after dark, wandering around on Live Oak trees. Today they all just laid one egg each.


  • nurbs and soulsynapse like this

#34 Offline soulsynapse - Posted March 16 2017 - 12:52 AM

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mine won't settle down.. what set up do you have them in?


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#35 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 16 2017 - 12:53 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Right now they're in test tubes, bit I'll be moving them into little formicariums soon.



#36 Offline Alabama Anter - Posted March 16 2017 - 8:05 AM

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mine won't settle down.. what set up do you have them in?

She may be infertile.


YJK


#37 Offline SoySauce - Posted March 16 2017 - 8:15 AM

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Drew, how do you take your amazingly clear macro shot???



#38 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 16 2017 - 8:35 AM

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Drew, how do you take your amazingly clear macro shot???

 

I just use an old point-and-shoot camera that takes really good close-ups.



#39 Offline SoySauce - Posted March 16 2017 - 8:44 AM

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Yeah it does!



#40 Offline sgheaton - Posted March 16 2017 - 9:08 AM

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Drew, how do you take your amazingly clear macro shot???

 

I just use an old point-and-shoot camera that takes really good close-ups.

 

 

No jewelers loop or anything?


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