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Dspdrew's Myrmecocystus mimicus Journal [217] (Updated 12-14-2021)

dspdrew journal myrmecocystus mimicus

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#21 Offline kellakk - Posted September 30 2015 - 4:58 PM

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No, it didn't have workers.  That's why I'm not quite sure that they're the same.


Current Species:
Camponotus fragilis

Novomessor cockerelli

Pogonomyrmex montanus

Pogonomyrmex rugosus

Manica bradleyi

 

 


#22 Offline Foogoo - Posted October 1 2015 - 9:42 AM

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I've long lost track of your journals between your different Myrmecocystus, but would you say you've had the most success with dirt box (or another setup) over the others? Or has it been a fair distribution of deaths across all different setups?


Camponotus vicinus, Crematogaster 1, Crematogaster 2, Formica francoeuri, *, *, Myrmecocystus testaceus, Novomessor cockerelli, Pheidole hyatti, Pogonomyrmex californicus, Pogonomyrmex rugosus, Solenopsis invicta


#23 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 1 2015 - 10:04 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Far more success with these dirt boxes than I've ever had with anything else.


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#24 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 1 2015 - 2:29 PM

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Far more success in anything with some substrate really.


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#25 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 23 2015 - 8:00 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 10-23-2015

 

These are still doing really well. I still have six colonies/queens left. One queen is living in just a test tube, and the other five are in dirt boxes. The black and orange colony, and three of the all-black ones are doing really well.

 

The black and orange colony is up to 13 workers, 6 pupae, and about 30 larvae. The largest of the all-black colonies is up to 20 workers, 10 pupae, and about 70 larvae.


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#26 Offline dspdrew - Posted January 20 2016 - 11:33 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 1-17-2016

 

The queen in the test tube, and the smallest colony in one of the "dirt boxes" died a while back. Now today I just found the smaller of the remaining four colonies all dead and dried up. I wasn't paying attention to the moisture level in the "dirt boxes", and lost six colonies--this being one of them. It's been so dry lately, that the nest just dried out before I even noticed. The three colonies left all look like they are doing great.



#27 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 2 2016 - 6:28 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 2-2-2016

 

I still haven't keyed out the orange and black colony, but they are up to about 40 workers now. The other two colonies are up to about 30 workers each.

 

Here's a video of the largest M. mimicus colony.

 

 

 

Here's a video of the orange and black colony.

 


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#28 Offline klawfran3 - Posted February 2 2016 - 6:37 PM

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How many repletes do they have now? I think I counted four?


This message brought to you by the Committee for the Education of Folks who Describe Arthropod Taxa as 'Not Interesting' (CEFDATNI)

#29 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 2 2016 - 6:43 PM

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These only have one medium-sized replete, and a few small ones total.



#30 Offline Mdrogun - Posted February 3 2016 - 2:03 PM

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It would be cool if the orange ones were a hybrid of some sort. 


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


#31 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 3 2016 - 3:05 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

There's a couple species they could be I think. I see them a lot and really like them; I just never found a queen until now.



#32 Offline Here for the honeypots - Posted February 9 2016 - 11:31 AM

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YAY


Edited by Here for the honeypots, February 9 2016 - 11:31 AM.


#33 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 12 2016 - 8:18 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
gallery_2_414_4202.jpg
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#34 Offline klawfran3 - Posted March 14 2016 - 7:00 AM

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That is undoubtedly one of the most cleanly-excavated dirtbox setups I have ever seen. You can see right through to the other side!


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This message brought to you by the Committee for the Education of Folks who Describe Arthropod Taxa as 'Not Interesting' (CEFDATNI)

#35 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 14 2016 - 7:34 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Yeah, they dug it out pretty good, but they didn't clean the plastic off very well, so it's not very clear, unfortunately.



#36 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 19 2016 - 11:50 PM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 3-20-2016

 

I just found two more of these queens today in Pinon Hills, CA. I put them both in my "dirt boxes". I have a feeling these ones are the orange and black species, because I saw a lot of them in the area out working on their nests. They both started digging their nests within ten minutes of being put in their containers.

 

Here's one of the new queens digging her founding chamber.

 



#37 Offline Alexant - Posted March 24 2016 - 7:16 AM

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Quick question: What is your favourite Myrmecocyctus species to keep and why?



#38 Offline LC3 - Posted March 24 2016 - 11:24 AM

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Haha I like how she flips over time to time :lol:



#39 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 24 2016 - 12:12 PM

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Quick question: What is your favourite Myrmecocyctus species to keep and why?

 

I don't know if I really have a favorite yet. I haven't really kept very many species. I think M. mexicanus would maybe be my favorite just because they are the largest.



#40 Offline Alexant - Posted March 24 2016 - 12:46 PM

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Fair enough. Thank you


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