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46&2's Camponotus vicinus/modoc Journal

formicarium build camponotus formicarium

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#41 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted November 14 2016 - 7:52 PM

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Transfered Colony #2 into the new mini formicarium I built. They moved into the nest and seem quite content now.

 

newcolony1.jpg


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#42 Offline T.C. - Posted November 16 2016 - 8:27 AM

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Nice, be sure to keep this thing updated. :)


“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#43 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted November 27 2016 - 11:15 PM

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Nice, be sure to keep this thing updated. :)

 

Will do.

 

Both colonies were put into the garage fridge for hibernation on 11/24/16. Temp in the fridge is 40 F.


Edited by fortysixandtwo, November 27 2016 - 11:18 PM.


#44 Offline Jackb3794 - Posted November 29 2016 - 3:22 AM

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Well. some idea's for my next Dad / son project (n) ;)


Anthony

Jack's Dad

Lasius Niger

 

 

 


#45 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted December 17 2016 - 3:04 AM

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Pulled the two colonies out to check their water and hibernation status. Definitely hibernating. Water was good still after almost a month. My colony names are corny I know  :blink:

 

Colony#1: Camp Modoc

 

15416865_1363010620389495_152081181_n-1.

 

Colony#2: Camp Vicinus 

 

15491775_1363010713722819_1152586563_o.j



#46 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted January 8 2017 - 1:28 AM

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Ants will have been in hibernation 2 months on the 26th of this month. Checked them today, all is well. Topped off the water and put them back in the fridge.

 

Colony #1: Camp Modoc

 

anthibernation2.jpg

 

Colony #2: Camp Vicinus

 

anthibernation1.jpg


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#47 Offline MichiganAnts - Posted January 8 2017 - 9:11 AM

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looking good bud!


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Owner of MichiganAnts, a YouTube Channel dedicated to all my Michigan colonies found and raise in my backyard

https://www.youtube.com/MichiganAnts

https://twitter.com/MichiganAnts

https://www.facebook.com/MichiganAnts/

 

Keeper of:

 

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

 

Camponotus Noveboracensis

 

Tetramorium


#48 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted January 31 2017 - 10:12 PM

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Pulled the colonies out of the fridge on 1/26/17. 


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#49 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted February 6 2017 - 10:09 PM

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Both colonies have been out of hibernation at ambient room temp of 65 F for almost two weeks. They seem fully active.

 

I cut up a dubia roach and split it between both colonies last night. I did catch a worker from Camp Modoc foraging, so that is good. Also all ants in both colonies, including both queens seem pretty fat compared to pre-hibernation. Eggs in the Vicinus colony seem to be growing.

 

Also interestingly enough, in the Camp Modoc colony all 5 workers were alive when I pulled them from hibernation. After two weeks, at some point the smallest nanitic died and was cannibalized by the other workers. All that remains is her head. No sign that they moved her remains elsewhere.

 

Have some work to do to finish their upgraded medium sized formicariums but gotta wait for this insane wind and rain to stop for a day or two.

 

Mini founder formicariums - cheapo homebuilt vs Tarheels:

 

dsc09270.jpg

 

Camp Modoc:

 

campomodoc1.jpg

 

Camp Vicinus: 

 

dsc09276.jpg

 

Cut up cockroach and honey:

 

antcockroachfeed.jpg


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#50 Offline MichiganAnts - Posted February 6 2017 - 10:14 PM

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looking good buddy. just get them in a warmer spot! ;)


Owner of MichiganAnts, a YouTube Channel dedicated to all my Michigan colonies found and raise in my backyard

https://www.youtube.com/MichiganAnts

https://twitter.com/MichiganAnts

https://www.facebook.com/MichiganAnts/

 

Keeper of:

 

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

 

Camponotus Noveboracensis

 

Tetramorium


#51 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted February 6 2017 - 10:17 PM

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looking good buddy. just get them in a warmer spot! ;)

 

If this damn heating cable ever gets here



#52 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted February 9 2017 - 6:46 PM

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Heat cable finally showed up. As soon as this rain lets up I can finish my two final small formicariums to transfer these into.

 

16650531_1429199213770635_140765669_n.jp


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#53 Offline drtrmiller - Posted February 10 2017 - 11:01 AM

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antcockroachfeed.jpg

 

I would apply heat to the front side and keep the room temperature as stable and free from drafts as possible to avoid water condensation in the formicarium at all costs.

 

I've had many bad experiences regarding water condensation in small enclosed habitats.


Edited by drtrmiller, February 10 2017 - 11:01 AM.



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#54 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted February 14 2017 - 1:51 AM

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antcockroachfeed.jpg

 

I would apply heat to the front side and keep the room temperature as stable and free from drafts as possible to avoid water condensation in the formicarium at all costs.

 

I've had many bad experiences regarding water condensation in small enclosed habitats.

 

 

For sure thanks. I was trying to milk a few droplets of water out of my spray bottle and it let loose. I dried all that up after I took the photo



#55 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted March 6 2017 - 10:33 PM

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Ant update:

 

Changed out the food and topped off the water today.

 

And discovered Camp Modoc has it's first brood! 

 

Camp Modoc:

campmodoc.jpg

 

Growth of the brood in Camp vicinus seems slow at best.


Camp Vicinus:

campvicinus.jpg


Edited by fortysixandtwo, March 6 2017 - 10:33 PM.


#56 Offline MichiganAnts - Posted March 7 2017 - 10:30 PM

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looking good buddy!


Owner of MichiganAnts, a YouTube Channel dedicated to all my Michigan colonies found and raise in my backyard

https://www.youtube.com/MichiganAnts

https://twitter.com/MichiganAnts

https://www.facebook.com/MichiganAnts/

 

Keeper of:

 

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

 

Camponotus Noveboracensis

 

Tetramorium


#57 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted March 30 2017 - 12:17 AM

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Camp modoc and Camp vicinus are both showing steady growth in the brood. The modoc are growing faster than the vicinus though. Anyway, ants look healthy, brood looks healthy, Topped off their water, cleaned their food trays and added a little bit of cockroach food I have from RRF and also some ByFormica nectar. 

 

Camp Vicinus:

 

campvicinus1.jpg

 

Camp Modoc:

 

campmodoc1.jpg



#58 Offline Vasquez - Posted March 30 2017 - 2:13 AM

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Oh my! This is awesome. I need to do something like this. :)
I like it very much.


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#59 Offline T.C. - Posted March 30 2017 - 6:13 AM

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Your making good progress. Happy to see that! My camponotous just has larva and has for 4 months now!
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“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#60 Offline fortysixandtwo - Posted April 15 2017 - 10:34 PM

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Checked the ants today. Definitely very good progress in Camp Modoc. Now two generations of brood: new pile of eggs, and the previous eggs are now larva. Making sure they get protein with each feeding now in the form of prekilled crickets and roaches. 

 
Camp Vicinus, for whatever reason, the growth is stagnant. But the brood is still alive. Giving extra protein, hopefully that speeds things up.
 
Camp Modoc. You can see the two distinct piles of eggs and larva. Workers and queen look fat and healthy:
 
campmodoc415.jpg
 
Camp Vicinus. You can get a clear shot of the larva here, there is growth, just not much. No new eggs yet:
 
campvicinus415.jpg
 
Funny behavior observation: After adding water to the hydration tube for Camp Modoc, some water got in the nest. One worker proceeded to take all the larva out one by one, line them up, and is now thoroughly investigating them and cleaning them. Can't get the food tray back in until she brings them back inside.
 
In this process, I saw another worker carrying what looked like a dead worker out. Damn, lost another. Then she puts it down, and the worker gets up and starts walking around. Wtf lol

Edited by fortysixandtwo, April 15 2017 - 11:04 PM.






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