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The Myrmica? Colony 2014


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54 replies to this topic

#1 Offline dermy - Posted August 26 2014 - 12:47 PM

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Got another ant colony about 2-3 weeks ago [lost track of time]

Here are a few pics of it:

Food: [I forgot to get one with them actually eating   ]
IMG_3143_zpsa31f9c77.jpg
Most of the brood was in the tube connecting the outworld to the nest:[there was also 80% of the queens there too]
IMG_3140_zpsc77a8520.jpg
IMG_3145_zps6609810b.jpg
Here is where most of the other queens are, the workers where all investigating the new nest, or tending to the brood:
IMG_3144_zps7d6657ba.jpg
 

Will get more pics when I can.



#2 Offline dermy - Posted August 26 2014 - 12:51 PM

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More new pics of the colony:
IMG_3262_zpsb7ee58ff.jpg
IMG_3263_zpsc8be8864.jpg
Most of the queens where hiding underneath the cotton:
IMG_3269_zpscfb64e30.jpg



#3 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 26 2014 - 3:07 PM

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what's in that first image? Water cottonball and peanut butter?



#4 Offline dermy - Posted August 27 2014 - 12:30 PM

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Yes. It has been replaced. They seem to like Peanut butter. Heck these ants will eat anything! Except Dermestid beetle larvae, I tried and they wouldn't  even attack it :lol:



#5 Offline dermy - Posted September 7 2014 - 4:24 PM

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I don't know what happened but a bunch of workers just died :( no queens died just some workers :suicide: I'm a little worried because all the brood they have is just small larvae and eggs. The queens are still alright and laying though and they are taking In food, but I don't know :wtf: happened to the workers. Should I be worried? I will get some pics up when I can. They eat well, and all that.



#6 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted September 7 2014 - 4:39 PM

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Have they gone through any sort of stress recently? I have found that some workers will almost always die after a forced move.
Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#7 Offline dermy - Posted September 7 2014 - 4:43 PM

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I moved the whole thing down stairs does that count? They didn't die until a week after the move, I hope they bounce back.



#8 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 7 2014 - 4:46 PM

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I don't think you'll ever know what it was. Stuff like this happens to me sometimes, and I could probably spend forever trying to figure out why.



#9 Offline dermy - Posted September 7 2014 - 4:51 PM

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Yeah I guess it's just one of those things, as long as the queens are still laying I'm not too worried, maybe the 10 or so workers where just old?



#10 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted September 8 2014 - 9:27 AM

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What type of cotton have you been using in this setup?  I used to have problems with unexplained large-scale die-offs in my captive colonies.  However, since I switched to organic cotton, death rates have been much reduced (or virtually absent in some cases).  I have read that cotton is the most pesticide-intensive crop, so this makes sense to me.


Edited by Myrmicinae, September 8 2014 - 9:36 AM.

Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#11 Offline dermy - Posted September 8 2014 - 9:38 AM

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Oh I hope it isn't the cotton, I have removed it, and will add paper towel, as it's easier to use. I hope that works.



#12 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted September 8 2014 - 10:37 AM

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I've never used paper towel before, so I don't know how safe/effective it is as a nesting medium.  Another option is just to layer the bottom of a shallow container with plaster.  This will last for a while and give you time to work on a more permanent formicarium (e.g. hydrostone, ytong, etc.).


Edited by Myrmicinae, September 8 2014 - 10:43 AM.

Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#13 Offline dermy - Posted September 8 2014 - 10:46 AM

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I don't have plaster, I've used it before, you have to replace it every so often, I might hot glue something to the bottom, that is absorbant.



#14 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted September 8 2014 - 10:52 AM

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I don't have plaster, I've used it before, you have to replace it every so often, I might hot glue something to the bottom, that is absorbant.

 

Plaster is usually available at Home Depot and other hardware stores.  It is a temporary solution, but it would give you time to work on something more permanent.  Myrmica spp. tend to be somewhat migratory, so they probably don't care that much about being moved around.  

 

Good luck!  Myrmica was the first genus that I successfully cultured from a single queen, so I have a special fondness for them.  :)


Edited by Myrmicinae, September 8 2014 - 10:54 AM.

Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#15 Offline Tpro4 - Posted September 8 2014 - 10:54 AM

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Can I buy a Queen off you if possible?
Remember Dragon Warrior, anything is possible when you have inner peace. - Master Shifu

Current Queens:
1 Unknown Pogomyemex
1 Solenopsis Xyloni

#16 Offline dermy - Posted September 8 2014 - 10:55 AM

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Since I live in Canada, shipping ants is illegal, plus It is still flying time for some ant species, be on the look out and you should find them soon!



#17 Offline dermy - Posted September 13 2014 - 11:55 AM

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This colony has been doing well, I have been feeding them whatever I can find, here is what the outworld looks like, there is only about 20% of the worker force there. The queens have done a great job recovering!
IMG_3615_zps6d738801.jpg



#18 Offline dermy - Posted September 28 2014 - 5:54 PM

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IMG_3766_zps0351840c.jpg
Out world [I forgot to give them syrup for a few days and look what happened :D]
IMG_3730_zpsde2d6b93.jpg
IMG_3731_zps740eec32.jpg



#19 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 28 2014 - 5:55 PM

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Those ants love their syrup...



#20 Offline dermy - Posted September 28 2014 - 5:59 PM

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Yes they do, must be Canadian :D






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