2111 replies to this topic

[ctantkeeper]

I moved my C. pennsylvanicus colony into a two-tube nesting setup yesterday, and my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I saw a tiny orange critter hopping amongst them. It was a baby Myrmecophila cricket! Sadly, I found him dead this evening.

aww, sorry to hear about that . That's pretty awesome though. Still looking for a bumble bee queen of my own. no luck yet unfortunately

[Connectimyrmex]

Bad news for you. That bumblebee queen i caught was going to be your christmas present, but she died in hibernation

[Connectimyrmex]

I just caught a Formica colony with 13 workers! I think the severe rainstorm drove them to higher ground, because I found them under a rock that I had flipped a day before.

[noebl1]

Started the sad task last night for preparing for hibernation.  Got all the idle test tubed queens for this season into boxes using the sound isolation foam to keep them from rocking around.  Also fired up the wine fridge in the basement.  Will put these queens first; looks like only lost 3 of the Lasius so far from this Fall.  Also down to only one Myrmica now too   Planning on putting them in tonight/tomorrow for the season.

 

Next up is to organize the colonies in test-tube portals and the first season colonies still in test tubes.  The Temnothorax are pretty active still, but the Lasius seem to be slowing down, though still actively foraging.  I notice the wild colonies are still out on warm days, so may wait a bit longer on those.  I haven't seen a Camponotus outside in a few weeks, so guessing the C. Myrmentoma are ready to go into the cold.

 

I've been using these from Amazon for awhile, as they stack well, and can go 2 deep with the sound insulation foam. They do vary a bit in price (they were like $34 last week), but worth it as built really solid:  https://www.amazon.c...duct/B00NEMMXDI

 

I keep the test tube portals in those too, so again, super easy to stack and can pass tubing thru the handle opening.

 

My Ponera is still alive!  I added a couple springtails from my culture last night, and she finally emerged and starting chasing them.  If she makes it thru hibernation, I may start a wingless fruit fly culture for her as springtails are tiny in comparison.  I caught a fruit fly in the kitchen this Fall, and she had no problems chasing it down and taking it out...  I read people have successfully fed them cooked egg, but I haven't tried yet.

 

My previously misidentified Aphaenogaster picea(?) queen's first worker eclosed yesterday.  I gave them some Sunburst Nectar, and the queen fed from it for a good 15mins and gaster was quite swollen.   I'll probably give her another few days to fatten up, especially as the new worker just eclosed and still a bit clumsy, then put them into the fridge too.

[Connectimyrmex]

your queen is probably A. picea, they are very common in NE.

 

I'm glad your ponera queen is still alive! My colony kind of prefers dead insects for some reason.

[noebl1]

your queen is probably A. picea, they are very common in NE.

 

I'm glad your ponera queen is still alive! My colony kind of prefers dead insects for some reason.

 

Thanks!  Based on where I live, and the timing of the flight, it seems the most likely.  My other one, the A. rudis from Sept 11, has brood, but doesn't look like they'll hatch before hibernation (or infertile eggs.)  I was surprised how quickly she laid though.

 

Was your Ponera a colony or alate capture? Mine was an alate (she actually landed on my shirt or I'd never see her), and she dropped her wings.  With the coconut fiber, I can't really tell if there's any brood as even with maybe a 1/2 tsp of coconut fiber, she's so tiny she has a spot she hides in out of sight.  I am guessing part of the reason she goes for live is I only feed every 1-2 weeks, so probably enough she's hungry.  I may up the if she makes it thru hibernation.  Do you bother with any sugars, or 100% insect?

[Connectimyrmex]

She was an alate capture that lived alone for three weeks. She is now living with four nanitics from a founding colony with a dead queen.

My ponera workers love honey, but the queen hates the stuff. I have no idea why.

 

Strangely, my wild caught A. picea foundling has three workers, and my captive reared A. rudis foundling has two workers (I'm calling small colonies "foundlings" now)

 

I actually never use coconut fibers in my more recent Ponera nests. Instead, I plug one end of a transparent & skinny drinking straw with a rubber plug, and I just set it up like a normal test tube from there. I then put a tiny piece of paper on the bottom of the straw/tube to make it easier for the ants to walk inside.

[noebl1]

I actually never use coconut fibers in my more recent Ponera nests. Instead, I plug one end of a transparent & skinny drinking straw with a rubber plug, and I just set it up like a normal test tube from there. I then put a tiny piece of paper on the bottom of the straw/tube to make it easier for the ants to walk inside.

 

Any pics? This is very intriguing... thanks!

[ctantkeeper]

Bad news for you. That bumblebee queen i caught was going to be your christmas present, but she died in hibernation

Wow, that's really thoughtful . It's ok though. I will keep on searching for one on my own. If you have any luck with finding any more poliste queens and bumblebee queens, please let me know and I would be happy to trade / pay for one!

[Connectimyrmex]

 

I actually never use coconut fibers in my more recent Ponera nests. Instead, I plug one end of a transparent & skinny drinking straw with a rubber plug, and I just set it up like a normal test tube from there. I then put a tiny piece of paper on the bottom of the straw/tube to make it easier for the ants to walk inside.

 

Any pics? This is very intriguing... thanks!

 

Not yet, because the straw is pretty blurry. I'll see if I can find a better camera for the job.

[noebl1]

It has begun

 

[Connectimyrmex]

I just put all of my ants in the sunroom. Its so cold in there. Thank god there's a heating vent.

[rdurham02]

I have placed all my ant buddies within their "winter vault" in our attic/storage space for the long and dark cryosleep. 

[noebl1]

Went to Benson Park in Hudson, NH and saw Lasius sp. and P. imparis both pretty active today.  The P. imparis didn't surprise me, but the Lasius did a bit as in the 50s for a high.  

 

EDIT:  Also put the last of my ants today either in the cooler or in the basement to gradually cool them before putting them into the cooler.  Several of the Lasius, Temnothorax, etc had fairly swollen gasters, so look in good shape to go into hibernation.  However some of my Tetramorium and Camponotus are still a bit active with slim gasters, so gradually cooling them and giving them a few extra days to fatten up before I chill them.

Edited by noebl1, November 4 2017 - 1:49 PM.

[Connectimyrmex]

Went to Benson Park in Hudson, NH and saw Lasius sp. and P. imparis both pretty active today.  The P. imparis didn't surprise me, but the Lasius did a bit as in the 50s for a high.  

 

EDIT:  Also put the last of my ants today either in the cooler or in the basement to gradually cool them before putting them into the cooler.  Several of the Lasius, Temnothorax, etc had fairly swollen gasters, so look in good shape to go into hibernation.  However some of my Tetramorium and Camponotus are still a bit active with slim gasters, so gradually cooling them and giving them a few extra days to fatten up before I chill them.

I left the honey jar open for ONE NIGHT and found five fat Prenolepis workers waddling around...

 

I caught a beautiful green assassin bug with red spots, along with a couple bark lice. 

[Nathant2131]

Went to Benson Park in Hudson, NH and saw Lasius sp. and P. imparis both pretty active today.

There's lots of species diversity there. This is where I oberved the Tapinoma sessile swarming last.... June I think. The colony was living in the cracks of one of those old red huts in the dense, foresty trail part of the park. I also caught my Crematogaster dealate there on the side of Swan Lake.

[Connectimyrmex]

why is there all of this talk about crematogaster these days? its making me sad (a few months ago I uncovered a couple crematogaster workers and a queen under a rock, and I automatically assumed that the queen was a pseudo-worker. Now I'm pretty sure that it was a young colony).

[noebl1]

Brought in wood we've had seasoning in the wood pile today, found a bunch of Camponotus in the middle of fairly dry wood under a tarp.  They were living in spaces between the wood pieces and not nesting directly within the wood itself.

 

[Connectimyrmex]

Nice catch! I caught a fairly large C. chromaiodes colony hibernating in a log. Right now they are in my leaking Mini Hearth with some rotting wood.

[Connectimyrmex]

Anyone got any experience with Myrmica species? If so, can their pupae hibernate?