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Mercutia's Solenopsis molesta


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17 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 17 2013 - 11:27 AM

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Caught these babies at the beginning of August.

 

IMG_1827.jpg

 

Nothing has eclosed yet, but I do see larvae so that's always a good sign.



#2 Offline AntCzar - Posted September 17 2013 - 11:48 AM

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A couple of months sounds about right depending on the temperatures. Larvae right now should be about right if caught early August. One's gaster looks sooo much different than the other in this picture. Is it actually like that?



#3 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 17 2013 - 12:01 PM

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One's gaster looks sooo much different than the other in this picture. Is it actually like that?

I noticed that too, but I think it's just because one is blurry.



#4 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 17 2013 - 12:08 PM

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Oh, she's just a little out of focus so the lines all blurred together. I have them heated with a cable currently. They show such sisterly devotion to each other =). They are always cleaning each other and fussing together. I love watching polygynous queens interact.



#5 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 17 2013 - 12:41 PM

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I tried to combine mine AFTER they had workers, but that didn't work out well. There definitely wasn't much love; one queen was murdered.



#6 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 17 2013 - 2:13 PM

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I think the most effective way to have a polygynous is to have them start out together. I think it may have something to do with scent recognition but once established they are more likely to be hostile to anything that doesn't smell exactly like them.

#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 17 2013 - 8:14 PM

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Oh yeah, definitely. I just wanted to give it a try. :unsure: BTW, what have you been feeding yours?



#8 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 18 2013 - 6:28 AM

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My ants in general, I feed jam, apples, sugar water. For protein I usually use whatever meat I have on hand. Mostly turkey or chicken. Sometimes deli meat.

I cut them into very small portions and don't feed them again unless they finish. I notice when I keep a feeding pattern the test tubes get really dirty really quickly so now I only add more food once the portion is finished.

#9 Offline Crystals - Posted September 20 2013 - 11:17 AM

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I saw about 40 of these queens one day down in the rocky mountians in BC.  Didn't catch any as I already had 7 species and they were a bit small for my tastes (and eyesight).  Went back the next day and I could not find a single one despite turning over every single rock along the edge of that parking lot.


"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens

 

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My Colonies


#10 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 20 2013 - 1:14 PM

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I love their colour despite their size. That's why I'm super stoked for those Lasius queens I caught last time. I don't think I can wait overwinter for workers. Yellow ants are adorable.

 

BTW the S. molestas have their first worker! YAY! Too small to take pictures and my dad took his fancy camera to work, but I'll get pics as soon as I can!



#11 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 27 2013 - 3:21 AM

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Sorry for blurry images, but there are now two eclosed workers wandering around in my S. molesta colony. They are so tiny and cute!

 

IMG_2034.jpg

IMG_2035.jpg

IMG_2033.jpg



#12 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 27 2013 - 6:19 AM

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Nice. I with I would have kept my queens together from the beginning so I didn't have two separate colonies to manage.



#13 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 28 2013 - 4:13 AM

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It's so fascinating watching two queens interact because neither one or the other appear dominant. They are also highly synchronized in the way they interact. I wonder if in the future there will be a dominant queen. It's hard to tell if they are both laying, or only one is laying since the eggs are so small but they have a fair sized brood pile so I'm pretty stoked for these thief ants.


Edited by Mercutia, September 30 2013 - 5:57 PM.


#14 Offline Anhzor - Posted October 4 2013 - 5:33 PM

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Nice, i never seen s. molesta with that coloration.



#15 Offline Mercutia - Posted October 19 2013 - 11:15 AM

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This colony has been sold. I'm very sad to see them go. =( They were pretty awesome.



#16 Offline dspdrew - Posted October 19 2013 - 1:53 PM

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This colony has been sold. I'm very sad to see them go. =( They were pretty awesome.

Why did you sell them?



#17 Offline Mercutia - Posted October 19 2013 - 5:16 PM

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Why did you sell them?


I priced them high, so it was kinda worth it. That, and I need to pay my bills. Still, I'll be sad to see them go.

#18 Offline Anhzor - Posted October 19 2013 - 6:12 PM

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=(






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