Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Mating in Captivity


  • Please log in to reply
12 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Tspivey16 - Posted October 28 2014 - 3:56 AM

Tspivey16

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 186 posts
  • LocationColumbus, OH

All,

 

Very interesting observation yesterday that I wanted to share. It appears that my  Aphaenogaster tennesseensis are mating in the nest. I had suspected this before, but now have caught this on camera. This was a wild caught nest that only had alates, and one of the queens had started laying eggs after shedding her wings in the nest. Now, the other queen in the nest appears to now have mated. After mating, she now appears to havea  following in a seperate chamber in the nest - while the other queen and her eggs still inhahabit the biggest portion.Will be interesting to watch to see if the eggs develop.

 

1

 

2

 

4

 

5

 

3

 

 


  • Gregory2455 likes this

Current Colonies:

                               Aphaenogaster tennesseensis (50 Workers)

                               Formica subsericea (5+ Workers)

                               Tetramorium caespitum (50+ Workers)

                               Parastic Lasius (15 Accepted Host Workers)

                               Crematogaster cerasi (10 + Workers)

                               Temnothorax sp. (70 + workers)

 


#2 Offline James C. Trager - Posted October 28 2014 - 5:34 AM

James C. Trager

    Expert

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 374 posts

Interesting. You may want to divide the colony into as many groups fertile queens that you have. In view of their parasitic tendency, it wouldn't surprise if queen rivalry and fighting to death are in the nature of these queens. 


  • Tspivey16 likes this

#3 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 28 2014 - 6:41 AM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Wow, pretty cool!



#4 Offline Crystals - Posted October 28 2014 - 8:16 AM

Crystals

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,048 posts
  • LocationAthabasca, AB (Canada)

Did there seem to be any sort of trigger?

Like heat or recent watering?


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

 

List of Handy Links   (pinned in the General section)

My Colonies


#5 Offline Tspivey16 - Posted October 28 2014 - 8:32 AM

Tspivey16

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 186 posts
  • LocationColumbus, OH

No, I have never heated the nest, and didn't water until after I observed this. It was like she released some sort of scent, because the males in the nest all were approaching her area.


Current Colonies:

                               Aphaenogaster tennesseensis (50 Workers)

                               Formica subsericea (5+ Workers)

                               Tetramorium caespitum (50+ Workers)

                               Parastic Lasius (15 Accepted Host Workers)

                               Crematogaster cerasi (10 + Workers)

                               Temnothorax sp. (70 + workers)

 


#6 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted October 28 2014 - 1:07 PM

AntsAreUs

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,029 posts
  • LocationMarion, IN

Did you put queens or drones in the colony?



#7 Offline DesertAntz - Posted October 28 2014 - 3:53 PM

DesertAntz

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 202 posts
  • LocationArizona

This is inbreeding, correct? 


The good man is the friend of all living things. - Gandhi 


#8 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 28 2014 - 4:02 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Seemingly, but it is not genetically harmful to ants as it is to mammals and such, I think. Linepithema humile always inbreed.



#9 Offline dean_k - Posted October 28 2014 - 4:32 PM

dean_k

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 845 posts
  • LocationWaterown, Ontario, Canada

Man, this is Ant keeper's dream come true.



#10 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 28 2014 - 4:36 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

I KNOW RIGHT?! :D



#11 Offline dean_k - Posted October 28 2014 - 4:45 PM

dean_k

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 845 posts
  • LocationWaterown, Ontario, Canada

Of course, it means his colony has matured and is 100% successful. It's like a graduation certificate for ant keepers.



#12 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 28 2014 - 4:48 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

I think this is the producing queen being mated with though...



#13 Offline Tspivey16 - Posted October 29 2014 - 4:00 AM

Tspivey16

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 186 posts
  • LocationColumbus, OH

This actually was a wild caught colony - that I think only had alates when I got them home. I think this happened before in this nest, as there is one other queen in the nest who I observed doing the same (didn't get the photos then), and now has a batch of eggs. There is this 2nd queen in the nest that still survives that I just observed this with.

 

Next is to closely watch the egg development to see if indeed this colony will get kickstarted internally.


Current Colonies:

                               Aphaenogaster tennesseensis (50 Workers)

                               Formica subsericea (5+ Workers)

                               Tetramorium caespitum (50+ Workers)

                               Parastic Lasius (15 Accepted Host Workers)

                               Crematogaster cerasi (10 + Workers)

                               Temnothorax sp. (70 + workers)

 





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users