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

Crystal's Camponotus novaeboracensis Journal

camponotus novaeboracensis journal novaeboracensis crystals

  • Please log in to reply
99 replies to this topic

#81 Offline FSTP - Posted December 20 2016 - 6:28 PM

FSTP

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,032 posts
  • Location36.7378° N, 119.7871° W

Good to see you posting Crystal. You were very influential in me starting to keep ants thanks to your youtube vids.


  • Crystals, dermy, Okeedoke22 and 1 other like this

#82 Offline MichiganAnts - Posted December 20 2016 - 7:40 PM

MichiganAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 331 posts
  • LocationMichigan

love your journals!! I'm counting the days till my Camponotus Novas wake up and begin to grow like yours


  • Crystals likes this

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


#83 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted December 21 2016 - 1:32 PM

Nathant2131

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,509 posts
  • LocationDracut, Massachusetts
Wow this is a very fast growing colony for Camponotus! I must ask: What heating cable do you use and how do you use it? Does it simply run through one end of the formicarium?

#84 Offline Crystals - Posted December 21 2016 - 2:00 PM

Crystals

    Advanced Member

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

Wow this is a very fast growing colony for Camponotus! I must ask: What heating cable do you use and how do you use it? Does it simply run through one end of the formicarium?

It is a 15 watt heat cable and it simply runs under the nest in a straight line about 1/3 from the top of the formicarium. Roughly beneath the second row, where so many pupae are stored.

This allows for a temperature gradient, although I have noticed that the chamber the queen prefers is kept empty of brood (center chamber). I have several colonies on one heat cable since it is so long.


  • UtahAnts likes this

"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


#85 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted December 21 2016 - 2:30 PM

Nathant2131

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,509 posts
  • LocationDracut, Massachusetts

 

Wow this is a very fast growing colony for Camponotus! I must ask: What heating cable do you use and how do you use it? Does it simply run through one end of the formicarium?

It is a 15 watt heat cable and it simply runs under the nest in a straight line about 1/3 from the top of the formicarium. Roughly beneath the second row, where so many pupae are stored.

This allows for a temperature gradient, although I have noticed that the chamber the queen prefers is kept empty of brood (center chamber). I have several colonies on one heat cable since it is so long.

 

Cool, thanks! can't wait for updates!  :D



#86 Offline Crystals - Posted January 1 2017 - 1:32 PM

Crystals

    Advanced Member

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

Just watched the first of the pupae eclosing.  The population boom has begun.


"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


#87 Online T.C. - Posted January 1 2017 - 1:54 PM

T.C.

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,059 posts

I caught a queen of this species over the summer, but she died in her test tube, which is really too bad and  am even sadder about it since i seen just how awesome mature colonies look. :(


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

#88 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted March 17 2017 - 1:53 PM

Nathant2131

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,509 posts
  • LocationDracut, Massachusetts

How are they doing now?



#89 Online T.C. - Posted September 20 2017 - 9:57 AM

T.C.

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,059 posts

Update would be cool. Also if you could, when you find time fix these photos please. :)


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

#90 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted December 1 2017 - 12:53 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,920 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee
I can't see the pictures!?:thinking::*(

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, December 1 2017 - 12:54 PM.


#91 Offline Crystals - Posted December 28 2017 - 9:26 AM

Crystals

    Advanced Member

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

I have moved and updated all of the pictures, so they should show now.

This colony is just about at the end of their hibernation, but something has happened and most of the workers have died off. The queen and some workers are still alive though.

I suspect it has to do with airflow since I had test tubes lightly sitting over top of the vinyl ends to prevent them from chewing their way out during hibernation.

This nest had been packed pretty full, and I had been ready to upgrade their nest, but they apparently needed more ventilation with so many inside.

Next time I will use steel mesh over the end of the vinyl tube.

I guess we will see how they do this year...


  • dermy, T.C. and UtahAnts like this

"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


#92 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted December 28 2017 - 5:42 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,920 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee
YESSSSSSS! THANK YOU!

#93 Online T.C. - Posted December 28 2017 - 10:59 PM

T.C.

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,059 posts
Thanks for the picture update, I was looking forward to it. I hope my colony grows like yours. Unfortunate they had so many deaths.
“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#94 Offline YsTheAnt - Posted April 5 2018 - 9:19 PM

YsTheAnt

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,435 posts
  • LocationSan Jose, CA
Update?

Instagram          Journal           Shop


#95 Offline dermy - Posted April 5 2018 - 10:02 PM

dermy

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,392 posts
  • LocationCanada

Update?

Crystals isn't on much these days, hopefully we get another update when spring rolls around and everyone from NA gets back into antkeeping.



#96 Offline disasterants - Posted August 1 2018 - 11:24 AM

disasterants

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 89 posts
  • LocationNew York

quick question: what food do these species like besides fruit flies? i've got my colony up to about 10 workers and have been feeding them fruit flies but i'm running low on them and need to use my remaining fruit flies to start a new culture. so for the next week or 2 i will be fly-less. so what foods can i use as an alternative for the time-being? preferably a bug i can find outside or a food that i can find in my fridge or at the grocery store since the only pet store near me where i can buy flightless fruit flies is like 30 minutes away and i'm a kid who doesn't have much way of transport(or much cash either). also, I've got a pensylvanicus colony with a similar problem... so some things they like to preferably



#97 Offline Crystals - Posted August 1 2018 - 6:28 PM

Crystals

    Advanced Member

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

Update?

I recently sold this colony. As much as I liked them, they kept chewing the ends of the vinyl and were forever hanging out on the underside of the foraging area lid, making it tough to feed or clean.

 

I did manage to roll up a piece of steel mesh and stick it in the end to prevent the chewing:

43795107071_310c3902bc_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

quick question: what food do these species like besides fruit flies? i've got my colony up to about 10 workers and have been feeding them fruit flies but i'm running low on them and need to use my remaining fruit flies to start a new culture. so for the next week or 2 i will be fly-less. so what foods can i use as an alternative for the time-being? preferably a bug i can find outside or a food that i can find in my fridge or at the grocery store since the only pet store near me where i can buy flightless fruit flies is like 30 minutes away and i'm a kid who doesn't have much way of transport(or much cash either). also, I've got a pensylvanicus colony with a similar problem... so some things they like to preferably

Basically any insect. Just freeze it first.

Crickets, mealworms, etc.


  • Karma, UtahAnts and PaigeX like this

"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


#98 Offline TechAnt - Posted September 24 2020 - 11:37 AM

TechAnt

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,303 posts
  • LocationLos Angeles, California

Awesome journal, just read through it.


Edited by TechAnt, September 24 2020 - 11:38 AM.

  • Crystals and Devi like this
My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#99 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 24 2020 - 12:05 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,376 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA

Awesome journal, just read through it.

I agree. One of the very few huge Camponotus colonies on here.
  • UtahAnts likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#100 Offline Topgun757 - Posted January 23 2022 - 9:55 PM

Topgun757

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 32 posts
Wow, makes me even more excited for my novaeboracensis queen's nanitics to eclose!
  • GRIMM_OwO_ likes this





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: camponotus novaeboracensis, journal, novaeboracensis, crystals

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users