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

Skocko76's Crematogaster lorteti journal

crematogaster lorteti

  • Please log in to reply
8 replies to this topic

#1 Offline skocko76 - Posted August 22 2017 - 4:54 AM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia

I found these three queens on July 11th, on a lit up wall in Dugopolje, Croatia.

All three kept their wings on, so it's possible they're infertile.

I put two of them in AntKit's acrylic founding chamber size 1, and one in a plastic test tube setup.

All thee have laid eggs within days.

To the date, one of the queens has shed 1 pair of her wings, the smaller wings still on her.

The eggs turned to larvae, and they behaved like good mothers.

Unfortunately, the things took a turn for the worse when I had to leave for vacation.

I connected a tube of water to the founding chambers to keep them hydrated.

 

One queen scattered her eggs/larvae trying to move them closer to wet cotton and stopped caring for them. The eggs and larvae got fuzzy, molded, so I removed them. She's inactive, clinging to the cotton ball. I removed the founding chamber and will hold her in the test tube she chose over the acrylic nest.

 

The other queen's pile of larvae was not moved. They must have gotten rather dry and developed some kind of thready structure on them. A week later only one larvae got left. Where the other ones went, I have no idea. The queen probably ate them.

 

The third queen, the one in the tube has been kept in the dark and I haven't checked up on her much. I will do that in a week's time.

 

I think it is about time for workers to enclose, but I haven't a singe pupa yet. It is very warm, so it's not that. We'll see...

 

IMG 5945
IMG 5924
IMG 5915
IMG 5993 crop
IMG 5992

 


  • FeedTheAnts and lucas3431 like this

#2 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted August 23 2017 - 6:23 PM

MegaMyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 637 posts
  • LocationEllicott City, Maryland
The gaster suggests crematogaster but the head reminds me of pheidole...
  • AntsMaryland likes this

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#3 Offline skocko76 - Posted August 24 2017 - 7:25 AM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia

The gaster suggests crematogaster but the head reminds me of pheidole...

Hmmm I wonder... Hopefully, I'll get a worker and we'll see...

I took some more photos I'll be uploading later. They may clear things up...



#4 Offline skocko76 - Posted August 24 2017 - 1:31 PM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia

I checked up on the queens today.

Two of them seem to have lost brood to some kind of mold. It sounds stupid, but they seem "depressed". They cling to their cotton plugs, not reacting to anything.

They move their antennae, but that's it. No other movement can be detected at all. For days. I have some photos of them, with moldy eggs...

I can move them to a fresh setup, but I don't think they have another try in them. Most likely they're done.

The third one is lively and acts like a good mother. Unfortunately, her pile of larvae got reduced to a single monstrosity, it looks like she's taking care of a Frankenstein monster.

Hopefully, it is all normal and the "thing" will enclose. Does that larva look good to you?

 

IMG 6071
IMG 6081
IMG 6085
IMG 6088
IMG 6097
IMG 6101
IMG 6095

 



#5 Offline Jonathan21700 - Posted August 25 2017 - 1:26 PM

Jonathan21700

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 807 posts

It looks like it's pupating or is dried out... I can't really tell but the other larvae thought looks OK to me.



#6 Offline skocko76 - Posted August 28 2017 - 6:16 AM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia

I checked up on the queens yesterday.

Two of them, who lost all brood, are catatonic. One of the two looks very skinny.

I added a cotton bud tip dipped in sugar water in both of their test tubes. They didn't seem to take notice.

The third queen looks lively, but does not lay eggs. She is taking care of the larvae, even though it might be dead.

I don't want to disturb her, but I am curios about the development of the larva.

I'll check it up in a few days.



#7 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 4 2017 - 10:56 AM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia

The two catatonic queens are dead. The mold got the better of them.  They almost looked alive, in a normal poise, no lying on back, legs cramped upwards.

They looked mummified, you might say.

The third queen seems to have eaten the rest of the brood. She does carry something in her mandibles though. For days now... not letting it go.

Could be the last of her brood.. I cannot tell.. it's pretty small.

 

Well, looks like this journal is coming to it's end :(

 



#8 Offline Jonathan21700 - Posted September 4 2017 - 1:51 PM

Jonathan21700

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 807 posts

I really wanted to see what the workers of this species look like, also I haven't seen anyone else keeping them.:( Hope you have more luck whit them next time!



#9 Offline skocko76 - Posted September 18 2017 - 6:08 AM

skocko76

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • LocationSplit, Croatia

It is over. The last of the three queens is dead. :(







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: crematogaster, lorteti

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users