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Ultra's Aphaenogaster Rudis journal [8/10/17 -> 4/16/18]

ultra aphaenogaster rudis aphaenogaster rudis

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#1 Offline ultraex2 - Posted October 7 2017 - 1:55 PM

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I caught this queen around August 10th (don't remember the exact date) and the first 2 workers just eclosed this week.  There's 3 more pupae that should be eclosing soon, which will bring the colony up to 5 nanitics.  The queen also laid a new batch of eggs so hopefully these will hatch before hibernation begins.

 

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Edited by ultraex2, April 16 2018 - 7:40 AM.

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#2 Offline noebl1 - Posted October 7 2017 - 2:49 PM

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Interesting thanks for posting this; I live in the north east and caught one Sept 5th and been trying to get details on caring for A. rudis.  Mine laid a batch of eggs in the last two weeks, but assumed they wouldn't hatch until post hibernation.  I did read they go from egg to eclosing in about 60 days, however didn't think early Nov would give them enough time.  Makes me rethink about hibernating them a bit later if she has larvae soon.


Edited by noebl1, October 7 2017 - 2:50 PM.


#3 Offline ultraex2 - Posted October 9 2017 - 6:16 AM

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Interesting thanks for posting this; I live in the north east and caught one Sept 5th and been trying to get details on caring for A. rudis.  Mine laid a batch of eggs in the last two weeks, but assumed they wouldn't hatch until post hibernation.  I did read they go from egg to eclosing in about 60 days, however didn't think early Nov would give them enough time.  Makes me rethink about hibernating them a bit later if she has larvae soon.

 

Np!  This was the only 1 I caught of this kind so I figured I'd at least wait until workers before making a journal.  The egg/larvae stage definitely seemed to be the longest - I've been checking them once a week and by the time I noticed there were pupae 2 of them had hatched the following week.  I'd say at most, the pupae stage lasts 2 weeks and the egg/larvae stages lasted 2-3 weeks each.  I'm planning on connecting the test tube up to an outworld next week so they can start foraging.


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#4 Offline noebl1 - Posted October 9 2017 - 6:25 AM

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Np!  This was the only 1 I caught of this kind so I figured I'd at least wait until workers before making a journal.  The egg/larvae stage definitely seemed to be the longest - I've been checking them once a week and by the time I noticed there were pupae 2 of them had hatched the following week.  I'd say at most, the pupae stage lasts 2 weeks and the egg/larvae stages lasted 2-3 weeks each.  I'm planning on connecting the test tube up to an outworld next week so they can start foraging.

 

I caught two myself, but one I don't believe is fertile as she didn't drop her wings, and was pretty aggressively trying to get out.  I really like the look of this species, so hoping mine makes it, and especially hoping she'll make it thru hibernation. 


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#5 Offline ultraex2 - Posted October 9 2017 - 10:30 AM

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Np!  This was the only 1 I caught of this kind so I figured I'd at least wait until workers before making a journal.  The egg/larvae stage definitely seemed to be the longest - I've been checking them once a week and by the time I noticed there were pupae 2 of them had hatched the following week.  I'd say at most, the pupae stage lasts 2 weeks and the egg/larvae stages lasted 2-3 weeks each.  I'm planning on connecting the test tube up to an outworld next week so they can start foraging.

 

I caught two myself, but one I don't believe is fertile as she didn't drop her wings, and was pretty aggressively trying to get out.  I really like the look of this species, so hoping mine makes it, and especially hoping she'll make it thru hibernation. 

 

 

Yeah, they definitely have a cool look to them and are aggressive as well - one of my favorate local species.  My dad cut down a tree earlier this year and there was a big colony of another Aphaenogaster species in it and I managed to collect them and they've been doing really well.

 

Once this colony gets up and running, I did catch (at least what I believe) to be a parasitic Aphaenogaster so come next year once this colony gets up and running I plan on taking some of the workers/brood and trying to introduce them.  I know people have done some stuff with parasitic Lasius but there's not a whole lot with Aphaenogaster as far as I know.


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#6 Offline ultraex2 - Posted April 16 2018 - 7:39 AM

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Update 4/16/18:

 

Unfortunately all the workers died over hibernation, but the queen does have a couple larvae... hoping she will recover and am moving her to a new test tube.



#7 Offline noebl1 - Posted April 16 2018 - 7:59 AM

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Update 4/16/18:

 

Unfortunately all the workers died over hibernation, but the queen does have a couple larvae... hoping she will recover and am moving her to a new test tube.

 

Really sorry to hear that :(  What temperature did you hibernate them at?  I'm curious for next year on what to look out for.  Mine made it through (and the larvae did as well), but no workers yet as had just caught them. 

 

I noticed with my A. picea, the queen (other than foraging), assists the workers with feeding and brood maintenance.  Not sure if A. rudis is similar so if she has food, she may be able to restart? 



#8 Offline ultraex2 - Posted April 16 2018 - 10:29 AM

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Update 4/16/18:

 

Unfortunately all the workers died over hibernation, but the queen does have a couple larvae... hoping she will recover and am moving her to a new test tube.

 

Really sorry to hear that :(  What temperature did you hibernate them at?  I'm curious for next year on what to look out for.  Mine made it through (and the larvae did as well), but no workers yet as had just caught them. 

 

I noticed with my A. picea, the queen (other than foraging), assists the workers with feeding and brood maintenance.  Not sure if A. rudis is similar so if she has food, she may be able to restart? 

 

 

I just kept them on a shelf by a sliding door - it was probably mid 50s by it.  My Camponotus and several other species hibernated well - I think it was just bad timing where the nanitics hatched before the 2nd generation of workers could be raised and since the nanitics are weaker/smaller, they just couldn't survive hibernation.

 

I'm hoping she'll start - I gave her a bit of heat as well as some cricket legs (plan on getting fruit flies today) in case that will speed up brood development.







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