154 replies to this topic

[anttics]

So I had a big scare. There were 1000s of argentine ants around both of ny colonies. Fragilis and this colony. The fragilis is thighly closed. Not one argentine was able to get in.

Unfortunately not so much for this colony. There was a tiny gap in the tube connecting the outworld. So when i uncover the nest. I saw the colony in defense mode. I never seen them like that. They completly surround the queen, and brood. living the sides of the nest almost empty. The 2 vinyl tubes connecting the nest, and outworld. Were completly black with median, and major ants. The outworld was fill brown with argentine ants dead bodies. The 2 test tubes in the out world were cover with pergandei workers. Defending it. The main fight was around the out world. In total I counted 50 dead pergandei small workers, 1 major. The next day they brought out another 30 workers. So the wounded are still dying.
Argentine ants deaths were a 1000 or more all their dead could fill my palm. I killed 1000s more while cleanning. I'm glad all my nest are almost argentine proof. Any suggestions on how to kill argentine ants inside the walls. That is were they are in my garage.

Somethingni notice. it was almost the smallest ants. who died figthing argentine ants. Only 1 major died. I wonder if they even fought. or just stayed in the tubes, and nest protecting. Or maybe the majors are too big too get kill by argentines. As long as they have back up, so they do not get swarmed.

I did not take pics. Cause I freaked out trying to check, and save the colonies.

I have decleared war, on this argentines little killing [censored].

[YsTheAnt]

Hey, the majors do their job when needed! I would reccomend first pouring boiling water onto nests around you, then spray the surviving ants with ant killing spray. Then, use commercial ant baits (I like Terro liquid feeders baits, they killed the ants in my walls), and bait around the colonies. Repeat the boiling water once every week or two whenever a new nest pops up.

Good luck getting rid of these little buggers!

[anttics]

Thx for the advice. I ussually make a great job in making my nest argentine proof. But I could miss some, and lose a colony. So yeah this is the 3rd attack I had on this colony. This will be the last. I will try to get rid of them. I will also check drews cabinet to maybe do the same in my ant table

[anttics]

today I remembered to take a pic of the new dead pile.



I counted around 30 again. this time there were more medians. I guess they take an extra day to die. Do argentine ants have stingers? Or throw acid?. I can believe so many are dying.
They have tiny jaws. Pergandei have bigger stronger jaws. And are larger, and stronger. Also argentines had very little room to manuever, and swarm them. The hole they used to get in was tiny. I'm surprised how effective, and dangerous argentines are. They lost 100s, only becuase they got bottle neck. I always thought their power was in outnumbering their oponent.

Edited by anttics, May 31 2018 - 7:12 PM.

[anttics]

Hello. Finally the day has arrived. I finish the large formicarium. The colony is easely at 3000 workers maybe more now. Will do the move today. I will fisrt get a few dozen workers, and put them the formi. To see if there are unknown exits, or chemicals. Here are few pics. I went all dork with it. I hope you like.

I did a star wars landscape. With a crashed x wing fighter. Only thing that bum me out is the box. It got all scratch and i put tape on it which i could not get it clean it looks nasty.


Here is a pic of the front. With the water resevoir, and a silicon tube to refill it.


The sides




Finished. I did my best to clean up the box but it's still looks bad. I added a few brick rocks. Any ideas to make it better will be appreciated.

[T.C.]

NERD! But it looks really good. Is the nest part made of grout molds?

[anttics]

Lol. It is made of k23 fire brick. With a grout coat inside so they do not chew their way out. So far i discover one way out. Easy fix with cotton or silicone. So i can call it success.

[T.C.]

Lol. It is made of k23 fire brick. With a grout coat inside so they do not chew their way out. So far i discover one way out. Easy fix with cotton or silicone. So i can call it success.

How did you carve the inside out so nicely?

[anttics]

I used a dremel drill press. Next time I will use k26. this is too soft. If you have the right tools. I recomend k26 fire brick.

I start to move them. They are taking their time.

[anttics]

I'm having a hard time moving the colony. I was gonna dump them all, brood, queen and larva into the out world. Before I did. I wanted to check the humidity. Which was at 47%. Which might not be good enough for them. I think the lowest they tolerate.is 60% humidity. So I almost made a mistake. Evaporation is npt enough like it is for novo Cockerelli. So I used a sponge which touches the ceiling i hopenit can reach 60% humidity. Here is a pic of each.





Ill keep posting the progress

[anttics]

The move is completly done now. I just threw some seeds for them to collect. They did not waste time in getting them. Right now the colony is only using one of the blocks. The second block has like 20 ants or so. The other 2 blocks are covered for future space. I still have some issues with hydrationm. I have to hydrate the nest every 2 days i believe. I will still experiment with other methods i came up with. Here are some pics.

This is the 2nd block with no hydration. I hope thet use this as their granery. We will see after work were they store all their seeds.


This is the main block with hydration. This is where the whole colomy lives for now. I messed up this block. I will have to move them. So i could place my new perfected hydration system.









While they were moving. I came to check them. Guess who I saw peaking out, the queen. I went to get my phone to catch her. I got her almost when she made it to the new nest.

[anttics]

I just proved. That veromessor pergandei does not need their nest to be hydrated. as long they have a water source in the outworld, and the colony has a minimun of 1000 workers. Its been more than 3 days since I water the nest. Trust me when i say its super humid. you may ask. how I know this?. Simple I tried to have them moved from their main block. Pic


to a much more improved block. with the right humidity, which could last 1 month with out me watering it. Pic


When i checked the main nest this morning. there was water condensation in the glass. I could not understand how. since their is no heat source in the main nest, and no water has been added in 3 days. All the heat is focus in the improved block. To compel them to move.
This has proved that this ants can regulate the block temperature at night by going to the warm nest to heat up their bodies. Once warm they go to the main nest to warm it up with their bodies. So I'm screwed they won't move. They can warm up their nest like camponotus species do, and spit water to a dry nest. You can see in the pic the main block looks like crap. I want to take the sponges out. This ants are much smarter than before. Amazing if you ask me. They surprise me every time. Here are some more pics i took today


I want to removed the sponges, and fix the little container the same way as the improved block.



Something I do not like is. how they are ussing the glass as their bathroom in the improved nest. Learn from my mistake move your ants once you have checked humidity and ant proved everything.

[AntPhycho]

How do you humidify the nest, I could not seem to pull the information from your writing. Sponges in a container which was half buried inside the firebrick?

[anttics]

Bad news. I Found a argentine scout dead in the trash. Which means there is a way in, Where all the ants are at. It never got a chance to go back for reinforcements. Next time i might not be so lucky and find then in the middle of a war. Like last time. Were almost 150 ants died, and almost 1000 argentine ants dead.

As a side note. I have taken them off any heat source. I only cover them with a towel

Edited by anttics, June 29 2018 - 9:14 PM.

[anttics]

How do you humidify the nest, I could not seem to pull the information from your writing. Sponges in a container which was half buried inside the firebrick?

The container inside is one way. It barely fits their humidity needs. they collect water from test tubes, and bring it back to the larva. I also use a 100ml bottle, connected to a silicone 1mm diameter line. Which drops a water drop every 30 seconds. It ussually takes 2 days to go empty. Also each nesting block is fully cover with clear vinyl sheets and tape which stops humidity from escaping the block. I water each block once every 2 weeks. I think it can go for a month. or just let the workers do it them selfs.

[anttics]

I have been trying to make ant food. With protein powder, humingbird nectar. And modified starch. My camponotus species do not eat it. But the xenomorph colony loves it. Here are pics.





they finished almost 4 times the mass of a cricket in ant food in 24 hours.

I also made a humingbird nectar food alone. Everyone loves that one. exempt for the xenomorph colony. novo cockerwlli love it. They go nuts for this humingbird nectar food.

[anttics]

This colony was attacked by argentine ants. their columm directly targeted their nest. it looked black around their nest, because of the number of argentines trying to break in. They are 5 to 6 thousand ants in a little fortress with very little ways to get in. I found maybe 30 dead argentines not one single xenomorph worker lost. This colony is argentine proof now. I'm confident. they could last a nonths in an argentine sigue, and won't take a dent. My Camponotus colonies I have for sale. Fortunately were at the end of the table and there was 1 or 2 argentines inside the smaller one. That was a close one. Out of this tragedy 5 salsabeans lost, 1 cockerelli injured. And this colony kicked their buts. Argentines dead thx to me reached 100000s. I went outside in revenge, and pour boiling water in each nest I identified. I have to argentine proof all my nest

[anttics]

This colony has around 1000 pupa which is for sale lololololol. Too many. Their formicarium can barely fit them now. They are usig their 4 bricks now. They have no heat. yet they keep growing fater than I expected. I will start posting videos for them from now on.

Edited by anttics, August 1 2018 - 12:37 PM.

[anttics]

I made a video of the colony. It shakes way too much, and gets out of focus. Next video will be better. Practice makes you better. Enjoy. Any advice how to improve. I'm open to sugestions, And critics. Thx

[anttics]

Question for anyone who has this species. They started an odd behaviour. They never done before. The out world ussually has 600 to 1000 ants chilling outside. This pass few day. Only 60 to 100 are out. The rest have pack the blocks. There has not beem major deads. The normal 10 to 15 worker deads a day. They are still taking tons of food. Here are a few pics.







I calculte minimun 5000 workers jammed in one block.