3 replies to this topic

[nurbs]

Maybe finger feeding?

 

I don't have a lot of time for journals, but wanted to show this. Unlike other ants, C. quercicola are SO CHILL. Giving ants "personalities" isn't scientific, but that's what they are. They're not afraid of anything, almost a curious ant.

 

Unlike other species I've reared like Formica, C. fragilis, C. laevigatus, or C. modoc, these ants don't freak out when you shine light or open up the formicarium. For example, C. fragilis and F. aserva will literally run out of their test tube, including the queen, and do laps around the formicarium if there is even a subtle hint of vibration. Totally paranoid ants. Not C. quercicola.

 

So today, wanted to give this a try. Dropped some nectar onto fingernails and they quickly came up and drank from it. Was able to do it twice. Hard to video, but thank the Ant Gods for image stabilization and my right hand.

 

 

Another thing I've noticed about C. quercicola is how CLEAN they are. Every colony is clean. In comparision, C. laevigatus or C. modoc will dirty and mold the cotton within weeks, whereas these gals keep it clean the entire time. I only change when it runs out of water. 

[Hunter]

Looks fun best of luck

[Jadeninja9]

Um... is this a n t p r o n?

[Serafine]

That's cute

 

I noticed the same with some species being super clean and others not. My Camponotus barbaricus never had/have any mold in any of their nest or water tubes, my Solenopsis fugax live in a test tube that is over a year old and has zero mold (also crystal clear water) - my Lasius niger on the other hand stuck garbage on their cotton and while they used sand to very successfully suppress it there are definitely some mold stains on it.