17 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

Some vids on how Melophorus Sp. ants act in the wild - cute zippy critters!
The hotter it gets the faster they move. They love heat.

https://www.facebook...6551559915/?t=8

Watching one of them carry the other to the top right at the start is amusing
https://www.instagra...gged=melophorus

Edited by CoolColJ, March 15 2018 - 5:16 PM.

[CoolColJ]

ridiculous speed

 

[Mettcollsuss]

ridiculous speed

 

Is that a timelapse, or are they actually that fast?

[CoolColJ]

Is that a timelapse, or are they actually that fast?

Actual speed, when it's hot

They can withstand heat that would kill most ants

 

Another vid with speed control

[CoolColJ]

I have a young colony of these ants, and they try to run like this inside the test tube sometimes, but they spin their legs, because they have no traction on the glass.

 

By far the most active ants I have here, even the queen will go running around, and do the hamster on a wheel thing, trying to run up to the ceiling of the test tube and and falling, repeatedly

 

It's going to be pretty warm here the next few days, 30+ degrees Celsius, and a few degrees warmer in my room usually. Should be interesting

Edited by CoolColJ, March 16 2018 - 2:39 PM.

[CoolColJ]

Oh look at that red Melophorus sp. queen at 0:26 - I want one like that!
 

Edited by CoolColJ, March 18 2018 - 12:16 AM.

[CoolColJ]

Apparently there are like 300 species of Melophorus ants in Australia, and most have not been studied
Most are bimorphic, but some polymorphic to a pretty large degree with variations in size, shape and colour, like the different castes could be from different types of ants

same colony....click to enlarge

[CoolColJ]

My current Melophorus sp. queen is about 7-8mm

This guy's queen is 12-15mm - yikes.

That's Camponotus sized

Edited by CoolColJ, March 28 2018 - 12:13 AM.

[CoolColJ]

Got this giant of a Melophrous sp. queen over 12mm, compared to the 6mm one I have now 

Damn I didn't think they came is such sizes, like Camponotus type size and chunkiness

 

Edited by CoolColJ, April 22 2018 - 11:04 PM.

[StayLoki]

Ahhhhhh! Freaky ants hahAha
Very cool, but I couldn't keep them :yikes:

[CoolColJ]

Ahhhhhh! Freaky ants hahAha
Very cool, but I couldn't keep them :yikes:

 

Well they certainly act different in a captive environment

Edited by CoolColJ, April 23 2018 - 10:49 AM.

[CoolColJ]

I now have this rather large Melophorus sp. queen now, and she dwarfs my current queen!
Around 10-11mm and chunky, vs 6mm or so. Although they both have rather similar colour schemes.


click for bigger





---

She does this curious thing when she hunches down like a dog and rubs her belly against the test tube surface...
It's like she's snarling

Edited by CoolColJ, April 26 2018 - 4:11 AM.

[CoolColJ]

I think my large Melophorus queen will have majors like these. Colours are exactly the same

 

https://www.aussiebu.../Ants/i-k3x9ZpM

 

click to enlarge

Edited by CoolColJ, April 29 2018 - 4:21 PM.

[CoolColJ]

I recently got a small colony of ants which are definitely a Melophorus species, but one I've never seen before, nor know of anyone who has documented them

 

Queen is closer to 7mm

click to enlarge

 

Queen has quite a rough texture

 

 

Workers have spiny bumps on them

 

Edited by CoolColJ, May 10 2018 - 6:11 PM.

[CoolColJ]

The large Melophorus queen above -

 

Well the last time I checked up on her was a week ago, and this morning, I looked and she is dead..... this one hurts since she is pretty unique and rare, especially at this size

 

I think she may have died from dehydration as the water side cotton felt pretty dry, and did not wet a cotton bud placed against it. She had her jaws around some cotton, but she died in her little cotton chamber and not struggle out to the entrance so not sure either way  - well I do have videos and pics to remember her by 

 

And she measured 12-13mm, a bit larger than when trying to do so in the test tube

 

click for larger

[CoolColJ]

O man, look at this adorable Melophorus major, I wish I could get my two colonies off the ground, and I wish that large Melophorus queen I had didn't die


https://scontent-syd...981412864_n.mp4


https://www.instagra.../p/BaPnbGqgMvc/

[CoolColJ]

Probably the largest captive Melophorus sp. colony I've seen so far, and one with the most majors..
Quite the polymorphic species

https://www.instagra.../p/Bkyr6ySgKJR/

[CoolColJ]

What a frenzy

Edited by CoolColJ, July 22 2018 - 8:48 PM.