150 replies to this topic

[Lazarus]

 

I've actually seen quite a few, I know antscanada had one, Lazarus who is also form Ottawa has several large colonies, and I know canadian anter has a decent sized one too.

 

 

I have a few (poor quality) pics of two of my 5 older C. Novae colonies. Both are packed and the outworlds have at least another half of what ants are in these pictures. I created a 'crude' and counting piece of software last year and am still working on it so hopefully I'll get an accurate count on some of my colonies soon. I estimate my largest colony to be more than 300. I actually hooked up a second new formicarium this past weekend to handle the obvious overflow (pics soon).

 

 

[rbarreto]

Formica pergandei

Found two of these queens, I know they are slave makers but I'm going to give them a shot anyways.

 

 

Camponotus novaeboracensis

These guys are still growing and doing great.

 

 

 

[Kaelwizard]

Technically if you had a mature Formica colony couldn’t you somehow take there pupae or something and give it to the slave makers?

Edited by Kaelwizard, July 29 2019 - 9:55 AM.

[Lazarus]

Fantastic pics! Envious.

[Canadian anter]

Technically if you had a mature Formica colony couldn’t you somehow take there pupae or something and give it to the space makers?
Technically if you had a mature Formica colony couldn’t you somehow take there pupae or something and give it to the space makers?

You'd need at least 3 mature colonies. 

[rbarreto]

I've seen, heard and read some things that make me believe that these may not need as many slaves as people think. Going to try it out with these guys.

[rbarreto]

Formica pergandei

The single queen has killed all the pupae for some weird reason but the dual queen colony is doing great! The workers have eclosed and they get along just fine. I gave them a ton of honey (they drank all of it), and a small piece of a superworm.

 

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Finally managed to get my hands on one of these beautiful queens. I am beyond excited for these guys! In the first pic it looks like she is carrying an egg but tbh it could be a little grain of sand hahaha.

 

 

 

[Canadian anter]

Formica pergandei
The single queen has killed all the pupae for some weird reason but the dual queen colony is doing great! The workers have eclosed and they get along just fine. I gave them a ton of honey (they drank all of it), and a small piece of a superworm.
 

 
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
Finally managed to get my hands on one of these beautiful queens. I am beyond excited for these guys! In the first pic it looks like she is carrying an egg but tbh it could be a little grain of sand hahaha.
 

 

 

Nah man that's an egg

[sweetgrass]

So happy you got a pogonomyrmex!! They are so beautiful and interesting

[rbarreto]

If you are from Canada you really need to hurry up and buy the Pogonomyrmex from Canadian anter! Visit his shop at https://canada-ant-colony.com

[rbarreto]

Nah man that's an egg

Thank god, hopefully she has more hidden away.

[ForestDragon]

With Aphenogaster its pretty common for them to reject liquid food and are almost exclusively carnivores in captivity

[rbarreto]

With Aphenogaster its pretty common for them to reject liquid food and are almost exclusively carnivores in captivity

Not sure if your comment is about a super old post or you commented on the wrong thread.

[Acutus]

After

It doesn't look like it but I counted roughly 90 workers.

 

 

 

Thanks for the Fortress pic! Been thinking of getting one. I have a C. castaneus in a Mini Hearth XL which they were outgrowing so I added another Mini Hearth to one side. when they fill that I'm definitely going to the Fortress now! Gonna try the Museum glass too!

[rbarreto]

Formica pergandei

Both the single queen and the dual queens are doing great and get along with their hosts just fine.

 

 

Formica pallidefulva

Look at all this brood. Lots of worker deaths but I think they were just old.

 

 

Formica cf. rubicunda

Not too sure about this ID but she is clearly not pergandei. I've never seen a queen take hosts as well as this one.

 

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Her egg count increases daily. She is super active and very aggressive. The moment I open the drawer she's being kept in she rushes out into the outworld.

 

 

 

Camponotus novaeboracensis

These guys are over 120 now. Brood count is decreasing which means they are likely getting ready for hibernation.

 

 

[rbarreto]

Formica cf. rubicunda

Nice little batch of eggs. The workers seem to be caring for them well so hopefully they don't get eaten. These guys consume a surprising amount of fruit flies for now having any larvae.

 

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

tons of small larvae, one big fat one and a secondary pile with eggs. She also loves fruit flies and feeds them to the larvae regularly.

 

 

 

[rbarreto]

Formica rubicunda

I gave this queen extra F. incerta brood which she aggressively took from me, it was pretty cool. The three eggs from the last post have tuned into some fat larvae. Seems like incerta are good hosts for these guys even though they are supposed to want fusca group hosts exclusively, maybe I got the ID wrong. She is also extremely beautiful. Her gaster has nice black and grey stripes, vibrant red thorax and head, which contrast perfectly with her black legs. I have high hopes for these guys.

 

 

 

If you look at the top right of the brood pile you can see one of the larvae, its already the size of the incerta pupae.

 

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

This queen has 2 pupae, 3 or 4 larvae, and a big ol pile of eggs. Other than the fact that she is extremely skittish she is doing very well.

 

Lasius americanus

Woah talk about population explosion! Look at all those eggs! I think worker count is at around 200 with many many more on the way. For a common species these guys sure are fun. They aggressively eat everything (especially fruit flies), they suck at climbing, and they aren't skittish at all.

 

 

I gave them an unmated pennsylvanicus queen to eat, figured varying diet would be a good idea.

 

[rbarreto]

Small update, the queen I had been labeling as Formica rubicunda is actually another pergandei queen. Contrary to what antwiki would have you believe, Formica rubicunda only accepts subserecia complex hosts. This comes straight from Dr. Trager so I'm inclined to believe it hahaha. I now have four Formica pergandei queens all with Formica incerta hosts. The formerly F. rubicunda will be queen 1, the dual queens will be 2 &3, and the fourth winged queen will be number 4.

 

Formica pergandei

Queen 1

These guys are doing the best by far. They still have one large larvae and have been moved into a minihearth (dirty tube)

 

 

 

Queen 2 & 3

No brood for these two but they get along great and have managed to keep a relatively clean test tube.

 

 

Queen 4

This queen is definitely doing the worst. she's the one who killed like 30 workers before some finally accepted her. That being said even though she fought so much she doesn't seem injured at all. She also had the moldiest test tube by far so I am in the process of moving them.

[rbarreto]

Most of my ants have been put away for hibernation. The only ones still going strong are my Pogonomyrmex, Lasius americanus, Formica pallidefulva, Formica pergandei, and Lasius claviger.

Formica pergandei
These guys have a worker! I think there are 2 more on the way too! Once they eclose I'll out them in hibernation and hopefully she'll lay again.

[rbarreto]

Sold most of my ants. don't really have time for them anymore since university is kicking my butt. I only kept my favorites:

Camponotus novaeboracensis
Formica bradleyi
Formica pergandei
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

All are currently in the fridge for a few more months except for the Pogonomyrmex who still have brood. I'll post an update on them in the next few days.