625 replies to this topic

[TennesseeAnts]

I don't know. It took mine about five days.

[CatsnAnts]

Well, the 5 queen Temnothorax ambiguus colony has egg no. 2. Four of the queens are huddled up around it, while the fifth joins them every once in a while to look at the eggs, but then she just kinda hangs out by herself. None of the T. curvispinosus, Colobopsis, or pheidole have any eggs yet. I’m really hoping those pheidole are fertile, because they still have their wings. Although I did catch them on a blacklight, so as discussed earlier on this forum they may have been too “mesmerized” to tear off their wings. I can only hope.

[CatsnAnts]

The ambiguus colony now has 4 eggs. No other changes to the other colonies.

[CatsnAnts]

I found another temnothorax curvispinosus queen inside an acorn with a single egg. I know I said I wouldn’t add anymore, but maybe if the other queens sensed the egg layed by this queen, then maybe they would be encouraged to start laying too.

[AntsDakota]

Perhaps you should change your signature....

[CatsnAnts]

Perhaps you should change your signature....

Oof, I probably should. I use mobile, so I never see any of the signatures. Thanks for telling me

[CatsnAnts]

The ambiguus colony now has about 6-7 eggs. I’m pretty excited about these gals, I just really hope they don’t all kill each other.

[CatsnAnts]

Dang, that ambiguus colony is really racking up them eggs. As for the curvispinosus, I needed to push their cotton block a little farther down, and I didn’t think they had laid any more eggs than the one I gave them, so I tapped them down to the water reservoir part the test tube, and what do you know: I saw TWO eggs! That meant that one of the 11 queens had finally decided to lay an egg in the test tube!

[CatsnAnts]

Alright, just checked in my Strumigenys colony, and they have basically all moved against the cotton ball. The queen that I introduced to them didn’t survive . And the main reason I introduced her was because I couldn’t find an existing queen. Well: today, I just happened to see the ORIGINAL queen alive and well on top of a hefty brood pile. See if you can spot her:

[CatsnAnts]

Lots to update:


Firstly, I found a Nylanderia queen with a few eggs, and she has since laid more eggs. I don’t know if I am going to keep her, but I have always wanted Nylanderia for some reason. We’ll see.

For my 11 queen temnothorax curvispinosus colony, I brood boosted them with 9 larvae from my existing colony. They have accepted it and are caring for it.

T. ambiguus (5 queen) colony still has a growing egg pile of about 20 now.

I released my Ponera queen as well as my two Myrmecina queens because they weren’t doing that great, and I don’t really have too much interest in them.

Colobopsis queens still haven’t laid any eggs...

My two Pheidole bicarinata queens still haven’t laid eggs, but one has shed her wings!

Last night I found four Pheidole cf. morrisii queens, and I have two of them by themselves, and then I have one dual queen setup.

I also found 2 solenopsis molesta queens last night, but decided not to keep them.

My Camponotus subbarbatus queens still don’t have workers yet...

Lasius interjectus still doesn’t have eggs yet...

Strumigenys colony had a pretty big population boom.


Sorry this formatting is kind of weird, I just had a lot of stuff that needed to be said

[NickAnter]

Just wait till you are blacklighting, and then you are suddenly covered in molesta alates, with over a hundred at the light.   Very fun.

[TennesseeAnts]

Just wait till you are blacklighting, and then you are suddenly covered in molesta alates, with over a hundred at the light.   Very fun.

Happens to me every year.

[CatsnAnts]

Just wait till you are blacklighting, and then you are suddenly covered in molesta alates, with over a hundred at the light. Very fun.

Can’t wait


Also, I think I might seperate the two Pheidole morrisii queens because I just really don’t want them to kill each other. What do you guys think?

[NickAnter]

Yeah, I don't think they are polygynous.  I would separat them.

[CatsnAnts]

Alright, thanks for the input! I have since separated them. I’m just praying that at least ONE of the total 6 pheidole queens is fertile. Fingers crossed!

[CatsnAnts]

Yesss, we have our first Pheidole egg! And it belongs to one of the winged Pheidole morrisii queens! I saw her carrying it around this morning! I was starting to get worried that none of them would even lay eggs. Also, I went blacklighting last night, but found nothing (which is surprising considering it had just rained and was very warm).

[TennesseeAnts]

Pics!

[CatsnAnts]

Pics!

Alright, I’ll take pics of queens without any eggs, as to make sure the one with eggs doesn’t eat hers.

Small update: I divided my current temnothorax curvispinosus colony’s brood pile in half (which was a lot of pupae and larvae) and gave it to my 11 queen temnothorax curvispinosus colony. The first worker eclosed this morning. I even tried introducing the queen of the existing colony to see if I could merge them, but she was way to aggressive. Now that I have no need for them, I think I might release the single queen colony.

Temnthorax ambiguus still has a growing egg pile with all 5 queens huddled up together.

The brood boosted Camponotus subbarbatus queen’s very dark C. caryae pupae somehow disappeared? I think she might have eaten it. Oh well, maybe she doesn’t want C. caryae workers after all.

That Nylanderia queen was actually tapinoma sessile. I was going to move her to a new tube when I accidentally punctured her with a fine needle (what I use to move the brood), and the odor said it all I released her.

Neither Colobopsis queen has any eggs yet. I’m pretty sure the mississippiensis queen is fertile, but the impress/obliqua might not be.

[TennesseeAnts]

Colobopsis often times don't remove their wings, and have the workers do it for them later on. Most of mine have their wings and they have eggs!

[CatsnAnts]

Alright, here’s some pictures:

Pheidole bicarinata:
These are pictures of one of the total two Pheidole bicarinata queens. This one removed her wings, so I really hopes she’s fertile:








Pheidole cf. morrisii:
I’m putting cf. in here because I’m PRETTY SURE that they are P. morrisii, but they might just be a different variant of P. bicarinata (if you know what species they are, please tell me). They all kept their wings so far (but one has eggs), so sorry if they get in the way with the pictures: