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MegaMyrmex's Strumigenys rostrata Journal


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19 replies to this topic

#1 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted March 31 2018 - 10:32 AM

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I found this colony in a small stick which was about 5.4 inches long and 0.6 inches in diameter. With it was a small aphaenogaster colony of about 10 or so workers and a queen. The colony had about 25 workers at first but about a quarter died from stress from the transition form the stick and into the formicaria, but so far the Strumigenys colony seems to be doing good. I was pretty hyped when I found them and the current setup I have them in is a small jewelry container, about 2.5 by 2.5 inches big and 1 cm tall. The bottom is lined with plaster of paris and I sprinkled moss and debris from the log throughout the floor, and I placed a small piece of wood into the center as their nest. They've been doing well, and the queen has been busy laying eggs, since I saw a worker carrying a big pile of about 5 or 6 eggs. I feed them springtails from my springtail culture which also houses 3 millipedes that I found outside. They absolutely require high humidity and I kept another colony that I caught last year in this same setup but without any plaster, and they dried up in less than a day(ants included). Wish me luck on these guys, they're pretty tough and I've never seem them hunt but I see springtails disappearing so hopefully they're eating!


Edited by MegaMyrmex, March 31 2018 - 10:38 AM.

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Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#2 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted March 31 2018 - 11:41 AM

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So jealous! Maybe you can try adding these to another colony of ants and they may feed off what those ants bring into their chambers, of course it being of your decision. I do believe they hunt the smaller subterranean springtails though.


Edited by AntsAreUs, April 2 2018 - 4:18 PM.


#3 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 2 2018 - 5:49 AM

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Thanks! Yeah, that's what I'm feeding them at the moment. I have another Aphaenogaster colony but it's pretty small(10 workers). Hopefully, when it gets bigger, I'll be able to find a way for both species to live together.

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#4 Offline LC3 - Posted April 2 2018 - 1:53 PM

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Heads up apparently they also like cooler temperatures. 



#5 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 3 2018 - 6:50 AM

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Heads up apparently they also like cooler temperatures.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks!

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#6 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 8 2018 - 5:27 PM

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The eggs seemed to have developed into about 3 or 4 larvae, and they seem to be loving the springtails I give them.

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#7 Offline Canadian anter - Posted April 8 2018 - 5:47 PM

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Pics or it didn't happen


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Visit us at www.canada-ant-colony.com !

#8 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted April 8 2018 - 5:51 PM

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Pics or it didn't happen

Agreed!


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#9 Offline AntsMaryland - Posted April 8 2018 - 6:02 PM

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Yeah MegaMyrmex! :P


Aphaenogaster cf. rudis 

Tetramorium immigrans 

Tapinoma sessile

Formica subsericea

Pheidole sp.

Camponotus nearcticus


#10 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 8 2018 - 6:51 PM

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Sorry, I'll try to upload a video since I can't upload a picture. I'll try though!

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#11 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 8 2018 - 7:33 PM

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http://www.formicult...trumigenys-egg/

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#12 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted April 8 2018 - 7:37 PM

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Can't really see the egg, but I'll believe ya.



#13 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 8 2018 - 7:39 PM

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Okay, that was the best that I could do...It's only a picture of the egg unfortunately. Hopefully I'll be able to get a better picture of video of the lactual larvae, they are near impossible to photograph in their setup but I slightly altered it so hopefully it works!

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#14 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 8 2018 - 8:19 PM

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Also, sorry about e badd photo, it was the best that i could get. It's the little shiny oval thingy that the worker's carrying. When the colony grows bigger I'll try to get better photos.

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#15 Offline Leo - Posted April 11 2018 - 4:32 AM

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question:

 

do strumigenys eat aphids? I caught  2 queen colony today.



#16 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted April 11 2018 - 11:14 AM

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I don't think so, I've never gotten mine to eat anything but springtails, even fruit flies which all of my predatory colonies adore.

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#17 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted April 11 2018 - 2:44 PM

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question:

 

do strumigenys eat aphids? I caught  2 queen colony today.

They are a specialist of springtails. They have also been recorded to feed on the food other colonies bring in due to the close proximity of nesting.



#18 Offline ponerinecat - Posted June 14 2018 - 12:06 PM

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Hope this colony does well. I've always wanted these guys.



#19 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted June 14 2018 - 1:46 PM

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Hope this colony does well. I've always wanted these guys.


Thanks for the support but I'm really upset to say that this colong passed away, some mold tool over my springtail culture and wiped everything out. The colony starved but I'm currently on the lookout for more colonies, since I find them in hollowed out twigs. I'm also trying to start up another springtail culture as well.

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#20 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted June 14 2018 - 2:06 PM

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Hope this colony does well. I've always wanted these guys.


Thanks for the support but I'm really upset to say that this colong passed away, some mold tool over my springtail culture and wiped everything out. The colony starved but I'm currently on the lookout for more colonies, since I find them in hollowed out twigs. I'm also trying to start up another springtail culture as well.

 

Two things to ask here. What kind of springtails are you using? Some springtails eat only fungus and I would imagine mold shouldn't be an issue in a springtail culture. Also where exactly do you find hollowed twigs? Like under the soil or in leaf litter?






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