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RapaNui - Gnamptogenys Bicolor Journal


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#1 Offline RapaNui - Posted November 9 2015 - 5:16 PM

RapaNui

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This is my first experience with this species.

 

References: 

 

0 - https://en.wikipedia...ki/Gnamptogenys

1 -http://www.antwiki.o...togenys_bicolor

2 - http://www.antstore....ys-bicolor.html

3 - http://www.alexander...a/Gnamptogenys/

 

Experience:

 

I received the colony in a test tube with water and cotton. The test tube was starting to get dirty, and the glass was already stained.

My first step was to transfer the colony into another test tube. I have an acrylic box with two test tube entrances, where I connected a new one and the old one. The acrylic box (outworld) was filled with soil (for invertebrates) and dry wood chips. The colony never changed test tube but accepted their new setup very nicely. I immediately placed some rock sugar (new discovery, all ants love rock sugar!!) and water.

IMG_8314.JPG IMG_8330.JPG IMG_8332.JPG  IMG_8336.JPG  IMG_8360.JPG

Next day I started to feed them crickets which they handle easily.

 

Few days passed on, and I noticed two things :

- a couple of dead workers would show up everyday

- the amount of dirtiness increased drastically

 

A week gone by, and everyday same thing, two dead workers everyday.

IMG_8367.JPG IMG_8368.JPG IMG_8369.JPG

 

I was getting nervous (because the number of workers was decreasing drastically, and secondly its not easy to find the queen) and after talking with my supplier, he advised me to handle this species like Harpegnathos Venator.

I had my plaster nest ready but they didn't ever transfer even if the test tube was black already from mold and garbage!

Two days ago lost my temper (after yoga) and just dropped them directly into the nest by shaking the test tube (??!! yes i did it).

Caught gently 3 remaining eggs from the test tube and placed them inside. Covered the top, and waited for next day.

 

I saw an increase of activity from the colony. And they settled quite well. They went for the sugar and water. Organized their preferred location and larvae and eggs disposition.

Until now, no more dead workers.

 

I am not giving them food yet, because they have a cricket part they are handling. And I will try to keep track of how long they take to handle an insect, I am seeing that they take more than normal (from what i am used to) to process the insect (because they are quite small). So basically, I guess that I overfed them before, and since the test tube was very moist that created the awful conditions that I referred before.

 

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I am hoping to start boosting this colony while keeping the nest clean as much as possible. 

 

I have another colony from another species which I having the same problems.

Cerapachys Sulcinodis, which I will also do a journal of them.


Edited by RapaNui, November 9 2015 - 5:22 PM.


#2 Offline RapaNui - Posted November 18 2015 - 7:47 PM

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Update:

 

Eggs, larvae develop have been developing fast in the new conditions. I have been ensuring colony consumes prey totally or until they put remains aside before giving them anything new. Rock sugar and water is always present. 

 

Yesterday I was amazed by the amount of new brood and development of brood in less than two weeks.

IMG_8572.JPG IMG_8573.JPG .

 

This is double good sign, because I had a lot of dead workers previously, and because I haven't been able to tell queen from worker apart, there was a chance of having a queen among the dead.

 

I am trying to get hold of a termite colony or queen/king in order to stimulate their rading ant behaviour, which I believe will be beneficial for their development. No luck so far.



#3 Offline RapaNui - Posted November 22 2015 - 6:30 PM

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Video from the same period has the last post:

https://www.youtube....gwWz7t0JLi1pLFC

 

Update:

The colony is doing great! It has been a real pleasure to see them growing after the initial difficulties. For this species, I do advise plaster nest. They seem very comfortable. A key point has been making sure they "clean" each insect and waiting a couple of days before giving anything else. The amount of debris is minimal. 

The egg/larvae/puppae development is very fast and noticeable. I will try to record a week or two weeks development to show here.


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#4 Offline RapaNui - Posted November 28 2015 - 5:30 PM

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Update Video: 

https://www.youtube....gwWz7t0JLi1pLFC



#5 Offline Leo - Posted October 29 2017 - 6:44 PM

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hey rapa, I caught a colony but I can't find the queen, seems like they have gamergates, are there any tips for care?






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