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Kit’s Novomessor cockerelli journal. (Updated March 12)

Started By KitsAntVa , Nov 19 2020 12:43 PM

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#1 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 12:43 PM

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Just received these in the mail a couple minutes ago and I’m now going to make my journal on how they go! If you have something to say about these being in Virginia, then go somewhere else.
November 19th
Got here with a couple larvae, pupae, and no eggs. Shipping caused her to eat her eggs and larvae. She has two workers both of which are just now waking up as well as the queen from being in my mailbox. I stuck her on a heating pad for right now and I have her some seeds. They don’t eat seeds all the time or barely any but it’s what I had this minute. She is currently also a darker color than most novomessor cockerelli and is basically very dark red. Here’s a picture from before they got here and I’ll get pictures soon. I made a firebrick nest with grout and sand as well as a good water source, the nest is around 8x9x4.5 and resembles a tall firebrick fortress from tarheelants. 941C645D-6B1F-4E59-9383-D8C87123EBAD.jpeg


Edited by KitsAntVa, March 12 2021 - 6:34 AM.

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#2 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 19 2020 - 12:44 PM

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can't wait to see their new nest!


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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. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

#3 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 12:54 PM

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Nest prior to being painted purple, grout being poured and wood base being added.78EECEFE-8DEB-4EBE-9C5E-484E7854CE18.jpeg
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#4 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 19 2020 - 12:54 PM

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that looks great! wow!


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. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

#5 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 19 2020 - 12:58 PM

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Nest prior to being painted purple, grout being poured and wood base being added.attachicon.gif78EECEFE-8DEB-4EBE-9C5E-484E7854CE18.jpeg

That does look amazing! can't wait to see the ants in it...

ill be following this journal, I've always wanted to keep this species :P


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#6 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 19 2020 - 12:59 PM

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Pic of the finshed nest? I like the design.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#7 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:00 PM

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There is probably tons of people selling them in your state, I mean tons I didn’t get mine from California but they are probably more common in your state and Texas.

Pic of the finshed nest? I like the design.


I can try but I’m not done yet. I’m still waiting to finish coating the wood with paint and letting the silicone dry.
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#8 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:15 PM

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oh nice, you didn't get caught


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#9 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:17 PM

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oh nice, you didn't get caught

KitsAntVa said they had a permit right? And besides, you already had this conversation on the other thread.


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#10 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:19 PM

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No they don't, but yeah lets stop. Novos grow rlly fast so be preprared with a bunch of nests


#11 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:21 PM

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Yes my nest I have is 9 inches tall 8 inches wide and I think 2.5 inches thick. It’s very big and I won’t use it until they grow out of a fortress.
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#12 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:22 PM

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Is  the nest made out of ytong? or fire brick


#13 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:26 PM

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Firebrick but I have two main water sources. On the left brick you can see a little square chamber which is now filled with sanded grout for a watering system and that little water tower thingy you see on the bottom right is filled with sponge and then grout poured over it, the whole nest is sanded with white sand and looks pretty nice.
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#14 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:30 PM

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Firebrick but I have two main water sources. On the left brick you can see a little square chamber which is now filled with sanded grout for a watering system and that little water tower thingy you see on the bottom right is filled with sponge and then grout poured over it, the whole nest is sanded with white sand and looks pretty nice.

What is the grout for?


#15 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:32 PM

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It’s a good nesting material. Holds water very well is harder than plaster and ants like to nest in artificial nests with it.
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#16 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:35 PM

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It’s a good nesting material. Holds water very well is harder than plaster and ants like to nest in artificial nests with it.

Isn't that what the frirebrick is for?


#17 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:40 PM

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Yes but everyone says noooooo water just disappears when it hits firebrick. I admit it kinda does and the fact that you can’t see it annoys me but trust me firebrick holds water like crazy. I used grout to hold water better to know if they are getting the proper humidity.
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#18 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:48 PM

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Yes but everyone says noooooo water just disappears when it hits firebrick. I admit it kinda does and the fact that you can’t see it annoys me but trust me firebrick holds water like crazy. I used grout to hold water better to know if they are getting the proper humidity.

I have 2 questions. Won't the firebrick suck the moisture from the grout? Also, why not make a nest completely from grout?


#19 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:52 PM

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Because to make a grout nest one needs clay large amounts of clay actually, a molding chamber to form the nest and a lot of grout. And firebrick is easily carveable and novomessor like it.
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#20 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted November 19 2020 - 1:55 PM

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A grout nest is much harder to make. It's easier just to make a firebrick nest like they did with some grout elements.


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