pictures?

Edited by ColAnt735, February 19 2022 - 1:51 PM.

Update 2/19/22:

Tetramorium immigrans- They've settled in to the new nest quite well (from the looks of it). I fed them some cricket but they didn't swarm it like they normally do I think this is because they were preoccupied with moving into the new nest. I located the queen in the new nest an for the first time and she laid more eggs! The amount that this queen lays is mind blowing  considering how little her gaster swells up.  

Solenopsis molesta- I am attempting to move this colony into an Ants Australia Founding Nest as their test tube is very moldy and they burrowed dangerously close to the water in the cotton of their test tube. Other than this the queens laid the first batch of eggs of 2022!  

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis- This colony has taken a liking to Millet,Dandelion,and Chia seeds. Their seed storage is quite large and they have covered almost half their test tube with it. Other than this nothing much has changed.  

Temnothorax curvispinosus- this colony ate the fruit fly I gave them and the larvae they went into diapause with seem to be growing.  

Lasius brevicornis - Nothing has changed with these queens other than they got another cocoon. I wish that the first cocoon would enclose but it doesn't seem like its happening anytime soon.   

Formica incerta- These ants are doing well and the queen laid more eggs I counted six eggs.  

Prenolepis imparis- Nothing new in both colonies.  

Pictures coming soon!

congratulations on the eggs!!!

congratulations on the eggs!!!

Thank you!

Nice work! Definitely get the Solenopsis out of the tube. Really tiny ants do stupid things in test tubes. I learned this the hard way with Monomorium.

Thanks! I am currently trying to move the Solenopsis out of the tube but the ants are being so stubborn! No matter the technique I use to move them they just won't budge.

 

Nice work! Definitely get the Solenopsis out of the tube. Really tiny ants do stupid things in test tubes. I learned this the hard way with Monomorium.

Thanks! I am currently trying to move the Solenopsis out of the tube but the ants are being so stubborn! No matter the technique I use to move them they just won't budge.

 

With stubborn ants I use my cheap little black light to encourage them to more. Works every time.

I never knew that! I’ll have to try it, thanks for the advice!

Edited by ColAnt735, February 22 2022 - 6:32 AM.

Edited by ColAnt735, February 21 2022 - 2:52 PM.

Update 22/2/22

Tetramorium immigrans- This colony just keeps growing and growing if they keep growing and eating at this rate their going to bleed my feeder insect supplies dry. I think this colony always has at least 40 workers foraging at all times and whenever I feed them they attempt to bring the food back into their nest. At the moment they are trying to pull a fully grown cricket through their nest entrance and I'm pretty sure its stuck.   

Solenopsis molesta- More eggs have been laid and they have been eating well.

Temnothorax curvispinosus- Nothing new.  

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis- Fifth worker enclosed today.

Formica incerta- The queen of this colony has been laying many new eggs. They have also been eating very well. I am hoping for a population boom this year.

Lasius brevicornis- As usual more eggs have been laid I wish the cocoons would enclose but I'll have to be patient.  

Prenolepis imparis- Nothing new.  

Edited by ColAnt735, February 23 2022 - 5:39 AM.

DISASTER! The Tetramorium immigrans escaped they chewed through the cotton that was blocking their vinyl tubing and got out and killed at least 20 Solenopsis molesta workers and almost got into my Pogonomyrmex occidentalis setup. I've aspirated all of the T.immigrans workers back into their nest and plugged the vinyl tubing. But I hope this doesn't happen again or my ants might be in BIG trouble .

DISASTER! The Tetramorium immigrans escaped they chewed through the cotton that was blocking their vinyl tubing and got out and killed at least 20 Solenopsis molesta workers and almost got into my Pogonomyrmex occidentalis setup. I've aspirated all of the T.immigrans workers back into their nest and plugged the vinyl tubing. But I hope this doesn't happen again or my ants might be in BIG trouble .

Get yourself some proper rubber stoppers if you don't need that tube to be used as ventilation.