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AntsCali's Magnificent Myrmecocystus mexicanus

Started By AntsCali098 , Dec 29 2022 4:46 PM

101 replies to this topic

#1 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted December 29 2022 - 4:46 PM

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I obtained a Myrmecocystus mexicanus colony for Christmas with 15+ workers and lots of larvae. I have since moved them to a mini hearth xl from tar heel ants, and they are doing great. I am really excited for the future for them. I am always a but paranoid about them since I know that they have a trend to sometimes randomly die. Here are some photos:

PXL_20221230_002751612.jpg PXL_20221230_002833571.jpg PXL_20221230_002849969.jpg

Also, I noticed that they appear to have cut of the gaster of a deceased replete, saving the food inside. Pretty smart if you ask me.

PXL_20221230_003220745.MP.jpg

Edited by AntsCali098, September 30 2023 - 1:26 PM.

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#2 Offline antsriondel - Posted December 29 2022 - 5:32 PM

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Wow that is one cool colony, good luck!


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#3 Offline AntsTopia - Posted December 29 2022 - 8:06 PM

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I obtained a Myrmecocystus mexicanus colony for Christmas with 15+ workers and lots of larvae. I have since moved them to a mini hearth xl from tar heel ants, and they are doing great. I am really excited for the future for them. I am always a but paranoid about them since I know that they have a trend to sometimes randomly die. Here are some photos:
attachicon.gifPXL_20221230_002751612.jpgattachicon.gifPXL_20221230_002833571.jpgattachicon.gifPXL_20221230_002849969.jpg
Also, I noticed that they appear to have cut of the gaster of a deceased replete, saving the food inside. Pretty smart if you ask me.
attachicon.gifPXL_20221230_003220745.MP.jpg


SO JELAOUS! How do they have a replete at this age??
I'll follow this journal for now. Really nice colony btw.

Edited by AntsTopia, December 29 2022 - 8:08 PM.

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Ants are just better.

#4 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted December 29 2022 - 9:24 PM

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I obtained a Myrmecocystus mexicanus colony for Christmas with 15+ workers and lots of larvae. I have since moved them to a mini hearth xl from tar heel ants, and they are doing great. I am really excited for the future for them. I am always a but paranoid about them since I know that they have a trend to sometimes randomly die. Here are some photos:attachicon.gifPXL_20221230_002751612.jpgattachicon.gifPXL_20221230_002833571.jpgattachicon.gifPXL_20221230_002849969.jpg
Also, I noticed that they appear to have cut of the gaster of a deceased replete, saving the food inside. Pretty smart if you ask me.attachicon.gifPXL_20221230_003220745.MP.jpg


SO JELAOUS! How do they have a replete at this age??
I'll follow this journal for now. Really nice colony btw.
Thanks! I think it's pretty normal to have a replete.

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#5 Offline AntsTopia - Posted December 29 2022 - 9:50 PM

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My mendax colony is taking a long time to have their repletes, possibly mexicanus has faster replete making?

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Ants are just better.

#6 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted December 29 2022 - 11:00 PM

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My mendax colony is taking a long time to have their repletes, possibly mexicanus has faster replete making?


I'm not sure, but I think that's probably correct if you don't have repletes and have the same colony size.

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#7 Offline Ant-nig321 - Posted December 29 2022 - 11:14 PM

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Nice colony!
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#8 Offline AntsAmerica - Posted December 30 2022 - 2:00 PM

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I had no idea they cut open the repletes to save the nectar inside


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#9 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted December 30 2022 - 2:49 PM

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I had no idea they cut open the repletes to save the nectar inside

It's a pretty smart tactic

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#10 Offline AntsTopia - Posted December 30 2022 - 5:15 PM

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Do u feed them often? Cuz if u don't then they may be trying to save very drop of honey they have (Litteraly) lol ;).

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Atta Mexicana x 1

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Ants are just better.

#11 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted December 30 2022 - 7:34 PM

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Do u feed them often? Cuz if u don't then they may be trying to save very drop of honey they have (Litteraly) lol ;).


Yeah I do, don't worry. Just gave them nectar today

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#12 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted December 31 2022 - 5:38 PM

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I noticed some more repletes in the colony. There is also a new pupae, and still an incredible amount of growing larvae.

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#13 Offline Locness - Posted January 4 2023 - 3:43 PM

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Have you noticed any of the workers piling sand on the larvae? One of the coolest ant behaviors I've seen. 


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#14 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted January 4 2023 - 4:16 PM

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Have you noticed any of the workers piling sand on the larvae? One of the coolest ant behaviors I've seen.


No, just a bits of sand on the cocoons

Edited by AntsCali098, January 4 2023 - 4:24 PM.

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#15 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted January 4 2023 - 4:20 PM

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Most of the larvae have now turned into pupae so there's more cocoons in the dry side of the nest now. Also, some of the repletes seem to have a bit more nectar in their gasters so they have all started hanging from the ceiling rather than the water tower now (including the queen) which is kind of annoying for me because they are hard to film. Anyway, they are doing great besides the fact that I noticed some dead workers which are probably just the nanitics dying off.

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#16 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted January 4 2023 - 4:24 PM

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Photos

Screenshot_20230104-161519.png Screenshot_20230104-161431.png
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#17 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted January 11 2023 - 4:47 PM

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Queen laid! There is also still lots of cocoons in the colony and they are continuing to grow.
PXL_20230112_002751878.jpg
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#18 Offline AntsTopia - Posted January 11 2023 - 5:25 PM

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Dang that colony grew fast! Congrats!
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Ants are just better.

#19 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted January 25 2023 - 3:25 PM

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The eggs have now turned in to small larvae. Other than that, the colony still has plenty of cocoons, and they are getting a mealworm today. They will probably outgrow the nest once all the brood ecloses. 


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#20 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted January 25 2023 - 6:29 PM

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Also, I have just noticed many leftover cocoons discarded in the outworld which means more workers have hatched! One of them I noticed was a very big worker, which I think will be a large replete. I also noticed some workers helping another newly hatched worker eclose. It was very hard to get pictures because of the sand that they have put on the glass, except for a pic of the cocoons that are remaining (not hatched) which are on the other side of the nest. I did my best to get pictures of the large worker, and you can see a normal sized worker behind her. I also tried my best to get a picture of them helping the newly hatched worker. Here they are.
PXL_20230126_021139995.jpg
20230125_182128.jpg

The remaining cocoons
PXL_20230126_020531041.jpg
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Interested buying in ants? Feel free to check out my shop! 

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Atta sp (wish they were in CA), Crematogaster cerasi, Most Pheidole species

 

 

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