Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

ANTdrew's Crematogaster Divas Journal -Reboot!

Started By ANTdrew , Oct 20 2018 5:49 PM
antdrew crematogaster journal divas

737 replies to this topic

#721 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted July 5 2025 - 2:58 PM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,533 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

Stabroodtites and stabroodmites...


  • ANTdrew likes this

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans                                  Camponotus vicinus, modoc, novaeboracensis, herculeanus

Formica pallidefulva, argentea                        Solenopsis molesta

Formica cf. aserva                                          Lasius brevicornis, neoniger

Pheidole bicarinata

Lasius claviger

#722 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 14 2025 - 4:23 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Update 7-14-2025
After a lot of grief and headaches, I’ve learned that talcohol barriers are really the only way to contain Crematogaster cerasi. Barriers do get worn away, though, as ants test them all day everyday. This happened with a ring of talc I put on the escape proof lip in my mega-outworld last week, which allowed workers to surpass the lip. They still couldn’t escape out of the lid, though. Luckily, talcohol is extremely easy to reapply, so I quickly fixed the issue before it got out of hand. A few unlucky workers died a drunken death in the process, however, when they got caught up in the paintbrush I was using to reapply.
Here is what the new barrier looks like:
24-F97-BE6-0-DB0-41-D7-82-CD-910-D4-B4-A
Consider it the first obstacle in the American Ninja Ant Warrior course.
  • TennesseeAnts, RushmoreAnts and AntBoi3030 like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#723 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 15 2025 - 6:29 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Here’s a brood mountain GIF:

A5642180-4-BA4-4636-B4-D1-706-C619-AC16-

Edited by ANTdrew, July 15 2025 - 6:30 AM.

  • TennesseeAnts, RushmoreAnts and rptraut like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#724 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 19 2025 - 10:46 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Y’all thirsty much?
4-CEF445-F-E6-EA-4-EBB-93-C1-E251-EF7-C8
  • TennesseeAnts, RushmoreAnts, Ants_Dakota and 3 others like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#725 Offline Ernteameise - Posted July 21 2025 - 1:30 PM

Ernteameise

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,296 posts
  • LocationGermany

This colony is amazing.

They are not even like an army. They are like a tide.


  • TennesseeAnts and rptraut like this

#726 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 21 2025 - 3:07 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Thank you! Yes, they move like a liquid.
  • rptraut and Ernteameise like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#727 Offline washingtonANTS - Posted August 3 2025 - 11:15 AM

washingtonANTS

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 1 posts
Update?
Update?

#728 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 3 2025 - 4:40 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Update 8-3-2025

The colony continues its rampant growth. The top tier of their UtahAnts nest is mostly full of brood, and they even stack some up the walls of the outworld sometimes. I fed them mealworms again from my home culture, which recently started producing again, and they went nuts for them.

Protein rush:
8646-C26-D-47-E2-45-F2-BC01-A62-E9-A973-

Brood wall: 5-BA9-D196-602-C-4-C29-9-EA3-23-A12336-B

Why use an expensive nest if you can stack brood up the walls of your outworld??
A1-F999-B6-B7-D7-456-A-B08-C-BD196604274
  • RushmoreAnts, rptraut and Ernteameise like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#729 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted August 4 2025 - 5:18 PM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,533 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

I can 100% see how Tetras and Cremas are cousins.

 

(Both are in the tribe Crematogastrini.)


  • ANTdrew likes this

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans                                  Camponotus vicinus, modoc, novaeboracensis, herculeanus

Formica pallidefulva, argentea                        Solenopsis molesta

Formica cf. aserva                                          Lasius brevicornis, neoniger

Pheidole bicarinata

Lasius claviger

#730 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 19 2025 - 9:41 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Update 9-19-25

There have been no major changes with this colony. They continue to put out lots of brood and pile it up at various spots in their UtahAnts nest. This colony is over three years old now and they're showing no signs of slowing down. If anything, this seems like a genetically fitter and more efficient colony than my beloved first colony. I hope I can keep them for many more years to come.
80-F92-CC7-E95-C-4145-9872-593-EAC8-DA05

Outworld view. Good luck cleaning anything in here:
4-F818-D9-C-BBC2-4779-8-FDB-28-E50-EC310

Edited by ANTdrew, September 19 2025 - 9:44 AM.

  • RushmoreAnts, rptraut, Full_Frontal_Yeti and 3 others like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#731 Offline Ernteameise - Posted October 3 2025 - 3:44 AM

Ernteameise

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,296 posts
  • LocationGermany

How does one actually clean out a colony like that? Removing waste and dead insects? They would be all over you, wouldn't they? 


#732 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 3 2025 - 7:13 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
You simply can’t. I just leave it all.
  • TennesseeAnts and Ernteameise like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#733 Offline Zhuge - Posted October 3 2025 - 8:19 AM

Zhuge

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 147 posts
  • LocationWashington state (The no Pheidole side)

You simply can’t. I just leave it all.

What about the liquid feeders?


If you have permits to ship pheidole californica to washington pls lmk

Keeping:

Solenopsis molesta

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Tetramorium immigrans

Camponotus modoc

2 lasius queens (prob pallitarsis)

#734 Offline OwlThatLikesAnts - Posted October 3 2025 - 8:19 AM

OwlThatLikesAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 566 posts
  • LocationMontreal, CA

How does one actually clean out a colony like that? Removing waste and dead insects? They would be all over you, wouldn't they? 

I'm also sure that they chew up the exoskeleton and feed it to the larva.

The actual ant feces is another thing...


Currently keeping:

 

1x Formica subsericea, 35-40 workers + maybe eggs                                                                       *New* 2x Camponotus nova, one has only larva

1x Crematogaster cerasi, All workers is ded   :facepalm:*extreme internal screaming*                        1x Myrmica ruba sp around 10 workers + pupa

*New* 1x Temnothorax curvispinosus, 101 or something worker + 3 or 4 royal mom ants + pile of white ant worms

 

*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams* -A.T (which is Me)

 

Sadly due to unforeseen consequences, I will soon be giving away my colonies (I will miss them though  :*( )

#735 Offline Zhuge - Posted October 3 2025 - 8:20 AM

Zhuge

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 147 posts
  • LocationWashington state (The no Pheidole side)

 

How does one actually clean out a colony like that? Removing waste and dead insects? They would be all over you, wouldn't they? 

I'm also sure that they chew up the exoskeleton and feed it to the larva.

The actual ant feces is another thing

I actually never have had to clean up after my ants yet. They seem to not generate any waste at all.


If you have permits to ship pheidole californica to washington pls lmk

Keeping:

Solenopsis molesta

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Tetramorium immigrans

Camponotus modoc

2 lasius queens (prob pallitarsis)

#736 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 3 2025 - 9:57 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA

I need to refill liquid feeders every 24-36 hours. Scroll back in the journal, and I have a post detailing how to do this when 473 ants are on each feeder. 


  • TennesseeAnts, RushmoreAnts, rptraut and 1 other like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#737 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted November 14 2025 - 9:04 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,927 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Update 9-19-25

There have been no major changes with this colony. They continue to put out lots of brood and pile it up at various spots in their UtahAnts nest. This colony is over three years old now and they're showing no signs of slowing down. If anything, this seems like a genetically fitter and more efficient colony than my beloved first colony. I hope I can keep them for many more years to come.
80-F92-CC7-E95-C-4145-9872-593-EAC8-DA05

Outworld view. Good luck cleaning anything in here:
4-F818-D9-C-BBC2-4779-8-FDB-28-E50-EC310

Good lord, this colony is insane. Glad to see they're doing well!


  • ANTdrew, RushmoreAnts and rptraut like this

My Main Journal | My Neivamyrmex Journal | My Ant Adoption | My YouTube

Join the TennesseeAnts Discord Server! https://discord.gg/JbKwPgs

#738 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 15 2025 - 2:40 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 10,479 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Thank you, Sensei!
  • TennesseeAnts, RushmoreAnts and rptraut like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Back to Ant Keeping Journals · Next Unread Topic →



Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: antdrew, crematogaster, journal, divas

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users