77 replies to this topic

[antmaniac]

9/11/2015

The excess moss from the green-head ant formicarium decoration has placed in the outworld. The workers enjoy staying around that area and are munching on it, somehow.

 

On another hand, lots pupae have eclosed and lots more are about to. The ants really like to pile up and cram all the brood together. Even though there are still plenty of space left elsewhere. This made me bit worried that some may get squashed, but it looks like everything is fine. Green-head ant queen also did the same and she appears to have very good memory of where she put the eggs.  

 

Most springtails got killed by the ants, except one very well hidden and one super agile. In the left hand side of the photo below, the super agile springtail can be seen. It is trying to sneak up to the eating/food storage (mouldy?) area to steal the food, then the ants will chase it away. This process has been repeat over and over...

 

Sadly, after the latest massive brood kidnapping, the wild colony outside has finally decided to relocate. All the ants seems be disappeared from under the bricks.

 

12/11/2015

Lots movements in the nest now. I have put some crushed young grass seeds and the ants like them very much. On another hand, the wild colony outside is back in one of the bricks, perhaps due to the recent rain. So I fed them some dead insects and seeds, so far they have gathered up well. Since I have enough brood boosted for now, I will just assist with their nuptial flight.

Edited by antmaniac, November 12 2015 - 2:41 AM.

[antmaniac]

14/11/2015

The queen is fully covered and blocked from view by the brood and workers. In one occasion, I tried to see her using flash light, ended up with she rushed out with jaw open and dozens of workers pouring out angrily. The workers are also running amok and get angry at the agile springtail, which they failed capture. Even with sheer number of workers cornered the lone springtail.

 

Surprisingly, the workers have started taking some honey and consuming the mosquitoes. One huge mistake I have made is that I put in the mosquitoes which still have blood in them. This ended up with some bloody mess in the formicarium. Oh well, I have to try to remember to wait till the blood turn into white eggs or just discard them next time.

 

On a bright side, I found a low horizontal growing plant. I have planted it in the green-head ant formicarium and the trimmed left over in the outworld of this species. Below is a photo, which shows that each plant has its own individual plot of plastic sheet. This makes customisation and cleaning much easier I suppose.

 

 

[antmaniac]

19/11/2015

The whole colony is very active, I guess I may have over boosted this colony. Due to the hot weather, they have spread up all over the place. Look like I really need to make an expansion for this formicarium very soon. The ants are everywhere and taking in any food I gave them. The ants have removed all the rubbish all around the formicarium and converted the bottom most chamber into a rubbish dump instead.

 

I have managed to snap a shot at an unusual larva before they cover it up with pupae. It seems that the high temperature has accelerated the brood development quite a bit.

 

Off topic, the low horizontal growing plant is still alive, but it is quite dry in the outworld. And the springtails are still alive (actually, there are 2 agile springtails), in the garbage chamber and is still chasing by the garbage-ants.

 

I have also made a short video on youtube: 

Edited by antmaniac, November 19 2015 - 2:42 PM.

[antmaniac]

Collection of Photos, Chubby Larvae, Queen, etc

19/11/2015

 

21/11/2015

With blooming and unlimited amount of blood sucking mosquitos I can give to these ants, the chubby larva get fed well. I wonder how big this larva can reach. More surprising, how these small workers can move this giant larva around the formicarium. 

 

22/11/2015

The queen continues to receive cleaning service, which she seems be quite enjoying it. I think there are at least 2 more chubby larvae on their way. At the usual spot, I managed to find an Ochetellus Glaber nest in the park and under the clay, there are lots brood. I took some queen pupae to give to this Pheidole Sp. as special treats. 

 

26/11/2015

Workers are moving the second large larva.

 

27/11/2015

On another hand, I think the first large larva is turning into a pupa. I poured some water to discourage the ants chewing on the plastic seal. The ants went panic mode due to the flood and probably thought it is raining. Their priority is to drag the large larva to safety, which to my amazement, it didn't get injured during the whole process. I take this opportunity to take some clear photos of the larvae. As the large larvae take so long to develop and have such high resource value, it make sense that they will have to relocate them first.

 

4/12/2015

Lots large larvae, I have taken another video of this colony.

 

Edited by antmaniac, December 3 2015 - 8:54 PM.

[antmaniac]

26/11/2015

Possible larva used as food storage? I saw at least 3 of these round larvae, which looks quite different from other larvae. They could be alate brood too, will wait and see.

 

3/12/2015

Look like they are alate queen larvae after all. At least 5 of them, I think I may have over fed the colony. On another hand, the workers are trying to find a way out to find more food as they used up all the food on the alate brood instead. Oh well, I guess I will have to feed them whenever I can.

 

Edited by antmaniac, December 2 2015 - 10:50 PM.

[LC3]

Does this colony have majors yet? Maybe the larvae will become majors.

[antmaniac]

Does this colony have majors yet? Maybe the larvae will become majors.

Not yet, hopefully these larvae will become majors. They are taking so long to develop, even with warm weather.

[antmaniac]

4/12/2015

At last, the major worker pupa. It is going to take at least one month for the major worker to develop.

 

[LC3]

Those major larvae look very plump.

Edited by LC3, December 6 2015 - 12:58 AM.

[antmaniac]

Those major larvae look very plump.

I think those massive ones are alate larvae. But for some reason, the big (not as massive) larva turn into massive head pupa all of a sudden.

[antmaniac]

11/12/2015

I think the massive larva, possible alate, is turning into a pupa slowly.

 

There are at least 2 major worker pupae I can see now. Here is a photo showing the worker cleaning on a major worker pupa's back.

 

I made another video. The workers can be seen cleaning a major worker pupa, feeding the mosquito and fly to the larvae, etc. The queen is at the background, as a bonus I suppose.

Edited by antmaniac, December 11 2015 - 3:27 AM.

[dermy]

Man that thing has a massive head!

 

Can't wait to see it eclose

[antmaniac]

The eyes of the pupa just got darken a bit, so my prediction is that it may take another week to eclose.

Edit: My prediction was wrong. As on today the 22nd of December the major worker still has not eclose. It gets really yellow/orange though. So I would say it takes total 2 months of development for a major worker on average, during warm summer period.

Edited by antmaniac, December 22 2015 - 3:16 AM.

[antmaniac]

16/12/2015

It is confirmed that the massive larva is indeed an alate and has become a pupa. This new queen may tolerate lights better than the ones in the wild.

 

[Mdrogun]

I am now your one and only subscriber 

[antmaniac]

I am now your one and only subscriber 

Oh, thank you and much appreciated for the subscribe.   Video is a good way to record ants activities.

[Mdrogun]

 

I am now your one and only subscriber 

Oh, thank you and much appreciated for the subscribe.   Video is a good way to record ants activities.

 

I agree, I love to record my ants

[antmaniac]

20/12/2015

The major worker pupa has darken a bit.

 

23/12/2015

The major worker pupa's abdomen has become solid black, so I guess she is about to eclose. On another news, I managed to rescue a Pheidole queen of this species from water today. Her abdomen is so big! They must be fed her well before the flight. I still don't know what to do with her, may just put her in the old nest outside.

 

[Mdrogun]

Maybe you should try and see if this pheidole sp. accepts multiple queens.

[antmaniac]

Maybe you should try and see if this pheidole sp. accepts multiple queens.

I actually considered that, but don't want to risk it. Besides, the growth rate of current colony with single queen is already giving me headache. I need to make an expansion soon and with 2 queens, I don't think I can keep up.