10 replies to this topic

[Nylanderiavividula]

I got these girls while anting in the woods of my property.  They were in an old and rotting pine log.  The colony was actually quite sizeable and I still can't believe I spotted a queen (I think these ladies can have polygynous colonies).  I managed to obtain her majesty, around fifteen workers, and a little bit of brood.  IDing this species was a HASSLE.

 

 

So, I was flipping rocks at a buddy's house (isn't that what we're supposed to do?  see a rock...flip a rock?) and flipped one to find a TON of P. crassicornis brood under the rock...I managed to rob a mix of larvae and eggs (~60) and get them into a test tube before the colony took the rest down...naturally I wanted to see if my ants would accept the brood boost.  Well...a LOT of the larvae you see in this picture is larvae from the brood boost that I dumped into their outworld.  3/15/2019

[Rstheant]

I’ll be following this journal. I don’t think they’ll except another queen, because they already have workers. They’ll kill it, because it doesn’t have the same pharamones. Just a reminder if you’re gonna introduce another queen.

[Nylanderiavividula]

I realize I had forgotten to upload some images of the set up for this colony.  Kinda' a tubz-and-tubez situation.  I really like these cheapish Rubbermaid Brilliance containers for quick and modular outworlds.  Haven't yet attempted grout molds in them, but I plan to!

 

 

I have aluminum foil over the test tube they are nesting in.  They've been rapaciously ravaging mealworm segments and periodic honey water offerings.  You can see the heat cable at the very very back of the enclosure.  It's a 15watt which is why I set it under the outworld and not on top.  Identifying these Pheidole crassicornis ants was tricky because there are several species here in Georgia that have the widened antennal scapes where they connect to the antennal sockets.  The final confirmation on crassicornis as opposed to P. tetra and others was hair vs no hair.  P. crassicornis is quite glabrous as far as ants go!

[Nylanderiavividula]

Update on the P. crassicornis ants!  They are now at around 27 median workers and 5 majors...the brood amount is excellent with all different stages.  These ants are very very easy, so far.  They eat anything and everything (they LOVE protein...I very much imagine it has something to do with with all those growing larvae!), and are becoming far more active in the outworld area.  I have a feeling I will be updating their nest well within a year.  Anywho, here ya' go!

 

 

I hope these are as zoomable as they are on my computer.

[Rstheant]

Good job!

[Nylanderiavividula]

THIS is what we Georgia beekeepers are dealing with right now...that's a prime swarm that we decided to collect.  We saw it issue from one of our hives and decided (after the bivouac was done collecting on the branch) it was around $200-300 worth of bees, so we rehived it.  Dealing with swarm season (and a job change) is also why I haven't posted in some time...  

 

[ANTdrew]

Great looking colony, and I hope they continue to thrive! I urge you not to collect established colonies in the future, though. There are too many examples of unsustainable wild collection (for example orchids and parrots) to condone this practice. Just because there aren’t many anters out there doesn’t mean it is a sustainable way to start captive colonies. Much better is to collect from the overabundance of mated queens. By no means do I wish to put you down, but I feel this message needs to be broadcast lest we harm what we love.

[Nylanderiavividula]

I generally agree with you.  However, I also see problems with the "nature is too fragile to touch" mentality that has been promulgated quite a lot in modern culture.  To me, it creates a void between the younger generations and nature.  I grew up catching anything and everything I could get my hands on.  Stinging things, stinking things, biting things, scaley things, etc.  Because of this upbringing, I am a nature nut and nerd.  I teach a lot of people on a regular basis about the things I love (such as ants).  Had I assimilated the "look but don't touch" mentality that so many of my peers and much of the younger generations have, I would have easily become disconnected from my natural wonderment of biology.  So again, I agree with you generally that wild-collection can become bad.  But I also caution you to be careful (especially important when speaking with younger generations) not to take the notion of nature's supposed fragility too far.  Screens are all too convenient for sucking in the youth, these days, and I see way too many kids who spend way too much time indoors with no care at all for the natural world.   

[ANTdrew]

Well written reply. I get your point and totally agree with bringing in the younger generation. I also grew up catching all kinds of stuff. You haven't done any damage by collecting a few colonies. My point is that catching new queens is a much more sustainable way to start colonies. It is also arguably more rewarding because one gets to follow the whole life cycle of the colony. Collecting an established colony is removing the very fittest individuals from the local breeding pool, which could have negative long term effects on the species. This is amplified because most species live in what are basically islands of remaining habitat.

[Rstheant]

What ANTdrew is saying it’s bad for the environment on the long run. I guess it just-“survival of the fittest.”

[AntJohnny]

Same Rubbermaid I use 😀. They really are the best way to go for a tubs and tubes I believe.