51 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

I think they will successfully get nanitics, then be more challenging than Acromyrmex versicolor after that.

[James C. Trager]

They seem to have rather dysfunctional behavior, but more likely, behavior that works well only in a specialized environment. Anyway, good to see those eggs. I think drtmiller's suggestion about the sterile environment maybe not being quite right for them could be true, but allowing a lot of microbial development in a captive situation could also be treacherous.  

It will be great if this rearing attempt works out. Hoping for the best...

Edited by James C. Trager, April 6 2015 - 9:54 AM.

[cpman]

Awesome job on getting eggs! I'm interested to see what will happen.

[Jonathan21700]

Nice! Good luck!

[dspdrew]

Update 4-7-2015

 

Another one of the test tubed queens just laid a bunch of eggs. :]

[Ants4fun]

Congratulations! I was thinking that these ants might have underground colonies of aphids or mealybugs as a main source of food? If you get a colony you should test the feeding responses to multiple underground sources of food.

Edited by Ants4fun, April 7 2015 - 7:28 AM.

[dspdrew]

Update 4-30-2015
 
I think all of the queens that were in the ant farm boxes have died. I've only kept one of them that I am not completely sure of yet. One of the queens in the test tubes has eaten all of her eggs, and laid a couple new ones. The other test tubed queen still has her eggs, but they don't seem to be developing into larvae unfortunately.

[Miles]

How are these queens doing?

[dspdrew]

Update 5-12-2015
 
All the queens died except the two that laid eggs. One of the remaining queens keeps eating her eggs, and neither of them have had any eggs that develop into anything.

[dspdrew]

Update 5-24-2015
 
Both remaining queens now have no eggs left. I moved one of them into one of my small ant farm boxes.

[Tpro4]

how big are these?

[dspdrew]

13 mm.

[Tpro4]

hoe big are s molesta?

[dspdrew]

5-6 mm.

[dspdrew]

Update 6-2-2015
 
The queen I moved to the ant farm box died. All I have left now is one queen in a test tube that continues to either eat its eggs, or just neglect them and let them die.

[dermy]

What a Great Mother

 

J/King

[gcsnelling]

What did you preserve the specimens in that you sent me??

[dspdrew]

Ethyl Alcohol from Bioquip. Why?

 

[gcsnelling]

They may have some value for DNA as well, so needed to be in a good preservative. I think 95% should be ok. I hope you have preserved all that have died.

Edited by gcsnelling, June 2 2015 - 6:19 PM.

[dspdrew]

I sent you most all of them that were still fresh. The last one to die did so under the dirt, so I just left it there to decompose. I didn't feel like rebuilding the box. I'll probably leave this last one in the test tube, and if I find it dead before it's dried up or molded, I'll preserve it as well.