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NickAnter's Polygynous Lasius americanus Journal(Over 250 workers!)

Started By NickAnter , Aug 12 2019 5:40 AM
lasius eastern sierras

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#121 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 4 2020 - 5:54 AM

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No flavus...


I know, kind of a shame. Hopefully I get some next year, or some parasitic species.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#122 Offline AntsDakota - Posted April 4 2020 - 6:06 AM

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But brevicornis are polygynous............

"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

#123 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 4 2020 - 6:21 AM

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Queen 1:

Queen 2:

Trio:

Queen 4:
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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#124 Offline AntsDakota - Posted April 4 2020 - 6:24 AM

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That trio probably won’t be a trio for much longer............

"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

#125 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 4 2020 - 6:32 AM

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You never know.... LC3 has or had a polygynous americanus, and if they are, it's still possible.

And, once a worker of each colony inevitably ends up passing away, I will be able to identify all of the queens down to the species.

Also, so glad that Queen 1 finally had a worker eclose! And it was one of the first to lay and get larvae!

Oh, and the workers of Queen 2 are not too shy anymore, darting at everything. And tapping their gasters on the glass. They are pretty funny in terms of movement.

Edited by NickAnter, April 4 2020 - 6:59 AM.

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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#126 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted April 4 2020 - 12:14 PM

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How would you identify the species? through a microscope?


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

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#127 Offline AntsDakota - Posted April 4 2020 - 1:16 PM

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You need to be able to see clearly what types of hairs are on the queen and where they are positioned, how spines are positioned, width and length of the petiole, number of antennal segments, proportions of parts of the face, etc in order to identify almost any species.

Edited by AntsDakota, April 4 2020 - 1:17 PM.

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"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

#128 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 4 2020 - 4:02 PM

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How would you identify the species? through a microscope?

Yeah. I have to look at the teeth, and type of hair on the antennal scapes. And hairs on the tibiae(I think)


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#129 Offline madbiologist - Posted April 6 2020 - 9:53 AM

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Americanus are known to be polygynous, and I've seen it myself. If the trio stays alive, I'd wager they are americanus.

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#130 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted April 6 2020 - 10:00 AM

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How would you identify the species? through a microscope?

Yeah. I have to look at the teeth, and type of hair on the antennal scapes. And hairs on the tibiae(I think)

 

I have always wondered how you do this. Is it a microscope, or a really powerful macro lens on a camera.


And, do you need a powerful microscope, if it is that?


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

#131 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 6 2020 - 10:04 AM

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How would you identify the species? through a microscope?

Yeah. I have to look at the teeth, and type of hair on the antennal scapes. And hairs on the tibiae(I think)

 

I have always wondered how you do this. Is it a microscope, or a really powerful macro lens on a camera.


And, do you need a powerful microscope, if it is that?

 

I personally have a very powerful microscope, but I just put it on a relatively low magnification. I do not have a macro lens suitable for the job, nor do I have a very good camera.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#132 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 6 2020 - 10:08 AM

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Queen 1) 3 workers, and 7 cocoons, 15 eggs/small larvae + 1 large larva(EDIT) As I posted this they got a fourth worker!

Queen 2) 8 workers, 2 cocoons, 10 eggs, and a few medium larvae

Complete Invalid: No change. :ugone2far:

Trio) 9 workers, at least 10 cocoons, and about 30 eggs.

Queen 4) 6 workers, and 1 cocoon, and 10 eggs/small larvae.


Edited by NickAnter, April 6 2020 - 10:09 AM.

  • AntsDakota likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#133 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 10 2020 - 7:13 AM

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Queen 1) 8 workers, 10 eggs, and about 15 larvae(small) and about 10 eggs.

Queen 2) 10 workers, 1 pupa, 20 small larvae. Their cotton is really getting a bit nasty, IDK if I should move them, or just see how it goes. I probably could quickly print a formicarium, and attach it to an outworld, but I'm not sure what todo. Advice would be great.

Complete Invalid: No change, except that she seems to be dying. She refused sugar water, and refuses pretty much everything.

Trio: 17 workers :o and about 7 pupae, and 35 eggs and small larvae. And no aggression between queens, though I did see a worker get slightly alarmed at another worker for a second.

Queen 4) 7 workers, and about 15 small larvae.


  • TennesseeAnts and mantisgal like this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#134 Offline madbiologist - Posted April 10 2020 - 7:28 AM

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Most ants don't care about mold, I'd leave them be.

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#135 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 10 2020 - 7:55 AM

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Okay. Will do for the time being at least. Thank you very much!  I suppose it hasn't been getting too much worse for a while.


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#136 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 10 2020 - 8:12 AM

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I think I screwed things up for neoniger. Her tube was almost dry, so I tried to be slick and refill the water with a syringe. I think she ate at least some of her eggs. These ants take waaaaay longer than any other tiny ants I’ve kept, that’s for sure.
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#137 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 10 2020 - 8:29 AM

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Yeah, high humidity is key for these ants. At least they don't care about being checked up on for me. They do take a while, but they are really funny little ants, darting around, and tapping their gasters on the glass.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#138 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 11 2020 - 2:50 PM

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I have determined the now dead complete invalid to be neoniger. She had many erect hairs on her scape, ruling out americanus and crypticus, and had 7 teeth, ruling out pallitarsis, which were not all of the same size, ruling out niger; they were alternating. Therefore, she is neoniger.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#139 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 22 2020 - 1:23 PM

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Here's a video of the Trio:

 


Edited by NickAnter, April 22 2020 - 1:24 PM.

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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#140 Offline AntsDakota - Posted April 22 2020 - 1:45 PM

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 I miss my Lasius.........  :*(


"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

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