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The Stowaway - Camponotus floridanus colony in Texas - Dominatus


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#1 Offline dominatus - Posted August 15 2019 - 2:14 PM

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July 27th, 2019: Queen found with eggs and small larva inside potted plant given as gift. Potted plant was bought in either Louisiana or Florida.

Well, my sister came and visited those of us still in Texas. She lives in Florida these days. Along the way she saw a neat cactus at a stop and bought it for me. That was mid July. A couple of weeks later I did asked where she bought the plant but being I only asked after I found the stowaway she had a fuzzy memory and was not sure.

About a week after recieving the plant I rehomed it into a roomy pot and discovered a giant Camponotus sp. queen ant with eggs and larva in the soil. I knew it was not native with its red / black color and its 15mm - 18mm size. The internet seems to agree that it is a Camponotus floridanus queen.

August 1st, 2018: Pupa forming

These are the first pictures I shared here. This is when she had pupa forming and I was finally curious enough to post and confirm the species.

uc?export=download&id=1Wv7bCE6QWVMoz1NtC

uc?export=download&id=12Anl5sLGzj2B2YafG

uc?export=download&id=1AZmK2wGB2R3p2HQU2

August 13th, 2019:

The first nanitic eclosed. A move into an AntsCanada test tube portal was made.

uc?export=download&id=12gUEgdObXb0V9W6WF

August 15th, 2019:

Looks like nanitics will be eclosing rapidly now. Up to 4 now!


uc?export=download&id=12jUU-FynL7FcwQJQO

Edited by dominatus, August 16 2019 - 8:37 AM.

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#2 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 15 2019 - 2:49 PM

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Fast growing colony.


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#3 Offline dominatus - Posted August 16 2019 - 8:34 AM

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Fast growing colony.


I wasn't sure when I found her if she had already had nanitics at some point and lost them or what. I have made sure fresh insect protein has been available every week. I think that has really helped.

#4 Offline dominatus - Posted August 20 2019 - 7:32 PM

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August 20th, 2019:

 

She is up to 8 nanitics now. They are so TINY! She looks so big and majestic. I literally just stare at her sometimes in awe. Hopefully I really did win the lottery. It is one thing to find a queen, another to find one fertile, and another another thing to find one with good genes / healthy disposition for a big and long lived colony.

 

So far so good *fingers crossed*






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