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NickAnter's Temnothorax spp. Journal (chandleri worker!)

Started By NickAnter , Aug 24 2019 8:43 AM

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113 replies to this topic

#61 Offline NickAnter - Posted December 9 2020 - 12:49 PM

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Moved colony one, they lost 4 brood. They have 2 workers that are over half the size of the queen. Here are photos of them, and Colony 2. Colony 2 has 17 brood, as well as 4 workers, with 3 different color workers. Sadly they won't stick together, so no hreat photos of them all.
Colony 1:



Colony 2:

  • 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). 

#62 Offline PurdueEntomology - Posted December 10 2020 - 7:49 AM

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I have a colony of Temonthorax smithi (Urbani) which I just love.  Small colony but beautiful ants!


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#63 Offline AntsDakota - Posted December 10 2020 - 7:58 AM

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Temnothorax are on my list for this year.


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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

#64 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 10 2020 - 9:25 AM

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Temnothorax are on my list for this year.

mine too!


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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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#65 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 21 2021 - 3:47 PM

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These ants once again have shown their worth. The colony that had a bunch of brood, went without water for weeks :whistle: and also food too. Being amazing Temnothorax though, they managed to keep their brood alive, and didn't lose a single worker. As a reward for being good ants, and because I needed to give them a nest that I could hydrate better than a test tube, I made a formicarium out of an old california live oak twig. I flattened one surface of the twig, and, using my pocket knife, carved a little chamber. I then use two globs of hot glue to attach it to the side of a 4x4x4 inch amac box. The plan here is when/if the colony outgrows the twig, I will simply add another twig. And when I do so, I will do it on the other side of the outworld, so it will be more like a satellite nest. I am not 100% sure what this species nests in in the wild, but I am pretty certain that they nest in the roots of sagebrush. And, when the colony from last year escaped, they nested inside the sides of a cardboard box, so I think they like wood.

 

When I dumped them into the box, they, like any normal ants would do, ran around a bit. Then, the queen(yes, this is the first time I have ever seen a queen be smarter than her children) decided that the twig would be a better home, and decided to move in. The other workers, besides one, havent caught on yet, and are storing the brood near the entrance of the twig. Pictures will come soon.


  • M_Ants 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). 

#66 Offline antsandmore - Posted January 21 2021 - 3:49 PM

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funny that you made another post on this today, because I just read through all this today. maybe I should read all the journals I want people to update...


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#67 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 21 2021 - 3:51 PM

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Lol. Methinks my Pheidole journal will be the next updated.....


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). 

#68 Offline M_Ants - Posted January 21 2021 - 4:08 PM

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Pics!


Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about

#69 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 21 2021 - 4:47 PM

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Sorry for the terrible quality. As soon as I find my macro lens, I will post better pictures.

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). 

#70 Offline M_Ants - Posted January 21 2021 - 4:59 PM

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That's rad. They don't need moisture?


Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about

#71 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 21 2021 - 5:29 PM

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I put a few drops onto the wood. They nest in very dry areas, so Ill give them a wet soaked cotton ball, and occasionally put a few drops of water onto the wood.


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). 

#72 Offline antsandmore - Posted January 21 2021 - 6:08 PM

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wow!!! you mimicked their natural habitat! that's awesome!


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#73 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 24 2021 - 4:03 PM

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Pictures!

 

20210124 153857
20210124 153716
20210124 155213
20210124 155057

 


Edited by NickAnter, January 24 2021 - 4:03 PM.

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). 

#74 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 24 2021 - 4:12 PM

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Oh, and I have changed my mind again on the ID of these ants. After reading up on the tricarinatus group, which they are undoubtedly in, I have come to the conclusion that these may be T. rudis. I will need to get a specimen under the microscope to be sure, but I have always wondered at the relatively light color of these ants, and supposedly, rudis are generally lighter than nevadensis. Of course, color isn't a great way to ID ants, so, once a worker dies, I will put it under the microscope to inspect the petiole, which is the key difference between rudis and nevadensis.


  • TennesseeAnts 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). 

#75 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 26 2021 - 11:10 AM

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ozGiP6oXCJfmIiEU55RZOz9em3D0Ybz9sa8lA-qVPiKlmn9W5N1rf7tK7oBD9kDqh1DwfhKpOWuikDHj

Image on the left is nevadensis, the right, rudis. To me, rudis looks much more similar. What do you think?


Edited by NickAnter, January 26 2021 - 11:11 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). 

#76 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted January 26 2021 - 11:27 AM

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I would also go with T. rudis.


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#77 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 28 2021 - 9:49 AM

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Colony 1 is in a twig formicarium now too! On this one, I have put cotton inside the chamber, so that when hydrated, it will stay humid for longer. Colony 2 have been digging out some more of the chamber, and can now completely hide 1 or two workers. They have used these particles to completely seal the gap between the twig and the acrylic. Next year, I will make more of an effort to hibernate these. Hopefully they will produce more brood again. If not, I will have to try some way to give them cooler temps(I think I can using an ice chest) can't use a wine cooler, as there is not enough room in there for the acrylic boxes. I am pretty sure these can get large colonies, if the one colony I found was anything to judge them by.


  • TennesseeAnts 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). 

#78 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 28 2021 - 12:52 PM

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I love this! I may copy you with elderberry twigs this summer.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#79 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 28 2021 - 12:55 PM

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Sounds good! Plan to put curvispinosus in it? Would love to see them founded in it too.


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). 

#80 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted January 28 2021 - 12:58 PM

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I love this! I may copy you with elderberry twigs this summer.

Amur Honeysuckle have nice hollow branches, and my T. curvispinosus love it.


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