115 replies to this topic

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I wonder if the apparent stupidity of tiny colonies is because of the way ants make decisions. Each ant makes a decision based on what it "thinks" about the "ideas" of it's nestmates, causing the smarter choices "voted" for by more ants to be favored by the colony at large. But with a sample size of three it just takes two ants to reach an overwhelming majority of 66%. Not to mention a nanitic isn't exactly on par with the well-fed workers of a mature colony.

Good point! Also, some of my young Camponotous colonies have finally established a trash pile!!  

My Camponotus. Colonies just rip the flesh and don't touch the exoskeleton except for when they bury the remains. Very easy on my part lol

[Serafine]

Ant decision making doesn't really rely on a majority vote. Most of the time some ant just does something and other ants join - or they don't.

When my Camponouts colony was very small there was just ONE worker that did all the "outside jobs" - no other ant ever ventured outside the tubes except this one. At around 10 workers another one joined (and even more later) but until they had like 40 workers none of the "secondary" workers was out for very long - it was still mostly 2 workers that did all the work. In larger colonies you can regularly see a worker recruiting a group of 6-10 other workers and then they'll travel to another outworld - they don't care about what the rest of the colony does.

 

Majority votes usually only play a role when the colony wants to move to a new nest.

 

 

Young Camponotus colonies (I think young ant colonies in general) most of the time don't have an established trash pile as the amount of waste they produce isn't enough to create a proper dump that can support the decomposer organisms you usually find there - so it makes little sense to gather the trash in one location and instead they'll just stick it into whatever gap they can find (which can be very annoying). The smell also probably doesn't really catch on either when there's only one item getting dumped per week, so they simply might not be able find the trash dumped the week before.

 

Something I can recommend when preparing an ant setup with a sand-clay or grout substrate layer is to make a small "valley" at one place and fill it with sand. Most ants LOVE to dump their trash onto patches of sand and it can help them a lot with establishing a proper waste dump.

Edited by Serafine, October 20 2019 - 10:29 PM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Okay stupid ant keeper one.

 

Expectation: A heating pad will really help this heat-loving Pogonomyrmex queen! In fact, I will give her some dirt to make her feel comfortable and happy, too.

Reality: Queen gets stuck in condensation and dies.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

Expectation: baby powder sure is enough to keep a colony contained.

Reality: tickle tickle on my leg who the phuk is in ma bed

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

The correct solution is baby powder and rubbing alcohol...

[AntsDakota]

The correct solution is baby powder and rubbing alcohol...

Plain baby powder works better for me. If none of that works, try fluon.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

The correct solution is baby powder and rubbing alcohol...

I know and that's what I did but it didn't work too well.
Also it's not the correct way but one way of applying it to the surface
I bought fluon now that's way better and not as ugly

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Yea, I just use baby powder and rubbing alcohol because I keep Camponotous, and they have a hard time walking over that barrier

[Becky]

Sorry, I made a misshap.

Edited by Becky, November 3 2019 - 2:33 PM.

[Serafine]

Expectation: Majors are fearless warriors, prepared to kill anything that threatens the nest, and cut up food like nobody's business

Reality: They'd rather sit in the nest all day, have the minors struggle with prey items and defend the nest, while they run and hide.I

(This is aimed towards Camponotus subgenus species, like Camponotus chromaiodes or pennslyvanicus. My Myrmentoma subgenus Camponotus majors are fearless)

Most people get this impression because they're only having small colonies.
It took my Camponotus barbaricus 3 years and over 10k workers to finally develop their largest majors and wow they are aggressive. One tried to bite my fingertip and amazingly was actually able to get a grip (she didn't pierce the skin but it was very noticable and given enough time I could see her doing it).
So you just need patience. It takes them quite some time to become confident.

[TennesseeAnts]

I know. My Camponotus chromaiodes colony has some aggressive majors recently, since passing 500.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

I never kept camponotus before I'll get some next season.

I don't know which ones yet cause I want some active ones cause I keep them in a natural setup and wanna see some action.

Does anyone have a species they could recommend?

[OhNoNotAgain]

Expectation: Majors are big, tough, defenders of the colony. I mean, even if other people's majors aren't aggressive, surely they'll be a LITTLE bit braver than nanitics.

 

Reality:

Camponotus fragilis faced with a live mealworm:

Little nanitics: Run away! Oh, fine, I guess a couple of us will go deal with it.

Big huge impressive major: Too scary for me. I'll be over here having a nap with the queen. Have fun!

 

 

Yes, as per thread above, I know. When they surpass 500 I'll be watching for super aggro majors that con red.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, December 8 2019 - 2:01 PM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Colonies given fresh cooked chicken:

 

Camponotus fragilis: Yum! Let's take that!

Pogonomyrmex californicus: Hmm, not bad. Let's have some. Nom, nom.

Veromessor pergandei: TRASH! WHO LEFT THIS TRASH HERE! HAUL IT AWAY! QUICK!!!

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Colonies given fresh cooked chicken:

 

Camponotus fragilis: Yum! Let's take that!

Pogonomyrmex californicus: Hmm, not bad. Let's have some. Nom, nom.

Veromessor pergandei: TRASH! WHO LEFT THIS TRASH HERE! HAUL IT AWAY! QUICK!!!

Have you considered your Veromessor pergandei to be anorexic before? It seems like they would be the colony to stave themselves out of the other two

[OhNoNotAgain]

Colonies given fresh cooked chicken:

Camponotus fragilis: Yum! Let's take that!
Pogonomyrmex californicus: Hmm, not bad. Let's have some. Nom, nom.
Veromessor pergandei: TRASH! WHO LEFT THIS TRASH HERE! HAUL IT AWAY! QUICK!!!

Have you considered your Veromessor pergandei to be anorexic before? It seems like they would be the colony to stave themselves out of the other two

Well they seem to looooove cut up mealworms. And I think they finally gave up after several days of no magic mealworms appearing and picked up some of the seeds I gave them, but not the special ant seed mix 😑