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#61 Offline AntsDakota - Posted June 4 2020 - 5:37 PM

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UPDATE #0010 

Thursday, June 4th, 2020

 

Myrmica sp.

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

We have pupae! Also 30 or so 2nd-3rd instar larvae (which aren't visible in the photo). I think the queens are laying again..............

 

GAXLJsT.jpg

 

They are eating a ton now.

Y9P3f4k.jpg

 

 

Lasius aphidicola

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

The host larvae are beginning to pupate. However, even after eating a whole waxworm, the queen still hasn't laid. Her gaster looks plenty large, though........

 

You can kind of see a pupa in this photo:

mLH3yd6.jpg

 

 

Ponera pennsylvanica

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

Still no eggs........  :(

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

Lots of callows! I now estimate the population to be 50ish. There are also 20ish sizable larvae and pupae. 

 

9B3elqy.jpg

 

jvfaWnp.jpg

 

 

Aphaenogaster picea

First Appearance on Update #0006

 

Lots of good brood development. I was correct in assuming 

 

They’ll probably bounce right back in the test tube.

 

ofR6lRE.jpg

 

LM0xzhi.jpg

 

 

Formica subsericea

First Appearance on Update #0006

 

Eggs are hatching! Queen is also extremely bloated............ 

 

Since I took this photo (a few days ago), a couple more eggs have hatched. I circled the larva.

RgMzfSh.jpg

 

 

Lasius americanus

First Appearance on Update #0009

 

Queen laid a clump of eggs. And also like their parasitic neighbors, their larvae are beginning to pupate.

 

1u4SpBj.jpg

 

Aphaenogaster rudis

First Appearance on Update #0009

 

I caught another one of these, and decided to attempt to merge them, as an experiment. I had always wondered if perhaps populations around here were polygynous. So basically, the workers pulled each others' limbs for a little while, but accepted each other overall after a few hours. However, they killed the smaller, skinnier, recessive queen immediately. I guess that answers my question........ However, I will be trading this colony off to Ants_Dakota, so this will be their last update.

 

 

NEW!!!

Camponotus pennsylvanicus 

 

Colony A 

Today I was anting in a local wooded area. I was flipping over rocks, and all the sudden, after lifting up a smaller rock, Camponotus minors and majors came rushing out! I scooped them up, and then decided to search for the rest of the colony. I then flipped over a larger rock adjacent to the smaller one, and lo and behold, the queen was underneath! I grabbed her, and tried to grab some of the extra workers. Overall, I caught a little under 150 workers. The colony seemed to originally have around 200, 300 at the very max, so I got the majority of the workerforce. There was no brood, but the queen looks fat enough.

 

Colony B

Then, later today, pennsylvanicus was apparently flying, and a queen landed near my deck. She was captured before she had a chance to remove her wings. However, her gaster is decently large, so I'm hoping she's mated.

PHKL5PU.jpg

 

 

SPOILER ALERT!!!

LOTS OF NEW COLONIES COMING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO!!!


Edited by AntsDakota, June 4 2020 - 5:46 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


#62 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 4 2020 - 8:04 PM

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I can't wait!
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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

My South Dakotan Shop Here

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


#63 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 4 2020 - 8:06 PM

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Has anyone else noticed that when unmated queens are with mated queens, they will drop their wings? That happened with my modoc.
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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

My South Dakotan Shop Here

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


#64 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted June 4 2020 - 10:49 PM

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Has anyone else noticed that when unmated queens are with mated queens, they will drop their wings? That happened with my modoc.

I dunno but on Facebook I saw a video where the person seemed to imply that queens with wings will IMMEDIATELY remove them if a male alate is introduced into the tube.


Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus, vicinus, quercicola

Liometopum occidentale;  Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and previously californicus

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

 

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.


#65 Offline AntsDakota - Posted June 5 2020 - 4:51 AM

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.I really don’t think wings are an indicator at all
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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


#66 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 5 2020 - 7:07 AM

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Me neither.

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)


#67 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 5 2020 - 7:10 AM

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Not to hijack your thread, but I have found that Solenopsis molesta queens who remove their wings seem much more likely to be mated.


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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). 


#68 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 5 2020 - 7:42 AM

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I have found that as well, but with my camponotus, I put 5 unmated queens in there, all with wings, and in the morning there were 2 with wings left.

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)


#69 Offline AntsDakota - Posted June 5 2020 - 8:38 AM

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More likely, but not 100 %, which was my point.
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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


#70 Offline AntsDakota - Posted June 12 2020 - 8:32 AM

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UPDATE #0011

Friday, June 12th, 2020

 

Myrmica sp.

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

These gals have lots of brood of all stages. However, I am disappointed with their slow growth rate. The fault is mine, however, as they as of now do not have a heating cable, which is on its way. Unfortunately, I do believe the worker population is slowly declining, as its been a long time since fresh workers have replaced them. I am confident they will be more than replaced shortly, however.

 

y6O4JHM.jpg

 

ww8E1B2.jpg

 

 

Lasius aphidicola

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

Lots of host pupae, yet still no eggs. 

 

Ponera pennsylvanica

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

Still no eggs. I just might trade off this colony to Ants4fun if he happens to find some Camponotus americanus queens, as he probably is better equipped to care for them (and more patient than I  :lol:  :facepalm: ). 

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

First Appearance on Update #0005

 

Well, what a surprise. They're doing well, with lots of brood of all stages. I estimate their worker count to be 50-60 atm. 

 

YgX6SN3.jpg

 

 

Aphaenogaster picea

First Appearance on Update #0006

 

I traded these off to Ants_Dakota, along with my rudis colony for a new colony which will be mentioned later in this update.

 

Formica subsericea/Unknown Formica sp.

First Appearance on Update #0006

 

So, I got another colony of Formica in that same trade with Ants_Dakota. Thinking they were the same species, I attempted to merge them. Unfortunately, they were not. However, after some experimenting, I was able to get the new colony, which has 6 queens, to accept my colony's queen. There was a little nipping, but there was also a little grooming going on, too. Overall, I don't believe she is in any danger.

 

The larger queen is mine, and the smaller one is one of the new queens. The rest of the queens and workers are enjoying some honey I gave them on the other side of the tube.

NqgVajd.jpg

 

 

 

Lasius americanus

First Appearance on Update #0009

 

As you will see later in this update, there were some colonies I bought from Ants_Dakota. I gave him this colony, and the overall price was reduced. I am loaning him some to help fund the protype Ants Dakota desktop nests, which he is designing and building, soon to be released once our website is published. 

 

 

Aphaenogaster rudis

First Appearance on Update #0009

 

As previously mentioned, this colony, along with my picea colony, got traded off to Ants_Dakota, and were merged with his queenless colony.

 

 

 

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus 

First Appearance on Update #0010

 

Colony A

The queen has laid lots of eggs, well over 100. Over the past week, I've fed them honey, and a mealworm. I also bought some crickets, one of which I gave to them. I kid you not, 10 minutes after I put it in there, it was nowhere to be seen. Not a trace! I have them housed in a temporary holding container with wood chips, and am hydrating it every couple days. I have a THA Station on its way for them.

 

Workers and part of the egg pile:

165ROuL.jpg

 

Workers:

CbJMAi1.jpg

 

Workers and queen:

S826HUd.jpg

 

Colony B

At first I thought this queen had not mated, as she just sat in her tube doing nothing, with wings still in tact. However, a couple days ago, she dropped her wings and started laying. As of now she has 6 eggs, which she actually cares for and bunches together. 

 

In this photo, she only has four eggs, yet she lays two more after this was taken:

unNZAjE.jpg

 

 

NEW!!!

Camponotus vicinus

 

This is one of the colonies I bought from Ants_Dakota. They, like all the others I bought, were found in South Dakota's Black Hills, a small mountain range covered with beautiful coniferous forests. As I had always hoped, it seems the South Dakotan variety is polygynous! He caught to dealates, and placed them in the same test tube. So far they not only have tolerated each other, but have been observed grooming each other! They have now collectively laid 15 eggs.

 

I think vicinus is my favorite Camponotus. Their queens are just so beautiful! I also love the fact that these queens are of different color variations, so I can easily tell them apart. They also slightly vary in size.

KwShTzM.jpg

 

xbQizh0.jpg

 

 

NEW!!!

Camponotus novaeboracensis 

 

Also got these from Ants_Dakota (as with all the new colonies in this update). She is a pretty queen, yet not nearly as pretty as the vicinus. As of now she has 7 eggs.

 

Sorry, these tubes are definitely not good for photography, yet I didn't have the heart to move them.

dCtnwVQ.jpg

 

 

NEW!!!

Camponotus modoc

 

This queen is slightly smaller than my pennsylvanicus queen, and has red legs. Interesting, as I thought the two species were physically identical. I suppose some are, just not this variation. This particular queen has laid 5 eggs so far.

 

Again, she is in one of those tubes, so bear with me:

69FNj6t.jpg

 

 

NEW!!!

Aphaenogaster tennesseensis

 

So, I have been harboring this colony for a couple weeks now. I haven't told you guys about it, as it was intended for Ants_Dakota. I was simply currying it from Ants4fun to him. However, I got attached, and he agreed to let me keep it in exchange for my Aphaenogaster colonies, as mentioned above. As Ants4fun has said, their queens are TINY! I'm pretty sure the larger workers are actually longer than the queen. However, her bright, fat thorax distinguishes her from her workers. Not that that makes her much easier to pick out, but still.........

They have a few dozen eggs, and a couple dozen larvae, which are beginning to pupate. I also fed them a cricket.

 

ilAThwD.jpg

 

 

NEW!!!

Formica cf. incerta 

 

Ants_Dakota originally thought this to be a Formica social parasite, yet upon receiving her, I determined she was in the pallidefulva group. Ant_Dude2908 believes she is F. incerta. She does not have any eggs yet, yet it has only been a few days. 

 

goTcRcd.jpg

 

 

NEW!!!

Tapinoma sessile

 

Now, I know that to most, these ants may seem rather boring, yet please give this colony a chance! They have quite an interesting story, and is about to get even more interesting. 

 

So, in the Black Hills, Ants_Dakota found a colony of these. He collected a couple hundred workers and a near equivalent amount of brood. However, no queens were captured. Then, he caught three queens of a small colony, and threw them in with the workers. However, when I received them, they were nowhere to be found. The colony must have killed them........  :( However, the colony has a single queen pupa. My hopes is that, besides the skepticism shown by the more knowledgeable and accredited members of this forum, either some of the brood is male, and they will develop and mate with the queen, or the workers will lay male eggs. Perhaps the queen will even lay male eggs, and mate with her own sons? Anyways, this will be an interesting experiment, concerning sibling breeding in Tapinoma sessile

 aoVqKoI.jpg

 

 

WOW, that was a long update! So, do you guys think that perhaps I should divide my journal, as this is getting long, and will get longer. Let me know your thoughts!

 


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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


#71 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted June 12 2020 - 8:39 AM

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I think your Myrmica are in a similar position to mine right now. I really like this genus and it's nice to see someone else keeping them.


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Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#72 Offline AntsDakota - Posted June 12 2020 - 8:46 AM

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I think your Myrmica are in a similar position to mine right now. I really like this genus and it's nice to see someone else keeping them.

Becky also has a fascinating Myrmica journal.


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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


#73 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted June 12 2020 - 9:05 AM

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I think your Myrmica are in a similar position to mine right now. I really like this genus and it's nice to see someone else keeping them.

Becky also has a fascinating Myrmica journal.

 

I love that journal; it's interesting to see how different American and European Myrmica are.


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Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#74 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 12 2020 - 12:57 PM

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I am also keeping the same species of myrmica as him, as well as 2 other species!


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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

My South Dakotan Shop Here

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






Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: pogonomyrmex, pogonomyrmex occidentalis, aphaenogaster, lasius, lasius aphidicola, parasitic lasius, formica, formica subsericea, myrmica, aphaenogaster rudis, camponotus pennsylvanicus, camponotus vicinus, camponotus modoc, camponotus novaeboracensis, formica incerta, tapinoma sessile, tapinoma, camponotus, aphaenogaster tennesseensis

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