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Brad's Pogonomyrmex Rugosus Journal (Update 8-4-22)


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#1 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted April 27 2020 - 9:45 AM

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4-27-20

A week ago I asked my grandparents out in Apple Valley to see if they can find Veromessor Pergandei. I showed them what to look for and said they should dig up founding chambers with a shovel. A few days later my grandpa says he thinks he found a queen ant. He showed me the picture and they were Pogonomyrmex Rugosus! He also found 3 of them! I had no clue these things flew this early. I don't even know how they found them. He said they are going to ship them out to me. Hopefully they survive the shipment. Also if you guys have any tips on these it would be greatly appreciated. I'm 0-30 on trying to found Pogonomyrmex.

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Edited by B_rad0806, August 4 2022 - 3:34 PM.

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#2 Offline Broncos - Posted April 27 2020 - 10:03 AM

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They only really do WELL in dirt setups. These guys are pretty hard to keep. Also the queens are easily stressed. Even the slightest shaking will make them eat their eggs. But over all they are great ants.
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#3 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 27 2020 - 2:33 PM

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I think these are Veromessor andrei. Far too early to be rugosus.


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). 


#4 Offline Broncos - Posted April 27 2020 - 2:34 PM

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Hmmm. Now that I look at it closer. That does look like Veromessor andrei

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Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

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#5 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted April 27 2020 - 4:59 PM

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I think these are Veromessor andrei. Far too early to be rugosus.

That’s not Andrei. I have Andrei and they do not look like that. Also I’ve caught a Rugosus Queen in the past, it died really fast though. And the don’t have Andrei in there area
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#6 Online JenC - Posted April 27 2020 - 5:06 PM

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Flights this year have been strange due to climate change. So some species are being seen earlier than usual.
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Current Colonies:
1x Camponotus Vicinus (3 Workers)

Single Queens:
3x Camponotus Clarithorax
4x Camponotus Maritimus
5x Camponotus Ca02
7x Camponotus Sansabeanus
1x Myrmecocustus Testaceus
3x Prenolepis Imparis

#7 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 27 2020 - 5:46 PM

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Upon closer inspection you appear to be right. I just find it strange they would fly before californicus, who usually fly first.


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). 


#8 Offline TheAntGuy - Posted April 28 2020 - 1:46 AM

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Nurbs actually caught some rugosus queens about a week or so before this, so it is confirmed that at least rugosus flights are a bit strange this year. Anyway you've got some nice grandparents brad. I recommend you get those queens into some dirtbox style nests. Put them in a closet or something and don't bother them.
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#9 Offline Broncos - Posted April 28 2020 - 5:35 AM

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In my opinion, Veromessor andrei and Rugosus look identical if they have the same color. What made me think it was rugosus was the jaws/mandibles. My rugosus looks the same.

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Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

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#10 Offline YsTheAnt - Posted April 28 2020 - 1:19 PM

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Rugosus have small flight throughout the year actually, its just they oftentime go unnoticed. The biggest flights occur in summer. I think there's some records of them flying as early as march haha.

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#11 Offline FeedTheAnts - Posted April 28 2020 - 3:10 PM

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Why is no one pointing out that you have the coolest grandparents in the world   (y)


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I accidentally froze all my ants 


#12 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted May 7 2020 - 12:28 PM

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Update 5-7-20

These guys arrived about a week ago. One of the 3 died because my grandpa accidentally made it drown. There was little water so he dropped water into it. That ended up killing it. It's fine though, I still have 2 others. I have one in a tube under my bed and one in a dirt box. The one in the dirt box has not dug yet. It still used the tube as it's home. When it gets workers it's probably going to dig. 


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#13 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted July 6 2020 - 11:12 AM

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Update 7-6-20

I'm pretty sure these are infertile. I only have one left and it has no eggs. They had eggs at one point but I guess it ate them in the time it was in the dark. Hopefully I can find more this summer.


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#14 Offline TechAnt - Posted July 6 2020 - 11:14 AM

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Oof. I hope your last one is fertile.

Edited by TechAnt, July 6 2020 - 11:14 AM.

My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#15 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted October 6 2020 - 10:53 AM

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Update 10-6-2

That last queen ended up being a dud and died. This weekend I bought a small colony of these from cocdeshijie with 2 workers and a small pile of brood. Hopefully these don't die like the other ones and I get an actual good colony. 

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#16 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted October 6 2020 - 10:58 AM

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nice brad! don't kill it like your novos!


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#17 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted October 6 2020 - 10:59 AM

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They only really do WELL in dirt setups. These guys are pretty hard to keep. Also the queens are easily stressed. Even the slightest shaking will make them eat their eggs. But over all they are great ants.

No. I mess with my rugos everyday. They don't eat there brood. Also mine are in tubes and are doing good. This year it looked like  a lot fo rugos did good in tubes. But obv they do better in dirt



#18 Offline Antkeeper014 - Posted October 6 2020 - 11:00 AM

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I love rugosus! Good luck on the colony
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#19 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted October 6 2020 - 2:40 PM

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Why is no one pointing out that you have the coolest grandparents in the world   (y)

mine would just walk a little faser without catching it.


Edited by Antkeeper01, October 6 2020 - 2:40 PM.

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1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

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#20 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted October 29 2020 - 9:49 AM

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Update 10-29-20

These have 4 workers now. The two new ones are larger than the first two nanitics. They still have 3 larvae and are doing good so far.

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