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Manitobant's Polyergus mexicanus queen journal (discontinued)


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61 replies to this topic

#21 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted January 14 2021 - 10:13 PM

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2 days later.....

Queen dies.....


Shhhh! The Ant Gods will hear you!
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#22 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 7 2021 - 3:22 PM

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Update February 7th, 2021

The colony has been moved into a mini hearth. They have about 12 hosts now and the eggs are back after a brief stint where they were eaten.

Edited by Manitobant, February 7 2021 - 3:24 PM.

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#23 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 25 2021 - 4:47 PM

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Update February 25th, biological pupae!

 

 

The colony now has their first few pupae! I gave them a few subsericea pupae as well, but the larger ones are 100% polyergus. they also have a few large larvae. we are now in the final stretch of the journey before the biological workers emerge, and then the most critical stage of the queens life is over.

 

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#24 Offline antsandmore - Posted February 25 2021 - 4:55 PM

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Update February 25th, biological pupae!

 

 

The colony now has their first few pupae! I gave them a few subsericea pupae as well, but the larger ones are 100% polyergus. they also have a few large larvae. we are now in the final stretch of the journey before the biological workers emerge, and then the most critical stage of the queens life is over.

 

does this mean that the colony will now thrive, or steadily grow? congratulations btw!


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year


#25 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 25 2021 - 6:39 PM

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Update February 25th, biological pupae!
 
 
The colony now has their first few pupae! I gave them a few subsericea pupae as well, but the larger ones are 100% polyergus. they also have a few large larvae. we are now in the final stretch of the journey before the biological workers emerge, and then the most critical stage of the queens life is over.

does this mean that the colony will now thrive, or steadily grow? congratulations btw!
well parasitic colonies usually do much better once they get their biological workers.

#26 Offline Manitobant - Posted March 11 2021 - 4:26 PM

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update march 11th, 2021

 

WE DID IT BOYS!!!!!

 

today I did my weekly feeding and found 3 newly eclosed polyergus workers! they are larger than i expected for nanitics, considering how tiny my formica cf. subintegra nanitics were. egg production has sadly come to a halt however, presumably because of the lack of hosts. they should start laying once i substantially brood boost them, though i am not sure when this will be as my formica subsericea colony intended for brood boosting had a massive die off, and although my formica montana colony is doing absolutely amazing, I'm not sure if i want to risk removing tons of their brood. 

 
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the hosts seem a little curious about their adopted sisters. they are constantly checking them out and pulling them around the nest. perhaps they realize they are different in some way.
 
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one of the best things about polyergus is their mandibles. they just look so interesting.
 
 
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other random photos

 

 
 

 

 


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#27 Offline NickAnter - Posted March 11 2021 - 4:34 PM

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Awesome!!!! I hope you can keep up with their demand for slaves, and that they do great!!!!!


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). 


#28 Offline antsandmore - Posted March 11 2021 - 6:00 PM

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The next level is to get alates...


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Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year


#29 Offline Manitobant - Posted May 7 2021 - 2:57 PM

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Update may 7th, 2021

A few weeks ago i put the colony into hibernation. The reason is because many slave making species stop brood production for the season if they don’t have many hosts. I plan to take these guys out in late june/early july, when the wild formica around here get pupae.


I also caught a large polyergus Mexicanus colony today, in order to replace the one that died last year and to continue my experiments. They have around 200 slaves and 100 biological workers. If you want me to include them in this journal please let me know.
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#30 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted May 7 2021 - 3:14 PM

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Update may 7th, 2021

A few weeks ago i put the colony into hibernation. The reason is because many slave making species stop brood production for the season if they don’t have many hosts. I plan to take these guys out in late june/early july, when the wild formica around here get pupae.


I also caught a large polyergus Mexicanus colony today, in order to replace the one that died last year and to continue my experiments. They have around 200 slaves and 100 biological workers. If you want me to include them in this journal please let me know.

please! include them


1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

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

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489


#31 Offline NicholasP - Posted June 6 2021 - 10:32 PM

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update?



#32 Offline NicholasP - Posted June 14 2021 - 2:22 PM

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I think I found out why Manitobant no longer is updating... Look at this...

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Edited by NicholasP, June 14 2021 - 2:22 PM.


#33 Offline Manitobant - Posted June 14 2021 - 2:30 PM

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I think I found out why Manitobant no longer is updating... Look at this...

nope, those were queens i sold to CAC last year. I supply him. This colony is simply in hibernation waiting until july 1st to be awoken.
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#34 Offline NicholasP - Posted June 14 2021 - 2:31 PM

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I think I found out why Manitobant no longer is updating... Look at this...

nope, those were queens i sold to CAC last year. I supply him. This colony is simply in hibernation waiting until july 1st to be awoken.

 

oh! ok. I'm sorry I accused you.



#35 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 13 2021 - 3:13 PM

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Update?
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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). 


#36 Offline Manitobant - Posted August 13 2021 - 5:42 PM

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Update august 13th, 2021

I took the colony out of hibernation about a month ago. They currently have a bunch of biological larvae and host pupae. I plan to move them into a tar heel ants fortress sometime in the next few weeks, once their bios and host brood ecloses.


I also caught a few more queens of this species last week, as they are currently flying. However, i sold them as I already have 3 P. Mexicanus colonies in my possession (the 2 new ones were wild collected this may).

Edited by Manitobant, August 19 2021 - 1:54 PM.

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#37 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted September 7 2021 - 1:56 PM

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update?


Edited by Antkeeper01, September 7 2021 - 1:57 PM.

1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

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

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489


#38 Offline Manitobant - Posted October 10 2021 - 11:39 AM

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Update october 10th, 2021

The colony was moved into a tar heel ants fortress around 3 weeks ago, and they got a second generation of biological workers, bringing the total to around 15. I also boosted the colony with around 100 formica subsericea pupae, which they accepted. The colony is now in hibernation due the queen halting egg production, presumably because of the colder weather outside and biological clock.

Edited by Manitobant, October 10 2021 - 11:41 AM.


#39 Offline wallaby - Posted December 1 2021 - 9:59 PM

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cool! I love these ants.  I hope that your colony grows quickly!

also when do you plan on taking them out Of hIbernation?


I'm trying not to revive old threads


#40 Offline wallaby - Posted December 1 2021 - 10:12 PM

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wait no that's a dumb question


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I'm trying not to revive old threads





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