43 replies to this topic

[PTAntFan]

So, as you can imagine, I'm a LONG time Windows user so this was a bit weird for me.  My new Mac sits in my office and I just kinda leave it on most of the day so I figured I'd see if I could set up a webcam.  But I only bought a Mac Mini.  No keyboard, no mouse, no camera.  I have to say, i've been kinda blown away that all my Windows peripherals work with it.  Microsoft keyboard, Logitech trackball and my Microsoft Lifecam Cinema.

 

However, the Lifecam plugged in and was recognized by the Mac, but I couldn't address any of the settings, of which the camera has many on Windows.  There's no official Mac driver either.  So, I found an OS X app in the store called Webcam Settings and it works perfectly.  I'm able to zoom, control exposure, tilt, everything.  Bambuser did the rest.  I created an account and followed the step by step settings, and 5m later my stream was live.  Thanks for clicking and proving it works beyond my LAN!

[PTAntFan]

If you check out the webcam this morning you'll see one of the nanitics came out deformed.  The ants haven't killed it though, they have it setup next to the egg pile this morning and seem to be taking care of her.  She can't walk or even stand up on her legs she's so badly deformed.  I suspect this was one of the pupae from Queen #1 who died and she got mangled when I moved her.

 

The colony is also snacking down on flightless flies this morning, which they LOVE!

Edited by PTAntFan, June 28 2015 - 7:06 AM.

[dspdrew]

Eugenics!

[PTAntFan]

These ants are RAVENOUS!  I've been giving them 4-6 wingless flies per day and they just plow through them.  They aren't as excited about honey-water anymore, guess I'll try some simple syrup.  I think it's really cool how this species sends a solo worker out to grab a fly and bring it back to the nest, then each ant gets her own fly, the queen gets one and they just chew them down. 

 

My second GroTube XL arrived today.  Hoping to move colony #3 in there.

[drtrmiller]

wook, who used to be a moderator here, always said that Formicinae are smart ants, while Myrmicinae are stupid. It really does seem to be true.

 

 

I wouldn't say "smart," as much as they gather more information through sight.

 

And since humans are highly visual, it's easier to observe visual cues and reactions of Formica and other ants with excellent vision, than it is to discern ants' reactions to chemical cues.

Edited by drtrmiller, June 29 2015 - 12:53 PM.

[PTAntFan]

No pictures to post right now but the two remaining colonies are doing fairly well.  Both have well over 20 ants and more on the way.  At some point I suspect they will effectively outgrow my GroTube.  I even left them for 5 days during a trip to Vegas.  I left some dried meal worms and BF100Blue and they seemed right as rain when I returned.

 

In other news, both of my Pogonomyrmex queens have produced ants!  Now I do not know if they will survive.  I am fairly sure one of them already produced an ant that went into its outworld and walked around till it died.  But that queen seems to have produced another and my other queen also has 1-2 nanitics.  Boy, these Pogonomyrmex are hard to rear!  They don't eat, what gives?  I've tried a bunch of different seeds, sweet waters, BF100Blue (actually, I know one of the queens has eaten that herself) but if you'd asked me 8 weeks ago when I found these queens if they'd have lived all this time without basically eating anything and have ants I'd have said "that's not funny, jerk." 

[Foogoo]

No pictures to post right now but the two remaining colonies are doing fairly well.  Both have well over 20 ants and more on the way.  At some point I suspect they will effectively outgrow my GroTube.  I even left them for 5 days during a trip to Vegas.  I left some dried meal worms and BF100Blue and they seemed right as rain when I returned.

 

In other news, both of my Pogonomyrmex queens have produced ants!  Now I do not know if they will survive.  I am fairly sure one of them already produced an ant that went into its outworld and walked around till it died.  But that queen seems to have produced another and my other queen also has 1-2 nanitics.  Boy, these Pogonomyrmex are hard to rear!  They don't eat, what gives?  I've tried a bunch of different seeds, sweet waters, BF100Blue (actually, I know one of the queens has eaten that herself) but if you'd asked me 8 weeks ago when I found these queens if they'd have lived all this time without basically eating anything and have ants I'd have said "that's not funny, jerk." 

Have either of these two eaten the dried mealworms?

 

I have both of these as well, both with workers, and they both seem neutral in terms of pickiness. The Formica eats most of what I offer, the Pogonomyrmex don't touch fresh crickets but will eat fruit flies. They both seem to nibble at Blue, but don't particularly love or hate it.

[PTAntFan]

They go from warm to hot on the blue. I think it depends on how hungry they are. I never see them really go at the worms but I have found empty outer shell in their trash. In the first month they went apesh!t for fruit flies, then they just seemed to lose interest. They are tough to figure out. No luck with crickets at all. My one Pogonomyrmex eats blue but I never see her do it. Night eater I guess.

[dspdrew]

Formica francoeuri really like sweet liquids. They eat that a lot in the wild.

[PTAntFan]

It's FEEDING TIME.

 

Webcam is back up for today.

http://embed.bambuse...hannel/PtAntFan

 

[Ants4fun]

Nice sacrificing stump.

[William. T]

Great colony!

[PTAntFan]

I'm a horrible 'journalist.' what can I say?  not much happened over the winter except the second to last colony failed in a horrible accident I won't go into here.  suffice to say it was my fault.  My last colony however, is doing great.  the queen has about 10-15 cocoons, 10-15 larva and a clutch of new eggs.  my biggest concern right now is if they will outgrow the GroTube XL v2 I bought them.  i should note that i have had ZERO problems with the GroTube.  It is a great setup for medium to large species. i'll try to post some pics this spring. 

[Loops117]

Wow, this is awesome. Nice setups.

[PTAntFan]

UPDATE - 6/20/2016

 

Well this one remaining colony is just BOOMING.  They are definitely outgrowing the GroTube and I'll have to figure out something new for them soon.  As you can see in some of the pics they have started bringing brood out into the GlassBox arena to heat them during the day. There must be over 200 workers now and probably that many brood.

 

 

 

I continue to be frustrated with how alarmed this species gets at the tiniest vibrations.  Just gently removing the top of the GlassBox to feed or clean sends them into a frenzy.  In the pics above you see about 1/4 the number of brood they actually had out this morning warming.  Still, they are my darlings and i hope they last.

Edited by PTAntFan, June 20 2016 - 12:20 PM.

[drtrmiller]

Wow! They've been in that GroTube a whole year?  Very impressive, if so.

Edited by drtrmiller, June 20 2016 - 12:56 PM.

[PTAntFan]

What's really crazy is that at night they all cram in there with only a dozen or so outside.

[Foogoo]

I'll be keeping an eye on this journal. Both my colonies have already gone through two boom and bust cycles for no apparent reason. It'll be interesting to see if that happens with your colony too.

[PTAntFan]

Who knew F. Frans loved banana so much?

 

This colony still growing nonstop.  Still haven't moved them to something else yet.  I really need to. At any time they have about 50 workers just resting in the Glassbox Arena because the GroTube is jam packed full.

[Foogoo]

I've noticed mine also need to have a constant drinking water source, even if it's a few drops of water on foil. I can't definitively make the connection, but haven't noticed any more die offs since I started making sure there was liquid always available.