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Nylanderia Notebook

Started By ANTdrew , Sep 15 2020 10:56 AM

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167 replies to this topic

#21 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 5 2020 - 10:29 AM

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They grow faster than anything I’ve ever kept just about! This is my colony’s first year. I found the queen early in June at my black-light.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#22 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 5 2020 - 11:02 AM

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Not even your pheidole grow as fast!?
We don’t talk about that

#23 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 5 2020 - 1:16 PM

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Not even your pheidole grow as fast!?

It’s neck and neck, but I’d say they outpace even them.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#24 Offline Antkid12 - Posted October 5 2020 - 2:02 PM

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I wish I hadn’t of let my nylarandia queen go just because some people told me it was a parasitic Lasius... then once I read the identification a little later someone said it was nylarandia they are so cool and tiny! Do they grow really fast? Isn’t this their first year?

I'm pretty sure it is.


Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#25 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 5 2020 - 2:29 PM

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Wow I may not want to keep nylarandia until later on in my ant keeping once I have a bunch of nests spare. How big do these colony’s get?
We don’t talk about that

#26 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted October 5 2020 - 2:42 PM

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i don't think they get really big as the ants are really small. i could be wrong though.


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)

#27 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 6 2020 - 2:14 AM

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I think their max colony size is a couple thousand.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#28 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 9 2020 - 6:35 AM

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Update 10-9-2020

 

 My Nylanderia vividula have really responded to the heat cable I taped on their mini-heart. They're sending out bigger feeding frenzies than ever now, like this dubia roach feast from last night:

 
 I accidentally overfilled their water tower a tiny bit on Thursday, and they  F R E A K E D out. Half the colony rushed up to the foraging area carrying brood and truly living up to their common name, c r a z y  a n t s! I guess these ants really don't like open liquids in their nest. They calmed down after a while, though, and it gave me a good look at how big the colony really is now. They have 300-400 workers, I'd say. I'm very thankful that I was able to renew their Fluon last week to stop them.

Edited by ANTdrew, October 9 2020 - 6:36 AM.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#29 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 9 2020 - 6:41 AM

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Sounds like you need to upgrade these and your pheidole immediately.
We don’t talk about that

#30 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted October 9 2020 - 6:49 AM

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i hope to make a formicarium branch that makes this really easy.


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)

#31 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 15 2020 - 8:46 AM

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Photo Update 10-15-2020

 

This colony's growth is off the charts! I think I will hibernate them after all just to get a bit of a break and some time to get them a bigger set up.

 

The nest area of the mini-hearth is completely filled with brood. They're even sticking brood on the glass now.

 

Big feeding responses:

 
The Nylanderia flavipes colony I gave my brother seems to be struggling, though. They aren't showing any interest in proteins, so maybe they are just ready to hibernate. I hope they can bounce back next spring.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#32 Offline TechAnt - Posted October 15 2020 - 8:55 AM

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ANTDrews small ant growth chart:

Your Monomorium: explode

Your Pheidole: EXPLODE

Your Nylanderia: EXPLODE


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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

#33 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted October 15 2020 - 9:08 AM

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lol. he is just a awesome ant keeper!


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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)

#34 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted October 15 2020 - 11:39 AM

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We'll hey guys. My sister, back in June, caught a Nylanderia queen, and she is thriving! Here is an ok picture of them, but the test tube they're in is very moldy, so I can't get a great picture. You can see them a little in the back.

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Edited by Thunder_Birds, October 15 2020 - 11:40 AM.

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#Ants4Life

#35 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted October 15 2020 - 4:50 PM

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We'll hey guys. My sister, back in June, caught a Nylanderia queen, and she is thriving! Here is an ok picture of them, but the test tube they're in is very moldy, so I can't get a great picture. You can see them a little in the back.

use those pics you have in your journal. those are really good


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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)

#36 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted October 15 2020 - 6:52 PM

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We'll hey guys. My sister, back in June, caught a Nylanderia queen, and she is thriving! Here is an ok picture of them, but the test tube they're in is very moldy, so I can't get a great picture. You can see them a little in the back.

use those pics you have in your journal. those are really good

 

Oh well thanks :D Will do. 


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#Ants4Life

#37 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 28 2020 - 6:04 AM

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I was going to begin the process of putting these girls in diapause this weekend, but I discovered that a creepy, Frankenstein colored mold had grown on the floor of their foraging area. They are living in this weird fake mini-hearth that I got off eBay years ago. I don't know if that has anything to do with the mold, but it seems unhealthy for me to hibernate them in those conditions. I'll need to figure out somewhere else to move them into quick (probably some test tubes) because I don't want any die-offs like NickAnter had with his colony.

Thankfully, I haven't seen any adverse effects, but it looks really ugly. It's always something.


Edited by ANTdrew, October 28 2020 - 6:06 AM.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#38 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 28 2020 - 6:07 AM

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What does the mini hearth well fake mini hearth look like? maybe they brought food in the nest and you just can't see it because there are so many workers.


We don’t talk about that

#39 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 28 2020 - 6:09 AM

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Ouuuu i forgot to tell you feed them some nectar or honey because a nylarandia colony in my backyard literally looks like it has repletes.


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We don’t talk about that

#40 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 28 2020 - 6:20 AM

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It looks just like a normal mini-hearth, but the tubing is way smaller and there is only one hole in the side. I think it is a different material, too.

I always have a byFormica feeder filled with nectar for them available, and, yes, they do swell up like micro-repletes. Their gasters look striped like a tiger.


Edited by ANTdrew, October 28 2020 - 6:20 AM.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
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