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M_Ants Hypoponera opaciceps Starting Over with Queens


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125 replies to this topic

#21 Offline M_Ants - Posted October 19 2020 - 3:46 PM

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10/15/2020
IMG 1897
IMG 1902
10/17/2020
IMG 1962
10/18/2020 Look at it eating the booklice!
IMG 1970

 

 


Edited by M_Ants, October 19 2020 - 3:47 PM.

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Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about


#22 Offline M_Ants - Posted October 19 2020 - 3:48 PM

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Cocoon!!!!!!!!!!!! I got a cocoon. So far so good. Been giving the queens fruit flies from time to time which they seem to love. The ones in the dirt setup are both alive but I don't see any brood so hopefully it's hidden in their hole.
IMG 1996
 
About 16 days from egg to cocoon. So far the same as Ponera. If they stay on track should have the first worker in 10 days.

Edited by M_Ants, October 19 2020 - 3:56 PM.

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Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about


#23 Offline ponerinecat - Posted October 19 2020 - 8:34 PM

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Very nice! Looking forwards to workers. Have you Ided them yet?



#24 Offline M_Ants - Posted October 19 2020 - 8:36 PM

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I haven't. I guess I should. Should I make a post?


Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about


#25 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted October 20 2020 - 5:31 AM

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how is it this easy!!! all my and antsdakota's ponera colonies have died. we kept them in test tubes, so should we try something different? what is there to try?


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

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#26 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 20 2020 - 5:37 AM

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aren't dirt setups best? i think my ponera colony died ill have to check their dirt set up i haven't seen them in a while and i have seen a downfall in all my critters in there.


We don’t talk about that

#27 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted October 20 2020 - 5:42 AM

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how is it this easy!!! all my and antsdakota's ponera colonies have died. we kept them in test tubes, so should we try something different? what is there to try?

Uhhhh... Dirt? I kept mine in a vial with cotton at the bottom and a layer of dirt on top of that. It worked quite well.


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#28 Offline NickAnter - Posted October 20 2020 - 12:09 PM

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I'm determined to have success with these next year. Mine all seem to die within 5 days of capture.  I've tried a couple different setups too. I guess Ill try hydrostone instead of dirt.


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). 


#29 Offline ponerinecat - Posted October 20 2020 - 3:30 PM

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I'll just catch a budded ergatoid colony and try not to forget they exist  :lol:


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#30 Offline M_Ants - Posted October 20 2020 - 7:40 PM

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2 cocoons! You can see the larvae inside spinning the cocoon.

IMG 2020

Edited by M_Ants, October 24 2020 - 9:48 AM.

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Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about


#31 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted October 20 2020 - 8:58 PM

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How did you culture those book lice? also do u have a pic of the full setup? this species seems rlly cool, i wanna try keeping them lol


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#32 Offline M_Ants - Posted October 20 2020 - 9:26 PM

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So assuming you have booklice it's fairly easy I think. I found the booklice in the test tube of one of my V. andrei. Anyhow, I'm no expert. I just have a plastic container that I throw stuff in. I don't know if they eat seeds but I threw some in because they were in a test tube with V. andrei which eat seeds. They crawl all over the seeds but that doesn't really mean anything. I throw dried up dead insects like crickets and dubias in there. I recently added some pieces of twig. I don't have any substrate. Occasionally I squirt a little water on something like the wood because they need water and they eat mold I think. However, I put a like a drop. They don't need much and like it dry. When I want to feed the Hypos I grab a piece of something inside and tap some into the Hypos setup. The Hypos setup is just a square box with hyrdrostone. I have a sprinkler part that is basically just a tube the goes in through the side into the hydrostone. I attached a tube to it and poked a hole in the tube. To hydrate the Hypos setup I squirt water into the tube and it soaks into the hydrostone. Hope this helps.

IMG 2664
IMG 2665

Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about


#33 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 21 2020 - 3:41 AM

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I had a colony of ponera which is now in the wind because i was looking for the queen because i forgot about them and she escaped ;( i plan on catching many of these next year and i am hoping to become the next ponera and stigmatomma expert.


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We don’t talk about that

#34 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted October 21 2020 - 10:37 AM

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How do u find booklice?  :lol:


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#35 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 21 2020 - 1:23 PM

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In damp places near already existing colonies, try setting traps like bricks and rocks and sit them near a colony of ants that you have seen little jumpy grey things near, they are really active right now so you may find a lot.


We don’t talk about that

#36 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 21 2020 - 2:17 PM

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I wish vb was here honestly because I want some cryptics now like stigmatomma. Or stenema
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#37 Offline ponerinecat - Posted October 21 2020 - 3:26 PM

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In damp places near already existing colonies, try setting traps like bricks and rocks and sit them near a colony of ants that you have seen little jumpy grey things near, they are really active right now so you may find a lot.

Nah, those are springtails. Booklice like it dry and run instead of jump. You'll find them in granaries, dry leaf piles, pet food, stored grains, and most areas that have an abundance of dried cellulose.


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#38 Offline ponerinecat - Posted October 21 2020 - 3:27 PM

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I had a colony of ponera which is now in the wind because i was looking for the queen because i forgot about them and she escaped ;( i plan on catching many of these next year and i am hoping to become the next ponera and stigmatomma expert.

Please, please do not attempt anything with stigmatomma until you are able to keep them. It's fine to make them a goal, but you really need to do a lot of research and be very experienced to keep them healthy. 


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#39 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 22 2020 - 8:43 AM

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I had a colony of ponera which is now in the wind because i was looking for the queen because i forgot about them and she escaped ;( i plan on catching many of these next year and i am hoping to become the next ponera and stigmatomma expert.

Please, please do not attempt anything with stigmatomma until you are able to keep them. It's fine to make them a goal, but you really need to do a lot of research and be very experienced to keep them healthy. 

 

understood. I made a nest today very similar to a bull ant nest made in australia it has a firebrick part some ventilation holes and a grout flooring .and i plan on raising a hyponera or stenamma in it and if i can't find those then a ponera queen.


We don’t talk about that

#40 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted October 22 2020 - 8:47 AM

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anyway how do you tell the difference between ponera and hyponera?


We don’t talk about that




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