Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Cheeto's Atta mexicana


  • Please log in to reply
306 replies to this topic

#81 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted December 8 2020 - 12:13 PM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia
I had to come back for a minute for this :D
  • Swirlysnowflake likes this
We don’t talk about that

#82 Offline Miketheawesome - Posted December 8 2020 - 12:24 PM

Miketheawesome

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 34 posts
  • LocationSalinas CA

will someone feed them while you are gone?

That’s a good question how do you take care of your ants when you need to leave for long periods of time???


  • Ants_Dakota likes this

Camponotus Hyatti

1 Queen

6 Nanitics 


#83 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 8 2020 - 1:00 PM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

 

will someone feed them while you are gone?

That’s a good question how do you take care of your ants when you need to leave for long periods of time???

 

i mean, most species can last a bit, or you can use byformica feeders, but this species you cannot do that for.


  • Miketheawesome likes this

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)


#84 Offline AntsDakota - Posted December 8 2020 - 1:07 PM

AntsDakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,994 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

 

 

will someone feed them while you are gone?

That’s a good question how do you take care of your ants when you need to leave for long periods of time???

 

i mean, most species can last a bit, or you can use byformica feeders, but this species you cannot do that for.

 

Although a better option would be to have someone you know take care of them for you.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#85 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted December 8 2020 - 1:57 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,920 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Very impressive!



#86 Offline ANTdrew - Posted December 8 2020 - 3:04 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,416 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
You are so frickin’ lucky, Cheeto.
  • CheetoLord02 likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#87 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted December 8 2020 - 5:32 PM

CheetoLord02

    Vendor

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 781 posts
  • LocationMesa, AZ

While I'm gone my dad is going to be caring for my colonies. He hasn't kept ants before, but he is the main reason that I got into keeping animals in the first place. Thankfully Atta are pretty easy, so I'm hoping everything will go smoothly. I trust him (for the most part) and honestly, even if they went 2 whole weeks without any food I think they'd be fine, considering the size of their fungus. They definitely have enough to last a few weeks.


  • mmcguffi, Ants_Dakota, Miketheawesome and 1 other like this

#88 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted December 10 2020 - 9:26 AM

CheetoLord02

    Vendor

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 781 posts
  • LocationMesa, AZ

*
POPULAR

Update 12/10

After a hefty feeding of flowers the fungus totally exploded overnight! It's really nice to finally be seeing the totally insane growth from these guys again.
 

IMG 20201210 101501928 HDR
IMG 20201210 101414906 HDR

 

 

They've officially done it again. The lid of the container is once again just a few millimeters away. I don't know how after only 6 days they've managed to get it this tall again, but I suppose that's why you never underestimate Atta, huh.
 

IMG 20201210 093414971 HDR
IMG 20201210 101432130 HDR

 

 

Another exciting thing is that the "older" side of the garden is finally growing too! Not much for now, but it's definitely a solid start. 
 

IMG 20201210 101520216 HDR

  • AnthonyP163, SoySauce, Karma and 8 others like this

#89 Offline TechAnt - Posted December 10 2020 - 9:32 AM

TechAnt

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,303 posts
  • LocationLos Angeles, California

Amazing, simply amazing.


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

#90 Offline ZTYguy - Posted December 10 2020 - 10:05 AM

ZTYguy

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,682 posts
  • LocationNorthridge, California

Woohoo, go fungus go


  • Devi likes this
Currently: Considering moving to Australia
Reason: Myrmecia

#91 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted December 10 2020 - 10:37 AM

KitsAntVa

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,254 posts
  • LocationRichmond, Virginia

delicious.


We don’t talk about that

#92 Offline ANTdrew - Posted December 10 2020 - 1:06 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,416 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Those remind me of Thunbergia flowers.
  • Devi likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#93 Offline Devi - Posted December 11 2020 - 7:40 AM

Devi

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 602 posts
  • LocationDenver, Colorado

Ahhh, nothing like eating breakfast and reading Cheeto's journals.  :)


  • CheetoLord02, Ants_Dakota and MinigunL5 like this

#94 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 11 2020 - 7:42 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

Ahhh, nothing like eating breakfast and reading Cheeto's journals.  :)

wish i had a breakfast today :(


  • Devi likes this

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)


#95 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted December 11 2020 - 7:54 AM

Kaelwizard

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,852 posts
  • LocationPoway, California

 

Ahhh, nothing like eating breakfast and reading Cheeto's journals.  :)

wish i had a breakfast today :(

 

I would die without breakfast.


  • Ants_Dakota and Devi like this

#96 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted December 12 2020 - 4:27 PM

CheetoLord02

    Vendor

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 781 posts
  • LocationMesa, AZ

*
POPULAR

Update 12/12

Today was the day for this colony's huge move! I was anticipating to wait until I came back from vacation, but I just couldn't wait, and really the colony barely could either. The fungus would have been exploding out of the container if I ended up waiting another almost 3 weeks.

The new setup is sure to hold them for quite a while. It makes the fungus look tiny, but in reality it's just a very large setup. Here's the old nest compared to the new one:
 

IMG 20201212 163509898

 

 

And the old outworld, now used as a trash chamber, compared to the new outworld:

 

IMG 20201212 163506670

 

 

Needless to say this setup is the real deal. I'm expecting it to hold them until around 10,000 workers, although that may be a bit ambitious depending on the way the fungus ends up growing.


To move the fungus was relatively simple. All I did was open the setup, grab the fungus, pick it up, and place it in the new nest. Easy as that. A bit of the fungus that was anchored to the old nest ended up getting stuck to the plaster, but I was able to mostly scrape it off and save it. To pick up the fungus I wore a nitrile glove, and that saved me from a world of pain, as I had at least 3 dozen workers of various sizes furiously biting the gloved hand. It was surprisingly effective and I didn't get bit a single time. 


The huge setup makes the fungus look so tiny >-<
 

IMG 20201212 165920069


The good thing is that this new setup is super clear, and because of the increased height I'm able to get some pretty awesome lighting as well. The photo quality of this journal is absolutely going to get better because of it.
 

IMG 20201212 164813458
IMG 20201212 164307036

 

 

Once again the queen got a pretty good shock from this, but she's totally fine. A huge entourage of workers clustered around her as she shoved herself deep into one of the pockets of fungus.
 

IMG 20201212 164344832 HDR
 
 
At the end of the day, this colony is still looking great. I'm excited to see how this drastic increase in space affects the way that they decide to grow their fungus. Maybe we'll see another crazy tall and unstable tower come about, who knows.

IMG 20201212 164231799

 


  • AnthonyP163, Karma, ANTdrew and 7 others like this

#97 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted December 12 2020 - 5:01 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

I swear, the fungus still looks huge in the container. this is an amazing colony! can't wait to see it continue growing uwu


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 


#98 Offline ANTdrew - Posted December 12 2020 - 5:31 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,416 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Amazing...and where did you get those containers?
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#99 Offline Spazmops - Posted December 12 2020 - 5:35 PM

Spazmops

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 558 posts
  • LocationDenver, Colorado

This is one of the best journals I've read on this site. I'm glad the colony is doing so well!


  • CheetoLord02, Swirlysnowflake and MinigunL5 like this

Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 


#100 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted December 12 2020 - 5:39 PM

Swirlysnowflake

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,155 posts
  • LocationBay Area, CA

Amazing...and where did you get those containers?

I think they are from target:

https://www.target.c...145#lnk=sametab

i might be wrong though, lol


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users