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Ants and More's antkeeping journal(sorry no pictures)

Started By antsandmore , Dec 14 2020 9:07 AM

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55 replies to this topic

#41 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 29 2021 - 2:12 PM

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Yes, good point. Organic honey is kind of false advertising.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#42 Offline antsandmore - Posted January 29 2021 - 7:56 PM

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Yes, good point. Organic honey is kind of false advertising.

yes. sometimes. thanks for all the input!


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#43 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 30 2021 - 9:28 AM

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I have had no issue feeding ants honey, but that is likely because I find ants do not like honey unless it is diluted. For feeding ants sugars I mix 40% honey, with 30% water with 30% sugar. It is incredibly sweet, and all my ants love it(except for my Pheidole, who don't really like any sugars).

 

 

Technically all food is organic. It's carbon based. :D

 

On an unrelated note, I one saw "gluten-free" modeling clay--the joys of living in California, I guess.


Edited by NickAnter, January 30 2021 - 9:29 AM.

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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). 

#44 Offline antsandmore - Posted January 30 2021 - 10:43 AM

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I have had no issue feeding ants honey, but that is likely because I find ants do not like honey unless it is diluted. For feeding ants sugars I mix 40% honey, with 30% water with 30% sugar. It is incredibly sweet, and all my ants love it(except for my Pheidole, who don't really like any sugars).

 

 

Technically all food is organic. It's carbon based. :D

 

On an unrelated note, I one saw "gluten-free" modeling clay--the joys of living in California, I guess.

yeet.... yes something I do. Water, Sugar, and Honey


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#45 Offline antsandmore - Posted February 9 2021 - 6:28 PM

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at this point, I'm so very excited. finally some good news!!!

Update 2/9/2020

My ants have finally gained another worker, and it has just eclosed today. It will help contribute to its family, and remember, I still have 4-5 pupae also close to enclosing! more good news to follow soon.


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#46 Offline antsandmore - Posted February 14 2021 - 1:29 PM

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A VALENTINES DAY UPDATE!!! <3

2/14/2021

 some bad news. The last nanitic died. :(  :*(

BUT they have 7 workers since the last update which wasn't too long ago, and the queen's gaster is now beginning to become more swolen. I am going to feed them 2-5 termites to encourage the laying of eggs and also development of brood. It seems like this colony will maybe even have 50 workers by the middle of the year. If anybody has suggestions, please let me know. They also seem to forage more often, and I just love their behavior. That's about it for this update. Let me go feed them.


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Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#47 Offline ANTdrew - Posted February 14 2021 - 2:05 PM

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Happy Crematogaster Day! Keep up the heat and lots of protein. Can’t go wrong with your termites.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#48 Offline antsandmore - Posted February 21 2021 - 10:46 AM

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Update 2/21/2021

back to ground zero, the colony is back to 9 workers because another worker has just enclosed sometime between yesterday night and this morning. I hope this colony can get to about 50 workers by the end of the year, maybe they will have more than that because they grow so fast. They are foraging more often, and are doing way better, as the queen is laying eggs more often. I have high hopes for this colony.


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Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#49 Offline ANTdrew - Posted February 21 2021 - 12:40 PM

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Keep up the good work. Keep the protein flowing from as much variety as you can muster. Someone needs to raise up a massive western Crematogaster colony.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#50 Offline M_Ants - Posted February 21 2021 - 12:41 PM

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Keep up the good work. Keep the protein flowing from as much variety as you can muster. Someone needs to raise up a massive western Crematogaster colony.

Don't worry I will. I have a poly Crematogaster colony. 


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Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

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

#51 Offline antsandmore - Posted February 21 2021 - 4:12 PM

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Keep up the good work. Keep the protein flowing from as much variety as you can muster. Someone needs to raise up a massive western Crematogaster colony.

Don't worry I will. I have a poly Crematogaster colony. 

 

no I will.... On second thought, we both will. my queen is awesome!!!


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#52 Offline antsandmore - Posted March 4 2021 - 11:40 AM

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Update 3/4/2021

the queen had laid lots of eggs about a week ago, and now they're all min-large larvae! they also had quite a few new workers, and they are at about 14 or 15 workers. I am very excited. And something I said this Journal wouldn't have for a long time will now be shown every once in a while. so enjoy! Disclaimer very bad pictures

 

image0.jpgimage0.jpgimage0.jpghuh so it didn't turn out as bad as I thought...


Edited by antsandmore, March 4 2021 - 11:41 AM.

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Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#53 Offline antsandmore - Posted June 19 2021 - 7:22 AM

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Update after 3 months...6/19/2021

I haven't been posting on this forum for a long time, especially my journal. They are not dead, but thriving, and have around 100-120 workers by what I can tell. I did neglect them and so they could be bigger if I hadn't neglected them. I will try not to neglect them again as they are my first colony and also a very cool colony in general. I hope that I will get more into ant keeping than I already am when I can catch some queens.


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#54 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 19 2021 - 10:56 AM

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I was wondering what was up with this colony. Remember, we’re counting on you to raise a massive western Crematogaster colony.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#55 Offline antsandmore - Posted June 23 2021 - 8:51 AM

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I was wondering what was up with this colony. Remember, we’re counting on you to raise a massive western Crematogaster colony.

Yes, I hope this colony doesn't fail because I fail to feed them. I am also going to get a mini hearth for them soon, if not a bigger tubs and tubes setup.


Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#56 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 23 2021 - 9:13 AM

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Feeding one colony takes three minutes. No more excuses!
"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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