64 replies to this topic

[100lols]

Sorry to hear about the Anochetus risii. Hopefully they do better in the tube…

Awesome update!!

[Leo]

9/11/2023

 

Very busy with university unfortunately but here are a few quick updates:

 

Polyrhachis cf. confusa - 7mm

Tubs and tubes

1 Queen, 3 workers

 

This queen got her first nanitics a few weeks ago, and since then, 2 other workers have enclosed with another on the way. I've never actually seen them forage in person, but the food usually ends up in their tube. They've also started to cover the inside of their tube with silk, making it kinda hard to get good photos of them.

 

 

Strumigenys faea - 1.5mm

Small plaster nest

1 Queen, ~20 workers

 

So far their pre-existing brood has been developing fine, with them actively foraging and moving substrate into their nest, with which they've started to make a small pocket of space. However, I don't see any eggs which is a little concerning. Hopefully the queen will start laying soon.

 

 

 

Pristomyrmex cf. brevispinosus - 2mm

Mini plaster nest

1 Queen, ~15 workers

 

Just noticed a few larvae today. 

 

 

Euponera sp3 - (no measurement yet)

Test tube

1 Queen

 

2 larvae and no extra eggs. Hopefully this queen is comfortable enough to not eat her larvae again. Currently being fed with small bits of crushed roach.

 

 

 

 

Cerapachys sulcinodis - 8mm

Box of substrate

2 Queens, ~130 workers and majors

 

So i had to move them from their original dirt box because a few workers began dropping and sprouting the pathogenic fungus, eventually, one of the queens died and sprouted the white fluff too, and that's when I decided enough was enough. Currently they are in a plaster nest and have been for ~1 month. There have been few to no worker deaths, but still no sign of brood.

 

Edited by Leo, April 17 2024 - 10:37 PM.

[Leo]

12/04/2024

 

For some reason all the old photos (i used google drive) no longer show up, but I have not had the free time to shift all the photos to imgur or some other photo platform. If you are still curious as to what the images looked like, clicking on the image/link will still pull the photo up. I'll fix this problem eventually but this new update will be using some imgur photos. (Actually these photos are also almost a month old but i'm hella busy)
 

Strumigenys faea - 1.5mm

Small plaster nest

1 Queen, ~20 workers

 

A lot of the larvae has begun to pupate. This photo doesn't show the pupae, but there is a healthy pile of larvae. Still have yet to see the queen lay any eggs, but there always appears to be brood so I suppose its fine. The debris wall they have erected has begun to mold over, but its been molding for a while now and the ants seem to have some method to prevent the mold from reaching into the actual chamber itself, and so the mycelium actually seems to reinforce the walls which is interesting to see.

 

 

 

Buniapone ambylops - 10mm

small soil container

1 Queen, 1? worker

So a while back, the queen sealed off the chamber (early winter so around the last time i posted) and refused all food for a while. However, now that it's spring I was greeted by a pleasant surprise in the form of a foraging nanitic! These ants are quite rare due to their subterreanean nature, and as you can see from the cherry-red worker, have highly reduced eyes that reflect this. The queen appears to have a bunch of healthy larvae but I don't see another pupae as of now. Another notable thing is their strange mandibles, which remind me of myopias or stigmatomma. However so far they do not appear to be specialists and have happily accepted most small insects.

 

 

 

 

 

Ooceraea biroi - 2mm

Plaster nest

~60 workers

 

After a while of inactivity and no brood, both colonies are back at full swing with healthy batches of larvae in both colonies. Though my cat did knock one colony upside-down so that may set them back a few weeks. I have faith they'll recover quickly though

 

 

 

Odontomachus monticola - 15mm

Test tube

1Q, 1 worker

 

I don't believe I have ever posted about this queen because I had low hopes from past experiences, but against all odds, this queen has her first nanitic! These fellas already have a second pupae lined up as well as a few tiny larvae and a growing batch of eggs. Excited to see where this colony will go in the future. 

 

Edited by Leo, April 12 2024 - 8:07 AM.

[Ernteameise]

These are some really unique species you got there!

[Leo]

Fixed all the photos (/◕ヮ◕)/

Also have a bunch of new stuff that wasn't included in the last update. So stay tuned for that I guess haha.