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Legendary Atta Mexicana - It doesn't get any bigger than this ;)

Started By Luke_in_AZ , Aug 4 2021 8:43 PM

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98 replies to this topic

#81 Offline NickAnter - Posted October 9 2021 - 9:26 AM

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Well he might not even be able to leave his house(except for a "good reason") so I think he might have a right.

 

And indeed, to the OP, how are they doing?


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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). 

#82 Offline Leptomyrmx - Posted October 9 2021 - 1:51 PM

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I just realised I was reading a journal that wasn't 4 years old...
A very fun to read journal. I'm very jealous of the leafcutter ants you have in the US... oh well... at least my state has twice the amount of species than in any state in the over there- :lol:
I really wanna hear ant sounds now.

By being Australian, you kind of forego your right to be jealous of anybody else’s ants.

 

Haha, yeah...

 

Well he might not even be able to leave his house(except for a "good reason") so I think he might have a right.

 

And indeed, to the OP, how are they doing?

Restrictions finally easing :)

 

I think someday I'll end up doing something like this (going out into the desert at night, not sleeping for 48 hours, etc.) with Melophorus bagoti.


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My Ants:

Colonies: Camponotus humilior 1w, Opisthopsis rufithorax 11w, Aphaenogaster longiceps ~5w, Pheidole sp. ~235w ~15m, Iridomyrmex sp. 2q 1w, Brachyponera lutea 6w, Crematogaster sp. ~20w, Podomyrma sp. 1w

Queens: Polyrhachis cf. robinsoni, Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) sp. (likely infertile)

Previously Kept: Colobopsis gasseri, Technomyrmex sp., Rhytidoponera victorae, Nylanderia cf. rosae, Myrmecia brevinoda/forficata, Polyrhachis australis, Solenopsis/Monomorium

Key: Q = Queen, W = Worker, M = Major

Youtube Channel: Ants of Sydney - YouTube

Patreon (for YouTube channel): https://www.patreon.com/antsofsydney

#83 Offline mmcguffi - Posted October 11 2021 - 3:04 PM

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Any update? Were these able to make it past founding? They should have tons of workers by now -- fingers crossed that everything worked out!


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#84 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted October 17 2021 - 7:36 PM

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Well.  I was hoping to finally have some good news to post but unfortunately these Atta mexicana have lived up to their reputation as the impossible to get ants.  Or least in my case, the impossible to get larvae and stay alive.  None of the eggs ever hatched and the queens eventually died.  They're kept in the same conditions as a bunch of Acromyrmex versicolor colonies and those are doing excellent so I don't think it's the environment. 

 

I collected the queens I caught at least 100 feet from any nest but believe they ended up not being fertile because even though almost all laid tons of eggs, none turned into larvae.  This is pretty surprising.  I thought I would get at least a few!  Or even one!?  They must only mate in the air because I even put a male in each container with a queen and they did not mate. 

 

Lessons learned: 

- Be very careful with bright flashlights or unmated queens will be attracted to it before mating.

- Only pickup dealate queens with no wings or you're wasting your time.  Literally 100% of these queens with wings were unfertile

- Some people have said the mated queens fly very far away.  Like 1/2 mile or maybe more?  I don't know.

 

It was very cool to see them fly and give it a shot but it also took so much time.  If I do try again next year, I'll need the full year to recover.  Both physically and my broken heart.  lol


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#85 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted October 17 2021 - 8:11 PM

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All good, I've had plenty of species I love die and I always used that as a learning experience. that's why every year I continue to get better. Next year you will have much better success in both colony size and number of colonies.


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#86 Offline SoySauce - Posted October 18 2021 - 6:42 AM

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Oh man, sorry it didn't work out for you.  Thank you though for taking us along your journey.  I'm sure you'll be continuing this journal next year with many success stories!!!


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#87 Offline KadinB - Posted October 18 2021 - 9:39 AM

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Wow sorry to hear that. I really enjoined this journal on here though! Its my favorite journal on this website. Well better luck next year! Hopefully next year you can get some fertile queens then get some colonies going.

Edited by KadinB, October 18 2021 - 9:40 AM.

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#88 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted October 18 2021 - 10:16 AM

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Wow sorry to hear that. I really enjoined this journal on here though! Its my favorite journal on this website. Well better luck next year! Hopefully next year you can get some fertile queens then get some colonies going.

 

Thank you KadinB and yes @SoySauce, I'll see if we can update this next year with some success.  Let's just say we've had a slight delay / setback.   :D


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#89 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted June 11 2022 - 7:15 PM

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Flight season is coming up!  Now the debate; do I want to drive for many hours and stay up all night for another chance at catching fertile Atta mexicana?  It is tough on the work schedule that's for sure.  Here's a video of what you may find:  


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#90 Offline United-Ants - Posted June 11 2022 - 8:59 PM

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I think geting a atta queen is worh staying up all night
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#91 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 12 2022 - 8:33 AM

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Flight season is coming up!  Now the debate; do I want to drive for many hours and stay up all night for another chance at catching fertile Atta mexicana?  It is tough on the work schedule that's for sure.  Here's a video of what you may find:

And pay twice as much in gas... Not sure how much desert anting I'll be doing this year.


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My Ant Colonies | My Projects | Ants for Sale | Ant Keeping Products | Southern California Ant Map

#92 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 12 2022 - 10:14 AM

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Ouch

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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.

#93 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted June 12 2022 - 5:20 PM

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Lol, ouch! About the same here in Phoenix. It's actually not funny at all. 😅

#94 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 12 2022 - 5:42 PM

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Picture has a great documentation of the why though!

:D

 

Such a bummer the original queens were infertile. I'm sure looking a bit further away will yield better results though.


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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). 

#95 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted June 13 2022 - 10:20 AM

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Ouch

Its $6.50 sometimes here in CA lol


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Interested buying in ants? Feel free to check out my shop! 

Feel free to read my journals, like this one.

 

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Atta sp (wish they were in CA), Crematogaster cerasi, Most Pheidole species

 

 

#96 Offline ColAnt735 - Posted June 13 2022 - 12:33 PM

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Ouch

Its $6.50 sometimes here in CA lol

 

$8.77 CAD today,take that Americans. Wait this isn't something to brag about is it (sorry for hijacking your thread Luke_in_AZ).


Edited by ColAnt735, June 13 2022 - 12:34 PM.

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"If an ant carries an object a hundred times it's weight,you can carry burdens many times your size.

#97 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 13 2022 - 3:20 PM

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$8.77 CAD today,take that Americans. Wait this isn't something to brag about is it (sorry for hijacking your thread Luke_in_AZ).

 

Bah, $6.85 USD is nothing compared to the $9.60 in Mendocino CA.

(sorry for the thread hacking)


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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). 

#98 Offline Luke_in_AZ - Posted June 14 2022 - 8:39 AM

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$8.77 CAD today,take that Americans. Wait this isn't something to brag about is it (sorry for hijacking your thread Luke_in_AZ).

 

Bah, $6.85 USD is nothing compared to the $9.60 in Mendocino CA.

(sorry for the thread hacking)

 

 

OMG, you win!  lol   :wacko3:   Sorry, no prizes (no $ left after buying gas).


#99 Offline NicholasP - Posted June 14 2022 - 5:12 PM

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I'd say only go down to Southern AZif you have a lot of money in the bank. There's already a recession starting and with how high prices are for everything right now personally i'd say since you live up in the Phoenix area it's best to hold off until this recession passes. I know it's very tempting for the queens at times but there will always be another chance. Trust me.


Edited by NicholasP, June 14 2022 - 5:14 PM.

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