17 replies to this topic

[DRpepper]

This is my journal for species that I keep. For now only lauis neoniger and an unidentified Camponotus species. I will be posting some pictures of them tonight so tell me what species you think they are. So far the lasuis neoniger has 30 workers a couple pupa and a small pile of larva (havent been feeding them much protien due to.... me being lazy also it being winter outside gonna feed them more soon.) The Camponotus colony has started to slow down too becasue I havent been feeding them much but they have around 35 workers a few pupa and maybe 20 larva... no eggs but I'm going to be power feeding them a large cricket every day or a spider or two. 

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Give them some fruit flies too! I've found that they are easy for colonies to break down in a flash. My Lasius neoniger like the smaller wingless ones. Won't touch the larger flightless kinds I give my Camponotus. 

 

I look forward to seeing both colonies. 

[DRpepper]

Give them some fruit flies too! I've found that they are easy for colonies to break down in a flash. My Lasius neoniger like the smaller wingless ones. Won't touch the larger flightless kinds I give my Camponotus. 

 

I look forward to seeing both colonies. 

thank you !!!!! i will be adding prenos to this journal when i get them in a couple weeks. 

[DRpepper]

Give them some fruit flies too! I've found that they are easy for colonies to break down in a flash. My Lasius neoniger like the smaller wingless ones. Won't touch the larger flightless kinds I give my Camponotus. 

 

I look forward to seeing both colonies. 

 

thank you  

[DRpepper]

I'm so lazy lmao. Okay update time 

 

Got a new Camponotus queen not sure of the species i boosted Her with sum Camponotus workers i found walking around. (1 queen 30 workers 20eggs

 

lasuis queen (one queen twenty eggs 10 workers)

 

smol Camponotus species (15 workers one queen few eggs n stuff)

 

PRENOLEPIS TIME - they are going to fly soon where I live I'm going to catch as many queens as I can house.

 

that's about it for updates, these are the only colonies I'm going to get I don't want to have many more because I find too many colonies make me have a higher chance or neglecting them. 

[ANTS_KL]

I'm so lazy lmao. Okay update time 

 

Got a new Camponotus queen not sure of the species i boosted Her with sum Camponotus workers i found walking around. (1 queen 30 workers 20eggs

 

lasuis queen (one queen twenty eggs 10 workers)

 

smol Camponotus species (15 workers one queen few eggs n stuff)

 

PRENOLEPIS TIME - they are going to fly soon where I live I'm going to catch as many queens as I can house.

 

that's about it for updates, these are the only colonies I'm going to get I don't want to have many more because I find too many colonies make me have a higher chance or neglecting them. 

I don't think you can just grab workers and give them to a queen.

[OiledOlives]

 

I'm so lazy lmao. Okay update time 

 

Got a new Camponotus queen not sure of the species i boosted Her with sum Camponotus workers i found walking around. (1 queen 30 workers 20eggs

 

I don't think you can just grab workers and give them to a queen.

 

You definitely can with Camponotus. I have successfully worker boosted with C. pennsylvanicus, chromaiodes, and nearcticus.

[DRpepper]

 

I'm so lazy lmao. Okay update time 

 

Got a new Camponotus queen not sure of the species i boosted Her with sum Camponotus workers i found walking around. (1 queen 30 workers 20eggs

 

lasuis queen (one queen twenty eggs 10 workers)

 

smol Camponotus species (15 workers one queen few eggs n stuff)

 

PRENOLEPIS TIME - they are going to fly soon where I live I'm going to catch as many queens as I can house.

 

that's about it for updates, these are the only colonies I'm going to get I don't want to have many more because I find too many colonies make me have a higher chance or neglecting them. 

I don't think you can just grab workers and give them to a queen.

 

 

you can.... with different success rates a few workers died but I introduced 25 workers. 

[DRpepper]

I got sidetracked..... So update on everything.

I have three Camponotus colonies now 

1- 20 workers(this colony stayed the same due to me not feeding them enough protein)

2-7 workers (caught this colony this summer)

3- 5 workers (Dad caught this colony) 

 

I have one tetra colony that has around 30 workers I've been feeding them fish flakes and random bits of protein. 

 

I have one lasuis colony with about 100 workers. 

 

I might post photos later but life has been busy. 

[DRpepper]

UPDATE (old colonies)- 

Camponotus Chrom- 30 workers plus some pupa and a new batch of eggs 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus- 11 workers now 

Lasuis- had a die off so only 30 workers now. They do have a massive batch of eggs and larva so future is bright. 

Tetramorium- 2 queen colony with big brood pile and 100ish workers 

 

NEW Colonies 

Lauis aphidicola- 6 host workers waiting (waiting for local lasuis colonies to get pupa)

Myrimica sp.- 10+ queens 60+ workers 

Tapioma sessile- 8 queens 50+ workers

Prenolepis- 1 founding queen

aphenogaster sp- 1 queen and 2 workers 

myrimica sp- one founding queen 

polergus queen with hosts- 1 queen 

 

my passion for antkeeping has been rekindled and I've been expanding my collection. I will be getting Camponotus americanus, lasuis clavenger, phedole pilifera, monnomorium minimum this year.  

[BDantsalberta]

What hosts are you using for your lasius aphidicola queen? Hope she gets bios 

[DRpepper]

What hosts are you using for your lasius aphidicola queen? Hope she gets bios 

sorry for the late response but I used Lasuis americanus callows and cacoons. Introduced them to her then once the cacoons started hatching she laid tons of eggs. I neglected the colony, they ran out of water then died. I'm going to actually keep them alive this year and document it better. 

[DRpepper]

Current species list going into hibernation this year is:

 

6 Camponotus colonies 

2 red and black chromadies 

3 pennsylvanicus 

1 darker chromadies 

 

1 Tetramorium colony 1,000+ workers. 

 

I plan to catch this fall:

 

Aphidicola 

Clavenger 

Myrmica 

[DRpepper]

Going into spring:

 

same Camponotus colonies Minus 2 due to hibernation deaths. 

still got a big tetramorium colony

 

Caught so far this spring 

-2 prenolepis imparis queens 

- 1 queen that already had a colony (with workers)

 

I do not think that prenolepis have had their main flights here yet but I've caught a couple queens from a small flight a couple days ago. I'm thinking about turning this into a prenolepis journal. 

[michiganantsinmyyard]

Pictures?

[DRpepper]

  I don't got any currently 

Pictures?

 

preno update 

  

Main nuptial flight occurred on march 30th it was 73F and windy so queens mated in shady grass areas. 

 

I was fortunate to get to watch the whole nuptial flight. I caught 15 queens right after they mated with a males. I still have the 2 queens that i caught in early march and they now have eggs. 

 

- 2 single queens with eggs from early march 

- 15 queens caught 2 days ago 

- 1 colony I dug 4 ft for 

[DRpepper]

These are just a few pics of the founding queen groups with the largest being a 5 queen group and the smallest having 1

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[DRpepper]

Prenolepis Log Update

 

March Queens 

Queen 1#- Small pile of eggs 

Queen 2#- Small pile of eggs 

 

April Queens- 

All of these Queens laid eggs when my room temp warmed up to 68-72 degrees. Will post pictures in the next update