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UA's Camponotus Queens and Colonies [Discontinued 10/2/23]

journal camponotus utah hyatti vicinus carpenter ants foranto

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#1 Offline UtahAnts - Posted April 5 2022 - 2:06 PM

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I'm making an offshoot journal from my original (link here) which will be focused on my Camponotus colonies. At the moment I have 2 species left from last season, the rest all got sold off: C. vicinus and C. hyatti. This journal will be updated a couple times this year, as Camponotus are notoriously slow growers. 

 

 

Camponotus vicinus

This colony is starting its second season with 7 workers (3 brood boosted). The largest major is about 13 mm long, making this species one of the largest in Utah. The queen has been laying frequently and around 5 pupae are visible. They are housed in a tubs and tubes setup at the moment which they seem to be doing well in.

 
IMG 7160
 
IMG 7157
 
IMG 7165
 
 

Camponotus hyatti

They've been loving their Foranto nest. I can't find the queen at all, but the piles of eggs suggest otherwise

 

IMG 7202
 
Egg
 
IMG 7208

 


Edited by UtahAnts, October 2 2023 - 8:57 AM.

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Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

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#2 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 5 2022 - 3:18 PM

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Captivating indeed! Nice work, as always.
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#3 Offline T.C. - Posted April 7 2022 - 12:27 AM

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What are you using for a camera?


" Whatever You Are, Be a Good One "


#4 Offline UtahAnts - Posted April 7 2022 - 8:12 AM

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I'm using a Cannon rebel xs with a lens reversal ring and a EFS 18-55 mm lens. Using a reverse adapter is a great way to get a cheap macro setup without buying a thousand dollar lens.


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Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

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#5 Offline futurebird - Posted April 7 2022 - 9:50 AM

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That's a LOT of eggs. Have you ever caught a Camponotus queen laying? They seem to lay in batches, but I have never seen it happen. Maybe they only do it when it is dark and quiet. 

 

I love the photo of the worker drinking the red sugar water. So cute. 


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#6 Offline UtahAnts - Posted April 7 2022 - 10:49 AM

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That's a LOT of eggs. Have you ever caught a Camponotus queen laying? They seem to lay in batches, but I have never seen it happen. Maybe they only do it when it is dark and quiet. 

 

I love the photo of the worker drinking the red sugar water. So cute. 

 

Somehow I haven't been able to see the queen at all this season, but I'm sure she's quite physogastric. 


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Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

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Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#7 Offline That_one_ant_guy - Posted April 7 2022 - 3:35 PM

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Just realized there's a chunky larvae in the background of the Hyattis lol
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#8 Offline UtahAnts - Posted June 13 2022 - 12:10 PM

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Long time no update but the colonies are still doing great. The hyattis now have queen alates and the vicinus colony about doubled in size after I boosted them with 10 larvae plus their own dozen or so larvae from last update.

 

Camponotus vicinus (20 workers)

IMG 7842
 
IMG 7836

 

 

Camponotus hyatti (200 workers)

IMG 7849
 
IMG 7848
 
IMG 7845
 
IMG 7844
 
IMG 7843

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Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#9 Offline That_one_ant_guy - Posted July 10 2022 - 11:53 AM

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Update?

#10 Offline United-Ants - Posted July 13 2022 - 1:19 PM

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Update?

#11 Offline UtahAnts - Posted July 14 2022 - 11:29 AM

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Both colonies are still growing with all stages of brood. I also have some founding queens which I'll be selling, but if any are left from this season I'll start entries on those as well. The first image below is one such queen in a Foranto nest. 

 

IMG 8167

 

 

Camponotus vicinus (35 workers) Lots of growth, I really like how the new workers have bright orange thoraxes. The second image shows the largest major and queen, this species is very polymorphic

 

IMG 8189
 
IMG 8187
 
IMG 8152
 

 

Camponotus hyatti (200 workers) Most of the colony's brood is small larvae, the alates are still with the colony.
 
IMG 8125
 
IMG 8199
 
IMG 8201

 

IMG 8137
 

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Photo Album --- Here

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#12 Offline United-Ants - Posted August 22 2022 - 4:34 PM

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Update?

#13 Offline UtahAnts - Posted August 22 2022 - 8:08 PM

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Most of the Camponotus colonies are slowing in growth. The hyattis featured here are ready for diapause. The largest vicinus colony meanwhile still have a few pupae left before they will be ready for hibernation as well. This will probably be the last update until next year. Until then!

 

Camponotus hyatti (200 workers)

Image of their current setup. Ignore the dirty desk

 

IMG 8583
 
IMG 8582
 
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Camponotus vicinus 

One of several founding colonies.

 

IMG 8352

 

 

The main Vicinus colony (60 workers)

The largest major dwarfs every other worker in the colony, nearly the size of the queen herself.

 

IMG 8667
 
IMG 8662
 
 
Closeup of the queen being fed.
 
IMG 8621

 


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Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here


#14 Offline UtahAnts - Posted November 23 2022 - 6:32 PM

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Quick winter update regarding the Camponotus hyatti colony. I sold them off recently so their section of the journal will be discontinued for now until another one of my hyatti colonies reaches a significant size to take their place. This colony was a joy to photograph, and here are a few last images I took during hibernation.

 

IMG 9775
IMG 9778
IMG 9750
 
 
I've lost sight of the queen for the last year, but I believe she is in this clump of workers.
 
IMG 9739
IMG 9757
IMG 9759

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Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

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Videos --- Here


#15 Offline UtahAnts - Posted January 13 2023 - 12:32 PM

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Hibernation Update - Camponotus vicinus colony and modoc queens. The current temperature for hibernation is 50 degrees.

 

Camponotus vicinus - 65 workers

The colony is doing fine, they have around 30 overwintering larvae. No casualties yet, if I remember right workers have a lifespan of several years in the wild. This colony will be coming out of hibernation in a few weeks by raising the ambient temperature to 65 degrees. Below is the largest major in the colony, a gentle giant who stays in the nest at all times.

 

IMG 0538

 

 

Camonotus modoc queens - I'll be selling these off but right now I have four founding queens. Two other queens did manage to get workers before hibernation, but the majority were content with a small batch of larvae.

 

IMG 0551

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Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

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#16 Offline UtahAnts - Posted February 13 2023 - 7:32 PM

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The large Camponotus vicinus colony was taken out of hibernation a week ago. They've accepted sugars and a roach. The queen is looking a bit physogastric - hopefully we'll have eggs within the month.

 

IMG 0820
 
IMG 0829

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#17 Offline UtahAnts - Posted April 21 2023 - 7:02 PM

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Camponotus vicinus - 65 workers

2 months later the colony has over 50 brood items, looking to double their population in a month or so. Termites are a favorite so far this season.

 
C. vicnuns

 

pupae 2
 
 
The largest major is still alive and healthy. It will often follow the queen throughout the nest, acting as a bodyguard of sorts.
 
Major worker
 
Major worker2
 
pupae
 
C. vicinus Eggs
 
C. vicinus eggs

 


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#18 Offline UtahAnts - Posted May 14 2023 - 2:15 PM

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Camponotus vicinus - 120 workers

 

The colony doubled in size, with more brood still to come. Flights for this species may be as soon as tomorrow in my area, and so I might be using this colony to brood boost these new queens - effectively skipping the first and slowest season of growth. 

 

IMG 1469
 
IMG 1493

 

IMG 1472

 

Newly Eclosed worker

 

IMG 1478

 

IMG 1499

 


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Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

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#19 Offline UtahAnts - Posted October 2 2023 - 8:57 AM

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Sold these colonies off, so this will be discontinued for now. I'll miss these girls, Camponotus is a great genus for photography - generally slow moving and large.


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Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras

 

Utah Ant Keeping --- Here

Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here

Photo Album --- Here

Videos --- Here






Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: journal, camponotus, utah, hyatti, vicinus, carpenter ants, foranto

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