74 replies to this topic

[GrandAntKing]

8/12/2022

 

I manage to snap a photo of a c.modoc worker. She was trying to drag some bug scraps home before giving up and heading under the leaves.

Sorry about the bad quality of the photos.

 

[GrandAntKing]

8/16/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc Queens x7)

 

The workers seem to be leaving the terrarium thru the lid, and running around the table, picking up dead insect's parts and returning to the terrarium.

I am not sure if the ants are eating the dead bugs that I put in the terrarium. The pill bugs and Sow Bugs are swarming them fast.

I scatter the dead bugs around the terrarium, near the log, on top of the log, and near the rock.

 

I put in a feeder with cold water and manage to snap a photo of worker drinking from it.

 

 

 I did observe the workers, they look really healthy and move really fast. So, I think they are getting enough bugs to feed the colony.

 

Mason Jar #2 (C. Modoc)

Nothing new.

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 16 2022 - 5:39 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

8/18/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc Queens x7)

 

The workers are outside the terrarium, hunting the small drones that are landing on the table.

I put an injured lasuis queen on the table near the ant trails, one of the workers got startle and ran off the table, landing in the grass and i cannot find it. I hope the worker makes it back to the terrarium.

 

I put the queens out of their misery, dice them up and put them terrarium, on top of the rotten log.

 

Update: I manage to find the lost worker and put her back into the terrarium.

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 18 2022 - 4:03 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

8/20/2022

 

Small Update

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc Queens x7)

 

One of the workers that explored outside the terrarium, discovered the table had an underside lol.

It seems like when they are outside the terrarium, they hunt for food, and when they are inside the terrarium (mostly at night), they just grab the chop up freeze-dried crickets. They are drinking from the water feeder but leaving the hummingbird nectar alone.

I capture some termites alates, chop them up and put them on top of the log for the workers. It will probably spoil them rotten.

[ANTdrew]

So you’re going to free range the colony?

[GrandAntKing]

So you’re going to free range the colony?

 

Yes, they seem to like to roam outside the terrarium. They acted like excited little kids exploring new things outside lol. Do you know if they can bite thru duct tape? I have the corners of the terrarium lid duct taped to prevent the queens from escaping.

[GrandAntKing]

I really like your approach. I agree with you that ants isn natural habitats are the happiest, and growing plants and trying to get aphids is super fun as well. Keep it up!

Thanks for the support

Now if only the aphids will actually stay on the plants.

[GrandAntKing]

8/22/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc Queens x7)

 

The workers came running out from their nest after I replace one of the feeders with cold water. They roam around for a bit, grabbing dirt and wood pieces, piling it near the log outside. They decide to like hummingbird's nectar in the second feeder. I manage to snap a picture of them feeding from it. After that, one of the workers decide to take a scroll around the table again, and the other one is roaming around the terrarium.

 

I manage to find some aphids and place the leaves with them on the dandelions in the terrarium. They decide to move onto the dandelions this morning. I hope this time they will actually start a thriving aphid colony and the workers will start to farm them.

 

Pictures of a worker feeding from the ant feeder.

 

 

A Video of the C. Modoc worker collecting dirt and putting it outside the back entrance of the nest in the rotten log.

 

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 22 2022 - 5:39 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

8/23/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

This colony has been really active. They usually forage in the morning, noon, and afternoon. Around evening, they start collecting dirt to put in the front and back entrances of the rotten log. Also, they been staying in the terrarium lately.

The three workers usually go visit the ant feeder filled with hummingbird's nectar, gorging themselves throughout the day. They also been enjoying the freeze-dried crickets soak in sugar water, sharing them with the pill bugs and sowbugs.

I been capturing bugs around the yard, quick-freezing them, to feed the workers. 

 

I did record a video of one of workers feeding from the Ant Feeder.

https://youtu.be/nLN-mgJ-4Wo

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 23 2022 - 3:41 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

Small Update:8/24/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

The colony is still active. They still loving the hummingbird's nectar and mainly focus on packing dirt around both entrances of the log. The pill bugs and sow bugs are staying around the log too, in the trenches near the log. They are avoiding entering the log.

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 25 2022 - 3:43 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

8/25/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

They been gorging themselves on the hummingbird's nectar and still focusing on packing dirt around both entrances. I think they might be getting ready for winter.

 

Mason Jar #2 (A lot of Lasius Queens)

 

I manage to capture a lot of lasius queens and put them in one of mason jars. They started digging their chambers. I will snap some pictures of them later.

 

https://youtu.be/6yyUZOC7GoU

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen)

 

I saw her climbing on my house. I quickly capture her and put her in the other mason jar.

It was really hard to capture any video of her, she keeps running away.

I will try to get a picture of her later, when she calms down.

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 25 2022 - 7:49 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

8/26/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

I haven't seen any of the other queens I put in there, or any workers besides the one in the log.

 

I did not see any rotten log C. Modoc workers until the temperature reach 70s.

Nothing new, they still are gorging themselves on hummingbird nectar and storing the crickets and bugs in the nest.

They are also still staying in the terrarium. Within three days, the ant feeder is empty.

 

Mason Jar #1 (C.Modoc Queen)

I have not seen her, I put some chop up freeze-dried crickets and replace the ant feeder with fresh hummingbird nectar to see if there are any workers. 

 

Mason Jar #2 (A lot of Lasius Queens)

I couldn't take any pictures of them, all of them are hidden safety in the dirt. A queen did manage to get thru the coco fiber plant liner (the barrier btw the water reservoir and dirt) and drown herself in the water.

I do not think these queens are smart. 

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen)

She is extremely hard to take a picture of, she keeps moving and hiding when she senses me. She hasn't settled down yet.

[ANTdrew]

What’s going to happen to these outdoor jars when it gets below freezing in the winter?

[GrandAntKing]

What’s going to happen to these outdoor jars when it gets below freezing in the winter?

The outdoor jars will frost over, similar to the frost you see on car windows. Also, the dirt will freeze over as well.

I never had a mason jar break with below freezing temperatures. Maybe I am just lucky.

[GrandAntKing]

6/27/20

 

I have move the mason jars to another table, putting them on some wood planks.

I forget to mention, the terrarium is on long wood planks as well.

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

Number of Workers: I have only seen 2 workers at most outside of the nest.

I do know I have at least 3 workers.

 

I had to refill an ant feeder with fresh cold water and other ant feeder with hummingbird nectar.

C. Modoc are really munching down on the crickets and dead bugs I have stolen from the F. obscuripes foragers. I do give the F. obscuripes some crickets as well. A fair trade for them. 

The C. Modoc are also drinking tons of nectar still.

 

Mason Jar #1 (C.Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (A lot of Lasius Queens)

Seven more Queens manage to get past the barrier and drown themselves.

I might have to scrap this setup for these queens.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen)

Nothing new.

[GrandAntKing]

8/28/2022

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

I found a lot of earwigs last night under one of the tarps, quickly capture them, kill them and put them in the terrarium for the workers to feed on. Today, all of two are gone.  One of the workers decided to go back to free roaming, found an insect's leg and proudly return to the terrarium and its nest. Another worker fill herself up with nectar and quickly head back to the nest, following a trail underneath the leaves. I manage to capture both of this activity on video (I did not capture the free roaming worker returning to the terrarium with the insect's leg although).  Also, I did a video tour of the terrarium (no sound though).

 

Video tour of the terrarium

 

C. modoc worker filling up on nectar

 

2nd C. modoc worker free roaming on the table

 

C. modoc carrying an insect's leg back to the terrarium and its nest (I did not capture it returning to the terrarium although)

 

Mason Jar #1 (C.Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (A lot of Lasius Queens)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen)

Nothing new.

[GrandAntKing]

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

I manage to knock down a yellow jacket nest with a blast of cold water from the hose. I quickly capture all the wasp and quick freeze them to kill them. I tore open the nest and feed my c. modoc colony with the juicy larvae and pupae. I also chop up the wasps and put them in the terrarium as extra protein.

 

All three workers are out today. Two of the three, nice and full, was collecting dirt and some leftovers of the wasp to bring back to the nest.

The third one, not full, was wandering outside of the terrarium. She did discover a lasuis drone, removing its head and legs, before losing interested and wandering off. It might be because I tend to put crickets and dead bugs directly into the terrarium allowing them to get a lot of protein easily, so they do not need bring stuff back outside of the terrarium.

 

 

[United-Ants]

the wasp is Polistes cf dominula

[GrandAntKing]

the wasp is Polistes cf dominula

Thanks for the IDing the wasps. I had to google it to read information about them, the European paper wasp. They were a really good meal for my ants.

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 30 2022 - 3:13 PM.

[GrandAntKing]

8/30/2022

 

I had to buy some new tarps for my terrarium and mason jars.  

 

Terrarium (C. Modoc nest in the log)

 

One worker was outside the terrarium again, free roaming around the table. What's interesting is when she discovers something she like, she twitches one of her back legs. 

 

Two workers stay inside the terrarium, still gathering dirt and dragging the bug remains to the nest. They really like the dead spider I put in there. Also, they are exploring the trench on the side of the terrarium. A funny moment happened when I took out the empty ant feeder, they kind of freak out and went in circles looking for it. 

 

Mason Jar #1 (C.Modoc Queen)

Nothing new.

 

Mason Jar #2 (A lot of Lasius Queens)

There was a small flight of lasuis earlier this afternoon.

I manage to replace the queens that died.

 

Mason Jar #3 (F. Pacifica Queen)

Nothing new.

Edited by GrandAntKing, August 30 2022 - 8:12 PM.