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Demo's Acanthomyrmex glabfemoralis Journal


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10 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Demoant - Posted February 20 2023 - 4:19 AM

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Hello everyone, it has been while since I have posted anything and I apologise for the lack of activity. As I said before school has resumed and I had to take some time to adjust. 

Now that I have some time back on my hands I figured I should start a journal or two. 

With that out of the way, lets start the journal!

Acanthomyrmex glabfemoralis (1Q, 30W)

IMG_20230219_214503.jpg

 

As you may have noticed they have majors with huge, disproportionally large heads. I honestly have no idea why they need such majors. 

My hypothesis is that the majors are for breaking up fig seeds for food (yes they do eat that, I gave them some and they took them back to the nest)

 

IMG_20230220_174228.jpg

 

I am currently housing them in this plaster nest with a top down view and glass cover, a big step up from my old plaster nests. 

Other than fig seeds they also consume sugar water, honey water and insects (dubia roaches).

I noticed the majors seem to chew on the roach parts so that is another use for them.

 

IMG_20230219_214106.jpg

 

I will probably update this journal when something interesting happens so no weekly updates for them. 
I am planning to make a journal for the Myrmoteras colonies as well, will try to post the link https://www.formicul...ghamii-journal/

Hope that you have enjoyed this post and I will see you next time.

 

 

 

 


Edited by Demoant, February 20 2023 - 4:38 AM.

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#2 Offline ANTdrew - Posted February 20 2023 - 10:35 AM

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They’re like a caricature of Pheidole! Very nice setups as well.
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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.

#3 Offline Demoant - Posted February 25 2023 - 4:32 AM

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25/2/2023

 

These are some rather picky seed eaters. 

I gave them fresh seeds from the fruit and seeds that I have washed and they have only taken in fresh seeds. 

Not only that, they only collect seeds that are right next to their entrance.

IMG_20230225_115718.jpg

 

You can see the workers licking the seeds.

 


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#4 Offline Demoant - Posted March 5 2023 - 5:34 AM

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5th March 2023

 

Yes, eggs. A good number of them too.

IMG_20230305_212523.jpg

 

Still waiting for any of those larvae to pupate. :I


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#5 Offline Demoant - Posted March 27 2023 - 4:15 AM

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27/3/2023

 

Pupae have arrived.

IMG_20230327_200332.jpg

 

Wonder when will those big major pupae appear...


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#6 Offline Ernteameise - Posted April 6 2023 - 2:35 PM

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These are really unique ants. They actually look the cute comic book versions of ants.

Curious how they will develop.


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#7 Online Flu1d - Posted April 6 2023 - 6:02 PM

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This is on the top of my list of ants that I can't keep but want a specimen of a queen, minor and a major!

#8 Offline Demoant - Posted April 7 2023 - 5:43 AM

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7th April 2023

 

A couple of workers have eclosed. Some pupae are also close to eclosing.

Here is a pupa that is about to become a worker.

IMG_20230407_213627.jpg

 

Now the next goal is to get a major... I wonder how long will that take.

Also I have actually stopped feeding them fig seeds. Most of the time they don't even collect them and if they do collect them, I am pretty sure they throw it out a few days later.

It seems that a liquid sugar+insect protein is a sufficient diet for them.


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#9 Offline Demoant - Posted May 6 2023 - 5:42 AM

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6th May 2023

It seems that one of the larvae became a male pupa.

IMG_20230506_205111.jpg

 

Natural vegetation was also incorporated.

IMG_20230506_205123.jpg

 

This was one of the fig seeds I threw in for them, Can't believe it germinated.  :facepalm: 

I need to rescue it later lol

 



#10 Offline ANTdrew - Posted May 6 2023 - 8:09 AM

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Myrmecochory at work.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#11 Offline PurdueEntomology - Posted May 6 2023 - 9:02 AM

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Hello everyone, it has been while since I have posted anything and I apologise for the lack of activity. As I said before school has resumed and I had to take some time to adjust. 

Now that I have some time back on my hands I figured I should start a journal or two. 

With that out of the way, lets start the journal!

Acanthomyrmex glabfemoralis (1Q, 30W)

attachicon.gifIMG_20230219_214503.jpg

 

As you may have noticed they have majors with huge, disproportionally large heads. I honestly have no idea why they need such majors. 

My hypothesis is that the majors are for breaking up fig seeds for food (yes they do eat that, I gave them some and they took them back to the nest)

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20230220_174228.jpg

 

I am currently housing them in this plaster nest with a top down view and glass cover, a big step up from my old plaster nests. 

Other than fig seeds they also consume sugar water, honey water and insects (dubia roaches).

I noticed the majors seem to chew on the roach parts so that is another use for them.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20230219_214106.jpg

 

I will probably update this journal when something interesting happens so no weekly updates for them. 
I am planning to make a journal for the Myrmoteras colonies as well, will try to post the link https://www.formicul...ghamii-journal/

Hope that you have enjoyed this post and I will see you next time.

You may find this reading on cephalic musculature of interest: 

 

https://antwiki.org/...011-0828-6).pdf






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