49 replies to this topic

[Ernteameise]

An observation I made yesterday:

I had added some vermiculite to the arena (as you can see on the pictures) and I have seen that the girls carry small pieces into the different offered nest sides- so there is now a small pile in the walnuts and they even carries some into the wood nest!

I also saw a tandem run into the wood nest. They are indeed the cutest tandem runners.

Sadly, nothing has come out of it yet.

But might this be a good sign that they finally consider moving from their piece of bark into something bigger?

[Ernteameise]

I got some superworms today when I went to town.

I froze them, and will boil them shortly and then open them up so my girls have easy access.

They also got some for dinner tonight.

At first they ignored it, but after a couple of hours, there is some acceptance.

 

[Ernteameise]

Today is an exciting day for the Walnut empire!

The colony is sexually mature!

I just found several male alates in the enclosure. I did not see any females, however.

Sadly, the boys are a bit stupid and they basically get themselves stuck to the paraffin escape barrier.

 

Anyways, pretty cool.

 

These boys are also tiny, they are pretty much the same size as the tiny workers, they only have some added wings.

 

I will not release them to the outside because I have no idea if the colonies outside are swarming, too, and I also do not know if it might have an impact on the genetics of the natives. I assume there are no ant STDs?

Who knows.

 

 

 

 

Stuck to the paraffin:

 

[Ernteameise]

The girls enjoying some organic egg for breakfast (and as usual, make a real mess of it).

 

They still have not moved in any of the nests I provided (the Walnuts nor the wood nest) and stubbornly reside in the decorative bark in the outworld.

Oh well, at least this is an active species and you always see some of the girls running around.

 

[Ernteameise]

So today (finally!) my order from Tarheel Ants arrived.

I had also ordered some Fluon, since it came as recommended by members of this forum.

I thought I try the fluon out with the Acorn Ants first.

 

Well, this is how it worked, and what the ants thought.

 

 

If you look closely, you can actually see tiny little middle-fingers pointed in my direction.

 

 

So in conclusion:

At least for the Temnothorax, paraffin oil works MUCH better for me.

[Virginian_ants]

I have always wanted temnothorax they are so cute. Nice colony love the name. Didn't know they were escape artists though.

[Ernteameise]

I have always wanted temnothorax they are so cute. Nice colony love the name. Didn't know they were escape artists though.

Oh, it is not so much that they are escape artists.

They are just EXTREMELY curious. I do something in the enclosure, and they are like cats, between my feet so to speak, checking out exactly what is happening.

So I put the fluon on, and they were basically sitting right below, watching, and then immediately checking out what this new white stuff was about.

And then they walked all over it and also climbed outside since I was in the kitchen getting some fresh food for them (I was just away for 5 minutes, and they had climbed outside).

They have no fear, are not shy at all and just have this urge to check out everything, especially when something is new.

 

And yes, they are VERY cute.

[Virginian_ants]

Like my Pheidole Tysoni colony they love to explore and they can be in a formicarium for a month then find a easy way to escape and just walk around my desk exploring. I had them in a esthetic ant mini outworld for a month and a half before realizing they can slip under the glass lid.

[Ernteameise]

Not much new happening in the Walnut Empire...

they are still happily living in their piece of decorative bark in the outworld and still ignore the walnuts.

It is amazing that they are so happy with just such tiny spaces for their colony.

But then I knew from the beginning that they would never form large colonies and stay small.

 

They are active as ever, exploring and also like to check out the food options.

Since I am feeding them regularly, I do not get any feeding frenzies- only a handful of ants is into foraging at any given time.

I think to see more ants, I would have to feed them less.

 

Yes, I have read the scientific paper that these ants can survive in the lab during an experiment for 6 months (!!) without food.

But I am not sure if this might have to be regarded as borderline cruelty.

 

I think I stick with my feeding routine.

 

Today is Saturday, and this means FEAST DAY for all my girls, since I have time off work and can spend time watching the girls devouring their food.

I got some grasshoppers from the pet store, and tried them out with all my girls today.

I think they like it.

 

[Ernteameise]

Short update:

yes, these girls are still alive.

They just have not been very active while it was so hot around here.

But they still enjoy their food.