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Mercutia's Formica subsericea


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13 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 17 2013 - 11:22 AM

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Caught these babies throughout August. They all have a worker each except one.

 

IMG_1724.jpg

 

PhotoAug1214405AM.jpg

 

 


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#2 Offline wook - Posted September 17 2013 - 2:18 PM

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Wooow, second photo is super awesome. She's so full of the eggs.

Formica (serviformica) sp. do not need help, but I guess it will not mind.

Does she have brood? I don't see any reason why her gaster would be so swollen if she's laying an eggs there...


...:::]|wook|[:::...


#3 Offline Mercutia - Posted September 17 2013 - 2:23 PM

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Lol that picture is right after she gorged herself on jam. Out of the 4 F. subsericea queens, 3 of them have a worker. Only two of those queens have laid eggs again (although the brood is really small, maybe 1-3 eggs). I was told that this species tends to grow pretty fast so I was a little concerned.

#4 Offline wook - Posted September 17 2013 - 2:26 PM

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Indeed they do, my F. fusca queen died at exact month after I found her, two days later her first workers hatched...


...:::]|wook|[:::...


#5 Offline Mercutia - Posted March 25 2014 - 1:44 PM

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Took my Formicas out of hibernation. So far all four of them have survived, including the two workers. They seem pretty hardy, which is nice. They refuse to eat though...



#6 Offline Matt - Posted March 25 2014 - 2:46 PM

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Didn't you gave them something to eat during hibernation?



#7 Offline Mercutia - Posted March 26 2014 - 6:00 PM

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Nope. I just stuck them in the fridge and said, "See you next spring!"



#8 Offline Crystals - Posted March 27 2014 - 5:54 AM

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Can't wait to see how they do this year.

 

If they follow the same trend that my Formica did, within one month they will start laying eggs.


"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens

 

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#9 Offline Mercutia - Posted March 27 2014 - 7:17 AM

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I'm debating whether to feed them. They really get ANTsy if I handle their test tube. Do you think they'll be okay if I just let them be?



#10 Offline Crystals - Posted March 27 2014 - 7:41 AM

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If you just pulled them out of hibernation, you should feed them.

 

You can even attach their test tube to a small outworld so it is easier to feed them.  Those small deli containers even work pretty good.  That way you don't have to handle their test tube.

 

Just use a piece of vinyl tubing that fits snuggly inside the test tube.  Or if it is a bit too small, wrap the tubing in some fabric until it fits tightly.

 

Or you can even just place the opened test tube into a foraging area. You may want to narrow the test tube opening to keep the humidity higher inside.  A small piece of tubing wrapped in cloth or clay works well.


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#11 Offline Mercutia - Posted March 31 2014 - 12:53 PM

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I saw two of my queens running around the test tube with what I assume is an egg in their mandibles. YAYYYYY. Hopefully these eggs survive this time.



#12 Offline Mercutia - Posted May 5 2014 - 4:14 AM

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PhotoMay0580120AM.jpg

 

Cocoons make me so excited! That's a healthy starting brood for an overwintered queen. Good for her!



#13 Offline Mercutia - Posted May 22 2014 - 7:15 PM

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Managed to take a picture of a freshly eclosed nanitic. So cuteeee.

 

PhotoMay22110810PM.jpg



#14 Offline Crystals - Posted May 23 2014 - 6:17 AM

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Cute.  :D

After the first few workers arrive, the colony tends to grow pretty quickly.


"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens

 

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