306 replies to this topic

[kiedeerk]

Native Camponotus update. They are all doing well mostly. The camponotus pennsylvanicus colony is doing the best. This is their 2nd year and they really flew off. They started the year with 15-20 workers but now are easily over 100 with massive brood pile and two full sized majors. I had to move them into a larger nest as well. The Camponotus chromaoides are doing just fine, I estimate them to have 50-60 workers as well. The castaneus are somewhat lagging behind but maybe they are just slower growing. They have about 25-30 workers. The Camponotus caryae are really slow but maybe that queen is just not great genetically. I have caught another of this species this year and will see if she does any better. The nearcticus and subbarbatus are growing steadily.

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[kiedeerk]

Some interesting observations for my Acromyrmex versicolor. They mainly take in dry flower petals and leaves and usually ignore fresh roses and flowers. In contrast my trachymyrmex will mainly go for fresh flowers. Acromyrmex like to grow fungus from the walls and ceiling. They seed the container surface with fungus then grow them outwards. This is something my trachymyrmex rarely do as they grew them from ground up. As my Acromyrmex colony matures they are starting to make large major like workers with bigger heads and jaws. The smallest worker is barely bigger than the head of the largest worker.

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[DudiGamer]

How do the Castaneus compare in size to the other Camponotus? Which of these Camponotus species are the largest?

[kiedeerk]

How do the Castaneus compare in size to the other Camponotus? Which of these Camponotus species are the largest?

Castaneus are one of the largest Camponotus species. They are similar in size to Pennsylvanicus, chromaoides, Americanus

[kiedeerk]

Pogonomyrmex badius has reach their 3rd year. Last year they made almost exclusively male ants. This year however they seem have reach maturity by making dozens of queen alates on tops of almost hundred male ants. For all ant keepers, raising your ant colony from a single queen to maturity is our end goal. In the last 5 years, I have raised quite a few colonies to maturity now I can check off one more.

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[OwlThatLikesAnts]

How beautiful those queen alates look! Having a colony reach maturity must have an accomplishing feeling.

[kiedeerk]

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis colony have been making massive amount of alates, both males and females.

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