117 replies to this topic

[bmb1bee]

Camponotus cf. essigi variant B (9/1/23):

 

I am fairly certain this is the NorCal variant of C. essigi, due to its head shape and coloration. I'd like to obtain a colony of C. essigi from SoCal in the future to compare with this colony, since they look so different. This queen was from the same exchange as the C. modoc and C. vicinus colonies. Although the others were the main subjects of trade, I additionally got her because she lost all of her workers from temporary neglect. She seems to be doing fairly nicely so far, accepting a piece of dubia and hummingbird nectar when I fed her last night. I'll be doing my best to revive this queen and her colony.

 

Edited by bmb1bee, September 12 2023 - 5:57 PM.

[bmb1bee]

Camponotus ocreatus AZ variant (9/1/23):

 

On another note, none of my previous colonies have showed any significant progress other than more eggs and the occasional new larvae. The AZ C. ocreatus grew surprisingly quickly, with the two tiny larvae from the last update becoming pupae already. She also has 3 new eggs, which will be her second generation.

 

[bmb1bee]

Camponotus ocreatus CA variant (9/1/23):

 

This C. ocreatus colony is also growing fairly quickly. Most of their eggs are now larvae. At the time of this update, the larvae have doubled in size from when I took the picture just a couple days ago. Interestingly, the larvae seem to be fed hummingbird nectar from the workers, which is shown from the pink coloration of their gut contents. The queen keeps pumping out eggs and likely has around a dozen new ones.

 

[bmb1bee]

Today's update has been finished! Will update again by Monday, as this weekend may bring something new...

[ANTdrew]

I think you need more carpenters.

[Locness]

Ocreatus are stunning. How will you manage so many during diapause? I suppose it would be easy with small colonies. 

Edited by Locness, September 1 2023 - 8:47 AM.

[bmb1bee]

I think you need more carpenters.

Watch me be the first antkeeper to keep all of our CA species simultaneously.  

Edited by bmb1bee, September 1 2023 - 8:53 AM.

[bmb1bee]

Ocreatus are stunning. How will you manage so many during diapause? I suppose it would be easy with small colonies. 

Yeah, these are pretty small colonies and likely won't become a problem until after this year's diapause. Most of these I'll probably just take off heat, with the exception of C. modoc and C. vicinus. Those I might have to hibernate them in the fridge.

[bmb1bee]

Will rename the journal as well. The title sounds a little unfitting...

[Tanks]

 

I think you need more carpenters.

Watch me be the first antkeeper to keep all of our CA species simultaneously.  

 

Hey, maybe if you keep all of the native Camponotus we can crown you the Camponotus King.

[bmb1bee]

Hey, maybe if you keep all of the native Camponotus we can crown you the Camponotus King.

One day...

[ANTdrew]

California Camponotus Compendium

[bmb1bee]

California Camponotus Compendium

I'll be taking this as my final journal title, thank you very much. 

[100lols]

Nice big update! Fitting title indeed lol

[bmb1bee]

Camponotus festinatus (9/5/23):

 

Last Friday on 9/2, I received a colony of C. festinatus from Jeffpbalderston. Although they're basically C. fragilis but darker, I'm excited to cover and compare both species side by side. From what I've heard, C. festinatus are usually slightly larger and grow faster. This colony has a bit of a head start from my C. fragilis queen though, since they have around 5 workers and a handful of brood. The queen looks very pretty in my opinion, probably one of the coolest Camponotus queens I have so far.

 

Edited by bmb1bee, September 5 2023 - 6:43 AM.

[bmb1bee]

Camponotus sayi (9/5/23):

 

Yesterday, I traded a spare Camponotus fragilis queen for a small Camponotus sayi colony and some Solenopsis "molesta-group". These currently have 2 workers and a pile of eggs, but I'll be expecting these to grow pretty quickly. C. sayi look pretty decent for a myrmentoma subgenus Camponotus, and would probably be my favorite species in that subgenus if it weren't for the two C. essigi variations I've seen around. 

 

[bmb1bee]

This update will be finished a bit later today. All new species have been covered, but a few other colonies have gone through some minor changes. Additionally, two species I obtained last week had been incorrectly misidentified, those being C. maritimus and C. sansabeanus. They have now been properly identified as C. johnsoni and C. semitestaceus.

[100lols]

Wow, the C. festinatus queen is beautiful! Do you plan on looking for another sansabeanus queen?

[bmb1bee]

Wow, the C. festinatus queen is beautiful! Do you plan on looking for another sansabeanus queen?

Yeah, hopefully I can get myself another C. sansabeanus colony sometime. I had one back in May, but traded it off because I wasn't too interested in Camponotus at the time. Their brood wasn't developing at all, but that's likely because I was keeping them wrong. They seem to do much better in test tubes as opposed to other formicariums.

[AntsCali098]

Glad you got sayi! I don't see see them on market that often. The quest for all the CA camponotus continues!