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MyrmecologyMaven's Pogonomyrmex rugosus journal


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18 replies to this topic

#1 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted January 28 2025 - 6:47 PM

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I left the ant keeping hobby back in 2023. Now that I have more time for ants, I thought I should get a new colony. I ordered this Pogonomyrmex rugosus colony from Stateside Ants a little less than 2 weeks ago. The bad weather conditions delayed the ants shipping but when they arrived today they were very active and healthy.

 

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I got way more workers than I expected. I ordered a 7-15 worker colony and received a 30+ worker colony. I dumped them out of their tube into a Tarheelants mini hearth with a feeding dish with some of my seed mixture, a sugar water feeder, a nest mate full of water, and a heating cable on one side. I also gave them some white quartz sand. 

 

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The queen made her way into the nest in under 20 minutes. She's hiding in the dark corner so she's incredibly hard to see. I'll show some better photos with some lighting next update once the colony is settled.

 

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#2 Offline Ernteameise - Posted January 29 2025 - 12:02 AM

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Nice and healthy looking colony. Good luck!


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#3 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted January 29 2025 - 6:55 PM

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I thought the photos I took yesterday really sucked, so I took some better ones. I used good lighting and a clip on macro lens. Sorry for the photos being on their side. Next time, I'll take the photos landscape orientation so they aren't on their side.

 

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I also took a video. At around 0:27 you can see a good shot of her cleaning her gaster.

 

https://youtu.be/pG_...kpWcifxyss1rIC4


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#4 Offline Full_Frontal_Yeti - Posted January 30 2025 - 9:39 AM

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In most image edit apps, like basic MS paint or whatever. There is a rotation/orientation control to set the "right side up" to whatever you want. Rotate the image till it is the way you want and save, it will now always display that way by default. Still, they are nice images and a nice video too.


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#5 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 1 2025 - 5:59 PM

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I've fed them a mealworm every other day. They take them down to the nest, eat some of it, let it dry out in the warm corner, and then stash it with the seeds. Very weird. Maybe they can eat dry bugs? I also noticed one worker carrying another worker around. It has been carrying it around even though it's alive for over an hour. The worker it's carrying has even picked up seeds and interacted with other workers while being held. Really weird.

 

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Edited by MyrmecologyMaven, February 1 2025 - 6:00 PM.

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#6 Offline Full_Frontal_Yeti - Posted February 2 2025 - 8:37 AM

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I would not give them more "proteins" (insects) than they use up quickly. Seeds can store long term but the bug bits will turn to rot in shorter order.
I provide my pogonomyrmex occidentalis with some protein only about once a week, sometimes twice as two smaller portions spread out.

Just keeping an eye on things and not giving them more till the last is all to mostly gone.
 

Refuse in the nest can bring on mold or mites that can be harmful to the colony. So give them only what insects they can consume fully in a few days to week, to help prevent rot from building up.

more or less the speed at which they eat food is relative to the brood pile size. As that grows you may start to feed them more often. Just be mindful of how much they still have and don't give them so much it starts to go to rot.

They don't need to keep a lot of food on hand as long as you are checking on them regularly. But i do allow mine to keep a small larder of seeds going as they would do in the wild.

I give mine seeds in small amounts 1-3 times a week and protein 1-2 times a week, but never more if they are not close to done with the last they got.
And I stop giving them seeds for a while if their larder grows too big.

 


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#7 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 2 2025 - 9:50 AM

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I would not give them more "proteins" (insects) than they use up quickly. Seeds can store long term but the bug bits will turn to rot in shorter order.
I provide my pogonomyrmex occidentalis with some protein only about once a week, sometimes twice as two smaller portions spread out.

Just keeping an eye on things and not giving them more till the last is all to mostly gone.
 

Refuse in the nest can bring on mold or mites that can be harmful to the colony. So give them only what insects they can consume fully in a few days to week, to help prevent rot from building up.

more or less the speed at which they eat food is relative to the brood pile size. As that grows you may start to feed them more often. Just be mindful of how much they still have and don't give them so much it starts to go to rot.

They don't need to keep a lot of food on hand as long as you are checking on them regularly. But i do allow mine to keep a small larder of seeds going as they would do in the wild.

I give mine seeds in small amounts 1-3 times a week and protein 1-2 times a week, but never more if they are not close to done with the last they got.
And I stop giving them seeds for a while if their larder grows too big.

 

Thank you for the advice! Their larder is very big right now so I will take away the seeds and give them smaller portions! They have a decent number of larvae and a couple big clumps of eggs. I'll limit protein until more larvae appear.


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#8 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 2 2025 - 10:03 PM

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When I was adding water to the Tar Heel ants nest mate a few minutes ago a few workers escaped. I thought I caught them all in my pooter but after a minute or so I felt a sharp pain. I then noticed one worker latched onto my sleeve. It managed to crawl up my arm and sting me in the left forearm then latched onto my sleeve. I couldn’t get it off so I had to kill it. I feel a little bad about it. I have a small bump and a sharp stinging pain. This is about 10 minutes after the sting. I will update in the morning. Kinda glad I get to experience the sting already. Stings are very interesting.

#9 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 3 2025 - 7:54 AM

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Update: the pain wasn’t all that bad. It peaked at around 45 minutes post sting with a light throb in my forearm and a sharp burning sensation. The pain was nearly gone after an hour and a half and was nearly nonexistent at the two hour mark. Honesty probably around the pain of a honeybee sting. I don’t think the ant managed to give me a full dose of venom. I’ve heard Pogonomyrmex stings are really bad and last 4-8 hours. At least now that I know I’m not allergic I can give myself a full on sting sometime in the future.


Edited by MyrmecologyMaven, February 4 2025 - 8:55 AM.


#10 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted February 3 2025 - 8:01 AM

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Why would you want a full-on sting? Just for research?


Edited by AntBoi3030, February 3 2025 - 8:01 AM.

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Keeping:

Pheidole bicarinata

crematogaster cerasi


#11 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 3 2025 - 8:05 AM

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Why would you want a full-on sting? Just for research?

Partially. I like to know what the ants I keep are able to do. Plus it's kinda interesting to see how bad a sting is. I've been stung by a lot of things in my lifetime (8 bees, 1, wasp, 1 bumblebee, 1 yellow jacket, ants). Luckily I don't have any insect allergies.


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#12 Offline Ernteameise - Posted February 3 2025 - 11:00 AM

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Why would you want a full-on sting? Just for research?

Partially. I like to know what the ants I keep are able to do. Plus it's kinda interesting to see how bad a sting is. I've been stung by a lot of things in my lifetime (8 bees, 1, wasp, 1 bumblebee, 1 yellow jacket, ants). Luckily I don't have any insect allergies.

 

Even if other people think us weird, but this would also be one of the things I would be curious about if I kept that species and I would also would have tried to experience the sting.

There is a great video by a actually scientifically good Youtuber (Clint's Reptiles) where the students went on a science field trip and they were also curious like us and tried out how bad a bullet ant sting could be.

Fascinating.

For your entertainment:


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#13 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 3 2025 - 11:12 AM

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Why would you want a full-on sting? Just for research?

Partially. I like to know what the ants I keep are able to do. Plus it's kinda interesting to see how bad a sting is. I've been stung by a lot of things in my lifetime (8 bees, 1, wasp, 1 bumblebee, 1 yellow jacket, ants). Luckily I don't have any insect allergies.

 

Even if other people think us weird, but this would also be one of the things I would be curious about if I kept that species and I would also would have tried to experience the sting.

There is a great video by a actually scientifically good Youtuber (Clint's Reptiles) where the students went on a science field trip and they were also curious like us and tried out how bad a bullet ant sting could be.

Fascinating.

For your entertainment:

 

Currently watching! Very cool video! I would for sure try a bullet ant sting if I had the opportunity. I'm now certain that the pogonomyrmex didn't sting me fully. I observed them attacking a mealworm and they left the stinger in for at least 10 seconds! On the Schmit scale pogonomyrmex rank a 3 out of 4. My sting barely hurt compared to a wasp. Once my cold clears up I'm for sure gonna give a full sting a try.


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#14 Offline jabasson - Posted February 3 2025 - 6:17 PM

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I like how they show that getting stung is not as dramatic as some people would have you believe. Huge contrast between their reaction and the youtube dude who rolls around on the floor screaming. 


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#15 Offline OwlThatLikesAnts - Posted February 3 2025 - 6:41 PM

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I like how they show that getting stung is not as dramatic as some people would have you believe. Huge contrast between their reaction and the youtube dude who rolls around on the floor screaming. 

Always the YouTube man spreading misinformation… I’ve been stung by a wasp and it did not hurt as much as I expected, not until her buddies started appearing, that is what’s scary

 

Also nice ants, here in Quebec, we have all the leftovers of the boring ant species from Ontario  :mad:  Here you can describe our diversity as smol black, thicc black ant, speedy black ant and the occasional “fire ant” :ugone2far:


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Currently keeping:

 

1x Formica subsericea, 20+ workers + wait, SMALL BROOD PILE? IN FEBRUARY?!? :thinking:

1x Crematogaster cerasi 2 workers with brood (still growing)

 

*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams*

-A.T (Me)

 


#16 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 3 2025 - 6:56 PM

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I like how they show that getting stung is not as dramatic as some people would have you believe. Huge contrast between their reaction and the youtube dude who rolls around on the floor screaming. 

Always the YouTube man spreading misinformation… I’ve been stung by a wasp and it did not hurt as much as I expected, not until her buddies started appearing, that is what’s scary

 

Also nice ants, here in Quebec, we have all the leftovers of the boring ant species from Ontario  :mad:  Here you can describe our diversity as smol black, thicc black ant, speedy black ant and the occasional “fire ant” :ugone2far:

 

Wasp stings vary. Some are like a bee sting and some are like the sun drilling into your bones. It depends drastically on the wasp species. I'm lucky to live in California. We have a huge diversity of ant species. Lots of very fun genera such as Acromyrmex, Myrmecocystus, Pogonomyrmex, Pheidole, Camponotus, and more. I bet if you searched hard enough you could find cool ant species in your area! 



#17 Offline MyrmecologyMaven - Posted February 4 2025 - 8:58 AM

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I'm starting to think giving them sand in the outworld was a mistake. They have filled up one of the divots on the bottom of their nest and made it into a very small nook that can fit a few workers and brood in it. they also somehow managed to dig underneath the food dish while leaving the corners intact so they can walk around under it. I always see a few workers carrying around grains of sand. Maybe they would do better in a soil based nest. Might try it out in the future once they grow bigger in the hearth.

 

edit: I just took another look and it appears the sand nook on the bottom of their nest has fallen apart. Now it's just a big pile of sand. They still have the under the food dish tunnel though.


Edited by MyrmecologyMaven, February 4 2025 - 9:01 AM.


#18 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted February 4 2025 - 9:58 AM

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I like how they show that getting stung is not as dramatic as some people would have you believe. Huge contrast between their reaction and the youtube dude who rolls around on the floor screaming.

Always the YouTube man spreading misinformation… I’ve been stung by a wasp and it did not hurt as much as I expected, not until her buddies started appearing, that is what’s scary

Also nice ants, here in Quebec, we have all the leftovers of the boring ant species from Ontario :mad: Here you can describe our diversity as smol black, thicc black ant, speedy black ant and the occasional “fire ant” :ugone2far:
We have a similar population of ants here, and they are far more interesting than just "boring". Take some time to appreciate the organizational ability of Lasius neoniger, an ability I believe few other species possess. Or consider the thatched mounds Formica build. Remember: keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways!
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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My Nationwide Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

My Formica sp. Journal

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#19 Offline Zhuge - Posted February 4 2025 - 10:29 AM

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I like how they show that getting stung is not as dramatic as some people would have you believe. Huge contrast between their reaction and the youtube dude who rolls around on the floor screaming.

Always the YouTube man spreading misinformation… I’ve been stung by a wasp and it did not hurt as much as I expected, not until her buddies started appearing, that is what’s scary

Also nice ants, here in Quebec, we have all the leftovers of the boring ant species from Ontario :mad: Here you can describe our diversity as smol black, thicc black ant, speedy black ant and the occasional “fire ant” :ugone2far:
We have a similar population of ants here, and they are far more interesting than just "boring". Take some time to appreciate the organizational ability of Lasius neoniger, an ability I believe few other species possess. Or consider the thatched mounds Formica build. Remember: keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways!

 

I agree. You even have crematogaster which is a cool ant species to keep.


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All i've got is worthless gold.  :facepalm:





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