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[levalmaster]

A journal following my experience keeping Camponotus nicobarensis and Myrmica rubra from their early development. Hopefully will be updated semi-regularly

 

This is my first time submitting anything in Formiculture, so please bear with!

Edited by levalmaster, Today, 5:26 AM.

[levalmaster]

The story of my Camponotus nicobarensis begins on the 2nd August, when a package arrived from AntsOnARock.

 

A couple of days earlier, I had ordered a queen with no workers, but surprisingly she arrived with 3 workers and 4 larvae!

 

I assumed that this was because her brood had eclosed during the 5 day long transit, meaning that I had the privilege of feeding my ants for the first time.

 

I gave some honey and a fruit, and boy did I see why they are called "sugar ants": workers and the queen eagerly lapped up multiple drops of honey until they all had extended gasters.

 

 

After then, I gave the nicos a fruit fly. Interestingly, I observed the queen ant eating the fruit fly with her mandibles. I haven't observed this behaviour before with my Lasius niger, and I assumed that queens only had liquid protein given to them through trophallaxis. 

 

Their test tube was a little dirty, and the cotton wasn't pressed in firmly enough so water leaked out into the main compartment. So I decided to change their test tube and then leave them alone for a couple of days.

Edited by levalmaster, Today, 5:26 AM.

[levalmaster]

I checked in on them regularly, feeding them more fruit flies. Then, on the 10th of August, I went away for a week.

 

When I returned on the 17th, I was delighted to discover that the queen had finally laid more eggs! At that point, the colony consisted of three workers, one pupa, three larvae (one of which was noticeably smaller than the others for some reason), and six eggs. I was overjoyed to see so much brood developing!