Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Dspdrew's Pogonomyrmex californicus (bicolor) Journal [160] (Discontinued)

pogonomyrmex californicus dspdrew journal mojave desert california harvester ants

  • Please log in to reply
132 replies to this topic

#41 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted December 28 2014 - 10:21 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Do you use a heat lamp or mat generally because now its getting quite cold.

LAnt, I happen to be in the Mojave Desert right now. Last night, it dipped into the twenties, and this afternoon, I saw Pogonomyrmex californicus bicolor foraging, and actually got a video which I will be uploading soon. Point is, desert species are not affected by cold, but they still may grow slower.



#42 Offline LAnt - Posted December 28 2014 - 11:39 PM

LAnt

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 211 posts
  • LocationLos Angeles
And to all those people outside southern california, cold is 50°. Last winter was nicer; I went to the beach on Christmas, only 80/90 degrees F.

Edited by LAnt, December 28 2014 - 11:41 PM.


#43 Offline dspdrew - Posted December 29 2014 - 7:36 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Here's what happens when you give Pogonomyrmex liquid feeders. They will try to bury it, and won't stop until all the liquid is gone.

 


  • Martialis likes this

#44 Offline dspdrew - Posted December 30 2014 - 1:57 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 12-30-2014
 
So far one colony has already moved into their new nest, and the other has started working on theirs.
 
This colony is working on their nest.
 
med_gallery_2_205_278396.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_205_60851.jpg
 
 
This colony has actually moved into their nest already. I saw them carrying brood, workers, and even the queen into the new nest, so it's pretty clear they've moved in.
 
med_gallery_2_205_108174.jpg
 
 
They dug out so much dirt, I had to take some of it out before they ended up stacking it higher than the sides of the out world.
 
med_gallery_2_205_476659.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_205_543363.jpg
 
 
Here is one of the workers carrying the queen into the new nest.
 

 
 
Here is one of the workers carrying another worker into the new nest.
 

  • Gregory2455 and m99 like this

#45 Offline dspdrew - Posted January 27 2015 - 6:06 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 1-27-2015
 
All three of my test tube/foraging container colonies have finally laid new clusters of eggs. :) I saw new eggs a while back in my two dirt nest colonies, so they seem to have been producing all along.


  • BugFinder likes this

#46 Offline BugFinder - Posted January 27 2015 - 6:10 PM

BugFinder

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 872 posts
  • LocationSunnyvale, CA

Here's what happens when you give Pogonomyrmex liquid feeders. They will try to bury it, and won't stop until all the liquid is gone.

 

 

Thanks alot for sharing that.  I guess I won't try to use the liquid feeder I just bought, lol.


“If an ant carries an object a hundred times its weight, you can carry burdens many times your size.”  ― Matshona Dhliwayo

 

My Journals:

Pogonomyrmex subdentatus

Camponotus Vicinus

Camponotus sansabeanus

Tetramorium (sp)

Pogonomyrmex Californicus

My Ant Goals!


#47 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 6 2015 - 7:59 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 3-6-2015
 
First of all I sold my smallest test tube/foraging container colony. Now I have two of those left, and the two large colonies living in the ant farm boxes I made for them.
 
All the colonies are doing great, and producing. The two colonies in the ant farm boxes are exploding in size. I really can't count them because of the visibility in those things, but I can tell there is probably over 200 workers in each one. I can also tell they have a huge amount of brood, and I usually also notice a huge clump of eggs being carried around by one of the workers under ground.
 
My small test tube/foraging container colony
 
med_gallery_2_205_485292.jpg
 
 
My large test tube/foraging container colony
 
med_gallery_2_205_119997.jpg
 
 
Ant farm box colonies
 
med_gallery_2_205_195012.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_205_446852.jpg
 
 
If you look closely you can see almost every tunnel is packed with brood. Mostly pupae along the top one.
 
med_gallery_2_205_612047.jpg
 
 
This is how I have the lighting set up. These are track lights I can aim any direction I want. The 20 watt halogen bulbs heat the surface up to about 110 degrees.
 
gallery_2_205_567727.jpg
 


#48 Offline Chromerust - Posted March 6 2015 - 8:55 PM

Chromerust

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 305 posts
  • Locationsouthern California
Which colony got the big brood boost from me?

#49 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 6 2015 - 9:32 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

The big one in the test tube.



#50 Offline Jonathan21700 - Posted March 7 2015 - 2:07 PM

Jonathan21700

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 807 posts

Amazing! :)



#51 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 24 2015 - 9:05 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA



#52 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 25 2015 - 12:30 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 5-25-2015
 
I sold both colonies I had left in test tubes, leaving me with just the two large colonies in the ant farm boxes. Both of those colonies are doing great, and both have a very large amount of brood.
 
I'm in the process of moving one of the colonies into a two foot wide, inch and a half thick, 50 pound ant farm that was given to me by Retroman in a trade.
 
I cleaned it all out, and put in new substrate. I had to do this in layers to keep it from pushing on the glass too much, wetting it down little by little as I went. As long as the dirt is wet (not liquid mud!), it holds itself up pretty well and doesn't push too much on the glass. I also used a c-clamp to hold it as well.
 
med_gallery_2_409_572290.jpg
 
 
I made a few modifications to it. Instead of the black construction paper and velcro covers/shades he had on it, I made some out of black foam board, and attached it with magnets. I added a larger board to the very bottom of the base, to stable it even more in case of an earthquake or something. I would NOT want this thing to fall over; that would be really bad. I also drilled two 3/8 inch holes in one side. One hole is at the surface of the dirt, and the other is at the very bottom.
 
Gluing the magnets on.
 
med_gallery_2_409_880365.jpg
 
 
Here it is all setup and ready for use.
 
With the cover/shade on.
 
med_gallery_2_409_478554.jpg
 
 
With the cover/shade off.
 
med_gallery_2_409_672998.jpg
 
 
I set it all up with the ant farm box attached via a 3/8 inch OD piece of vinyl tubing. I setup an 80 watt bulb shining on the surface of the ant farm, and a bright florescent light shining on the sides of the ant farm box. I also put a fan on top of it to create a little bit of air movement, and vibration to help convince the ants to move. Also, there is a heating pad underneath the ant farm box to help dry it out faster.
 
med_gallery_2_205_601079.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_205_208663.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_205_699998.jpg
 
med_gallery_2_205_591193.jpg
 
 
Within 10 minutes, they were already digging a new nest in the far back corner of the ant farm. I hope I catch them when they're moving all of their hundreds of brood and the queen into their new nest; it should be interesting to see.
  • BugFinder, Jonathan21700, Lamarr and 1 other like this

#53 Offline Lamarr - Posted May 25 2015 - 1:50 AM

Lamarr

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 141 posts
  • LocationBirmingham, Alabama

Fantastic looking dirt setup. What I can only imagine it as most ant keeper's dream, at least mine anyway. Keep us update with their new nest.


  • BugFinder and cpman like this

#54 Offline Wamdar - Posted May 25 2015 - 4:53 AM

Wamdar

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 123 posts

Lamarr said it best, Ant keepers' dream!! Great stuff


  • Lamarr likes this

#55 Offline Jonathan21700 - Posted May 25 2015 - 12:10 PM

Jonathan21700

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 807 posts

 That move will be interesting!



#56 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted May 25 2015 - 12:23 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

That one ant farm does look a lot like mine drew.



#57 Offline kellakk - Posted May 25 2015 - 8:45 PM

kellakk

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 603 posts
  • LocationSouthern California

That's really nice, I'm envious. :) How do you hydrate it?


  • BugFinder likes this

Current Species:
Camponotus fragilis

Novomessor cockerelli

Pogonomyrmex montanus

Pogonomyrmex rugosus

Manica bradleyi

 

 


#58 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 26 2015 - 5:29 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Just pour some water into it a couple times a month apparently.



#59 Offline cpman - Posted May 26 2015 - 6:20 PM

cpman

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 317 posts
  • LocationAustin, TX
I'd love to have a large nest like that. These ants are looking good and will probably do great in there. Good luck with them!

Drew: if I were you, I'd put a Veromessor colony in something like that. I've heard they can get pretty big. Also a large colony of Liometopum would look great in a display on your wall or something, if you could get a colony to that size.
  • BugFinder likes this

#60 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 26 2015 - 8:00 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Yeah, I used to want to have a large colony of Liometopum occidentale since they are also diurnal, but I would rather go with Camponotus leavigatus if possible. They would both live in wood and have forest out worlds.







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: pogonomyrmex californicus, dspdrew, journal, mojave desert, california, harvester ants

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users