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Acromyrmex Versicolor 2015

acromyrmex acromyrmex versicolor leafcutter ant anting

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#41 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 4 2014 - 12:45 PM

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It was actually really cool yesterday after the storm went through. Even today it's only 95.

#42 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 4 2014 - 1:02 PM

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ONLY 95? What is it usually? How much Acromyrmex queens did you get? I am not making it this year...  :(

At least not now, maybe try to go out in a month or so and dig something up if I can, something came up. Can't believe it.



#43 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 4 2014 - 3:07 PM

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Usually around 105 out there. Dig something up a month from now? You better bring a backhoe.

#44 Offline Crystals - Posted August 5 2014 - 7:51 PM

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... You better bring a backhoe.

This comment made me laugh.  :D

 

I have access to 2 backhoes.  Do we need the big cat or will one of the mini's suffice?  I shudder to think of the cost of getting those things to any somewhat remote location, diesel isn't that cheap anymore.


"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens

 

List of Handy Links   (pinned in the General section)

My Colonies


#45 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 6 2014 - 12:46 AM

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After seeing Acromyrmex versicolor myself, I was not disappointing. Digging up that mature nest gave me a lot of information about the species that the internet weirdly couldn't provide. They are VERY polymorphic. The smallest minors I saw were about one fifth or less of thee size of the largest majors I saw. I was a little disappointed with the size of the queen, expecting larger... Their stridulation was cool, I found it very fascinating.

 

​ I wish I could keep this species successfully, but sadly, I failed at getting fungus... Though I decided to keep the four queens I caught, probably a bad idea...  :( 



#46 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 6 2014 - 6:38 AM

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Hi greg I hope you didn't destroy the founding chambers because I'm planning to come get some foraging queen

#47 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 6 2014 - 6:38 AM

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As well as andrew traps

#48 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 6 2014 - 12:48 PM

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I didn't see his traps, and I only dug up a few, there are still plenty where I was, however there was already someone there before me who dug up a lot of them - there were already a bunch of holes where I can imaging founding chambers existed... 



#49 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 6 2014 - 1:16 PM

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I wish people would stop trying to dig them up as me and Andrew stated many times that getting the fungus is impossible plus these queen forage at night so there's no point in digging.



#50 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 6 2014 - 1:26 PM

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How long do they hold onto their fungal pellet? Why are you waiting for them to forage? Do they hold onto the fungus as they forage or something?



#51 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 6 2014 - 3:01 PM

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I think I am going to try bucket traps next year... I was just very unprepared this year.



#52 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 6 2014 - 4:26 PM

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hi greg, they usually spit out the fungal pellets after they have dig their founding chamber.  The fungal pellets looks like a small brown turd the shape of a dandelion seed.



#53 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 6 2014 - 5:20 PM

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Ok, say that two queens start a colony together, do they both spit out their fungal pellets? Cause one of the few founding chambers I dug up, yielded two queens.



#54 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 7 2014 - 12:07 AM

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They are known to be polygamous. .. at least when starting out

#55 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 7 2014 - 12:10 AM

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But do you think they BOTH spit their fungal pellets out? 



#56 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 7 2014 - 12:15 AM

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They probably did by now..

#57 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 7 2014 - 12:19 AM

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Yeah... I have seen them accepting sugar water before, do you think there is a way I could sneak in the other nutrients they need until I can get some of their fungus?



#58 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 7 2014 - 12:27 AM

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The reason you just get them at night while they forage is because it's a lot easier and less destructive than digging them up.



#59 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 7 2014 - 12:29 AM

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Greg me and andrew had them for more then 3 months without food as long as their kept moist

#60 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 7 2014 - 12:43 AM

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Ok, this may sound stupid, it may not, I have seen 50-50 answers with this question, but this is the first time I was the one asking- Can one species of leaf cutter survive off/ accept another species of leaf cutter's fungus? 







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: acromyrmex, acromyrmex versicolor, leafcutter ant, anting

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