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JCT Ants Lasius umbratus (2016)


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#1 Offline OTHER - Posted December 1 2016 - 3:00 AM

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My Lasius umbratus colony from 2016, caught her after a nuptial flight.
This is my first queen succeeding to stay alive after getting accepted by the host workers.

And i tried a very lot of times :warning:
She did need to murder the queen of the host colony a small lasius niger colony. :whistle:
I was lucky enough, to see this with my very own eyes! I made a little video out of it.

 

 

A bit later, there where new workers hatching!
And I made a new video of the colony, I'm starting to get used to making videos. But i still need to learn a lot!
So I love to mix my ant hobby with my YouTube channel!

 

 

 

Hope you guys enjoy, leave a message if so! (y)


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#2 Offline T.C. - Posted December 1 2016 - 9:20 AM

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I had tried 6 different attempts. I failed every time. Tried several different ant species.


“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#3 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted December 1 2016 - 9:23 AM

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I had tried 6 different attempts. I failed every time. Tried several different ant species.

 

Even using callow workers?


If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

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Black lives still matter.


#4 Offline T.C. - Posted December 1 2016 - 9:31 AM

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I had tried 6 different attempts. I failed every time. Tried several different ant species.

 

Even using callow workers?

 

Nope, are they in Wisconsin. I have used Lasius neoniger, niger, & alienus and some other small black ant species? Formica wouldn't work would it?


“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#5 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted December 1 2016 - 9:57 AM

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I had tried 6 different attempts. I failed every time. Tried several different ant species.

 

Even using callow workers?

 

Nope, are they in Wisconsin. I have used Lasius neoniger, niger, & alienus and some other small black ant species? Formica wouldn't work would it?

 

 

You can only use Lasius workers for Lasius social parasites.

A callow worker is something of an intermediate stage in an ant's life-cycle, between pupa and worker, wherein a pale, new worker ecloses and is stretched out by her nestmates while she waits for her exoskeleton to harden. Callow workers are unique in that they seemingly have not begun to recognize colony identity odors. During this first day or so of adulthood, a worker will be totally passive to foreign ants (although old workers may not treat the callow similarly).

If you take a small sample of workers with a number of pupae, you can let these old workers care for the brood until they eclose. If you check on this tube regularly, you will see the pale young workers walking around. Using a fine paintbrush or toothpick, remove the new worker and give her to a parasitic queen. As the pale worker matures, it will imprint upon the only adult ant(s) in the nest (that are the same genus). After you have done this a few times, you can return the old workers from the host sample back to their colony, and simply add the rest of the brood to the young social parasite colony.


Edited by Batspiderfish, December 1 2016 - 9:58 AM.

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If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

----

Black lives still matter.


#6 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted December 1 2016 - 10:31 AM

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I had tried 6 different attempts. I failed every time. Tried several different ant species.

 
Even using callow workers?
Nope, are they in Wisconsin. I have used Lasius neoniger, niger, & alienus and some other small black ant species? Formica wouldn't work would it?
 
You can only use Lasius workers for Lasius social parasites.
A callow worker is something of an intermediate stage in an ant's life-cycle, between pupa and worker, wherein a pale, new worker ecloses and is stretched out by her nestmates while she waits for her exoskeleton to harden. Callow workers are unique in that they seemingly have not begun to recognize colony identity odors. During this first day or so of adulthood, a worker will be totally passive to foreign ants (although old workers may not treat the callow similarly).
If you take a small sample of workers with a number of pupae, you can let these old workers care for the brood until they eclose. If you check on this tube regularly, you will see the pale young workers walking around. Using a fine paintbrush or toothpick, remove the new worker and give her to a parasitic queen. As the pale worker matures, it will imprint upon the only adult ant(s) in the nest (that are the same genus). After you have done this a few times, you can return the old workers from the host sample back to their colony, and simply add the rest of the brood to the young social parasite colony.
The workers colony scent would change, so returning them to their nest would kill them.


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#7 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted December 1 2016 - 10:47 AM

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You can only use Lasius workers for Lasius social parasites.
A callow worker is something of an intermediate stage in an ant's life-cycle, between pupa and worker, wherein a pale, new worker ecloses and is stretched out by her nestmates while she waits for her exoskeleton to harden. Callow workers are unique in that they seemingly have not begun to recognize colony identity odors. During this first day or so of adulthood, a worker will be totally passive to foreign ants (although old workers may not treat the callow similarly).
If you take a small sample of workers with a number of pupae, you can let these old workers care for the brood until they eclose. If you check on this tube regularly, you will see the pale young workers walking around. Using a fine paintbrush or toothpick, remove the new worker and give her to a parasitic queen. As the pale worker matures, it will imprint upon the only adult ant(s) in the nest (that are the same genus). After you have done this a few times, you can return the old workers from the host sample back to their colony, and simply add the rest of the brood to the young social parasite colony.

The workers colony scent would change, so returning them to their nest would kill them.

 


Have you witnessed this happen? I haven't.


If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

----

Black lives still matter.


#8 Offline T.C. - Posted December 1 2016 - 11:07 AM

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I had tried 6 different attempts. I failed every time. Tried several different ant species.

 

Even using callow workers?

 

Nope, are they in Wisconsin. I have used Lasius neoniger, niger, & alienus and some other small black ant species? Formica wouldn't work would it?

 

 

You can only use Lasius workers for Lasius social parasites.

A callow worker is something of an intermediate stage in an ant's life-cycle, between pupa and worker, wherein a pale, new worker ecloses and is stretched out by her nestmates while she waits for her exoskeleton to harden. Callow workers are unique in that they seemingly have not begun to recognize colony identity odors. During this first day or so of adulthood, a worker will be totally passive to foreign ants (although old workers may not treat the callow similarly).

If you take a small sample of workers with a number of pupae, you can let these old workers care for the brood until they eclose. If you check on this tube regularly, you will see the pale young workers walking around. Using a fine paintbrush or toothpick, remove the new worker and give her to a parasitic queen. As the pale worker matures, it will imprint upon the only adult ant(s) in the nest (that are the same genus). After you have done this a few times, you can return the old workers from the host sample back to their colony, and simply add the rest of the brood to the young social parasite colony.

 

That makes a lot of sense actually. thanks, I will try that next time. Greatly appreciated.


“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis




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