19 replies to this topic

[FSTP]

I went anting today. I saw lots of active nests of Solenopsis and Dorymyrmex, Oddly enough I couldn't find the Pogonomyrmex nests from last year, yet I managed to get one queen. I was really hoping to find more but this is all I found.

 

 

1) Location of Collection : Fresno, California Latitude  36°52'5.79"N Longitude 119°43'46.63"W

 

2) Date of Collection : March 17, 2017

 

3) Habitat : Dry sandy clay like substrate, adjacent to an orchard

 

4) Length : roughly 10-12mm

 

5) Color : Red with a brownish hue. 

 

6) Distinguishing Characteristic : Sparse Inter-tergum hairs

 

7) Distinguishing behavior : review video

 

8) Nest Description : Small founding nest, surrounded with tunneling overburden about the size of a USA quarter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I offered her some Byformica nectar and she seemed to drink some for a small while. I'm hoping she settles down in her test tube and gets used to it. If not maybe I'll make her something she can dig in.

Edited by FSTP, March 21 2017 - 2:11 PM.

[thosaka]

I love it

[soulsynapse]

pogonomyrmex subnitidus or pogonomyrmex californicus

 

Can't tell by the photos, but if she has spines then she's subnitidus. They're hard to see on the queens.

 

Grats on your bearded lady!

Edited by soulsynapse, March 18 2017 - 12:04 AM.

[soulsynapse]

Subnitidus: 

 

 

Californicus:

 

[dspdrew]

Do you see any spines?

[Antking117]

Looks like pogonomyrmex californicus from those images, can't see any spines especially in second.

[FSTP]

yeah there are no spines. 

 

I'm happy to say it appears she has settled in and is no longer tugging at the cotton.

 

Thank you for your guy's input.

 

-Jess

[Canadian anter]

If it is californicus, it's the concolourous version. I believe those are the ones that are really stupid hard to raise

[FSTP]

If it is californicus, it's the concolourous version. I believe those are the ones that are really stupid hard to raise

 

 

What makes them super hard to raise? Are they just super finicky? Because I the feeling mine is. I thought she was settling down in her tube but she's not. I think I'm going to have to build her something she can dig into

 

 

Any advice?

[gcsnelling]

My experience with Pogonomyrmex is they like to dig, they want to dig, in fact they seem to need to dig. Species doesn't seem to matter.

[FSTP]

My experience with Pogonomyrmex is they like to dig, they want to dig, in fact they seem to need to dig. Species doesn't seem to matter.

 

 

 

yeah I get that impression as well. So today I built a setup that she'll be able to dig in. Hopefully that will be better for her.

 

 

I wonder if brood boosting her would help, what do you guys think?

Edited by FSTP, March 18 2017 - 4:30 PM.

[dspdrew]

Yeah they like to dig alright. Just look at my P. rugosus colony. They don't stop... ever.

[nurbs]

If it is californicus, it's the concolourous version. I believe those are the ones that are really stupid hard to raise

 

They are, but it is doable. For every three, usually one is successfully in a test tube setup with dirt. I've raised about a dozen or so of these each year and sell them. The secret is just to leave them alone. They are quite sensitive to movement and light.

 

I have two mature colonies of the concolorous, even one with two queens (one P. californicus concolorous and a P. subnitidus)

[nurbs]

 

 

I wonder if brood boosting her would help, what do you guys think?

 

 

Yup, it works.

[FSTP]

Hmm I guess I just need to find some brood then.... Anyone know where I could get some?

[soulsynapse]

Hmm I guess I just need to find some brood then.... Anyone know where I could get some?

 

Check my report on hemet thread I made a while ago, I staked out some spots where you can find californicus but I don't have any experience digging up an entire colony..

[FSTP]

I know where some colonies are and I'm planning to go there in a few hours....Just waiting for a friend to get off work... I was thinking instead of digging then up, to try and flood the nest and while the workers are pouring out with larvae  and pupae to suck them up.

 

Does that sound ok?

Edited by FSTP, March 19 2017 - 12:26 PM.

[FSTP]

Well, today I was able to get some larvae from a large Pogonomyrmex nest at, what I'm now calling, Pogonomyrmex Reginal Airport. You can step 10-15 feet in any direction and find a large Pogonomyrmex nest...

 

 

As soon as I placed the larvae in with the Pogonomyrmex queen she immediately stared carrying them to the back of the tube and making a small pile. She then proceeded to start cleaning and growing the larvae until they were a shiny glossy white. Prior to her cleaning them all the larvae were covered in dirt dust.

 

[nurbs]

Well, today I was able to get some larvae from a large Pogonomyrmex nest at, what I'm now calling, Pogonomyrmex Reginal Airport. You can step 10-15 feet in any direction and find a large Pogonomyrmex nest...

 

 

As soon as I placed the larvae in with the Pogonomyrmex queen she immediately stared carrying them to the back of the tube and making a small pile. She then proceeded to start cleaning and growing the larvae until they were a shiny glossy white. Prior to her cleaning them all the larvae were covered in dirt dust.

 

 

 

Good job! Lets hope she is fertile now.

[FSTP]

Thanks Nurbs.

 

Forgive my ignorance but what are the concolorous ones?