2121 replies to this topic

[noebl1]

Whelp, since I'm a bit down about 12-18" of snow coming today, here's a pic of some of my colonies I've been pulling out of hibernation.  Still a few more to go, but I don't have all the outworlds ready yet.  FWIW, I really am liking how more natural the ants seem to be acting with access to the sand and coconut fibers.  They use it internally in their nests, and to hide/modify their nest openings.  As other's had mentioned before, I noticed the Aphaenogaster using the sand to control the mold growth in their test tube.

 

 

On the bright side, P. imparis should be flying again soon

 

Anyone else want to post some of their colonies as well? 

 

 

EDIT: ... and I jinxed myself.  Noticed one of Tetramorium queens from 2016 died overnight. I had noticed one of the two queens during hibernation acting very strangely (like clawing at the test tube while the others were hibernating), so may have been something wrong with her.  Off to the freezer they go, and my 2017 Tetramorium colony guessing will take their place.  They've been out of hibernation for a few days, so also possible something they consumed.  Will probably never know.

Edited by noebl1, March 7 2018 - 6:30 AM.

[Nathant2131]

Most of my ant colonies have died off over the past half year or so. What I have remaining are my 6 Prenolepis imparis colonies, a small Aphaenogaster cf. picea colony, a Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony and 2 Lasius cf. neoniger colonies.

 

My interest in ant keeping is significantly lower than it used to be at this point, and am going to continue to lie low in the amount of colonies I have. However they still have a special place in my heart for introducing me to the other misunderstood animals of the world such as other arthropods, reptiles, and amphibians. I'll have a picture up of my A. picea colony in a bit. They take to sugar water and blissfully ignored a mealworm.

[Connectimyrmex]

My Myrmica queen viciously attacked a dead cricket today.

 

She has two workers, a TON of brood, and a darkening pupa. They haven't slowed down!

[noebl1]

I had a bit of a disaster on Wed; all the test tubes I had taken out in the last 2 weeks from hibernation started flooding at once, so had to raise them up.  Wondering if the drop in air pressure from the Nor Easter forced the water out.  Was really bizarre.

 

With any luck, should get power back by Sunday at 11pm they say...

[Connectimyrmex]

My power's fine (luckily), but that sudden cold spell kind of drove my Temnothorax nuts. They started eating pupae, and now there is only one left.

[noebl1]

@Nathant2131 Not surprised if you lost interest a bit, happens with any hobby, especially when you're so young; so many cool hobbies to see/try   I was feeling pretty down when I lost my 2016 Tetramorium queen, then all my test tubes started flooding... Finally things seem to be calming down and they are doing ok for now.  I was into reef tanks for YEARS, but finally just got too much work and $$$$...  I miss it at times, but ants I think have filled that gap for now.

 

Pretty much all my colonies are out at this point, though I still have a couple Lasius sp (flavus?) and Temnothorax curvispinosus still in basement as not quite ready for them yet.  I started working on one of the Boxbox outworlds for the Temnothorax, but still waiting for the hydrostone to cure as I added a bit too much water to it, so hoping to have that ready tomorrow.  I also printed some end caps with small holes for the test tubes, will take some pics when I finally get a couple of them set up to see what I am talking about.

 

My Aphaenogaster rudis queen from last season finally has larger larvae, though can't tell if she's laid yet this season as their eggs are very white.  My second A. rudis queen (who only just recently removed her wings), finally laid as well, so curious to see if she's actually fertile or not.   My single Brachymyrmex depilis queen also laid a small batch of eggs (not expecting much success here), as well as my Crematogaster sp. also laid (well one test tube did, the others I can't tell us below them in foam in a box.)   My A. picea is really close to more workers as well as some of the larvae have become very ant like.  Also can't tell if she's relaid this season.  These are pretty reclusive as often buries their test tube entrance with coconut fiber and sand. 

 

Been experimenting a bit more with nest designs.  I've been watching @dspdrew's threads, and considering doing a hybrid 3D printed/tile/epoxy nest.  The nice part about using epoxy is that it cuts print time pretty substantially which is a nice perk.  Also allows for some more creative approaches. Today was working on a larger version of my Ponera nest for the Lasius sp (flavus) as the are primarily a subterranean species.  Going to try vermiculite as a medium in that nest to keep it from molding.

 

Hard to believe any time in the next few weeks P. imparis could start flying.

Edited by noebl1, March 17 2018 - 4:06 PM.

[Connectimyrmex]

My Camponotus nearcticus colony is doing very poorly, I hope they survive the week.

 

All of my other ants are doing amazing! My Camponotus chromaiodes wild colony has made a stunning comeback from zero to over a hundred eggs! There's a few larvae, too.

 

I also found another Polistes fuscatus queen, and she's bonded with my first one.

[noebl1]

@Connectimyrmex I hope they make it I don't know why C. nearcticus is such a challenge, I've never had any luck with them either.  I'll try again this year now that I've changed how I handling smaller colonies (no longer using test tube portals), but don't have high hopes.  Awesome about the C. chromaiodes, they are a very nice colored species.  They are not far behind C. americanus as one of my local favorites for coloration.

 

I took my Temnothorax curvispinosus out of hibernation, and consolidated the 4 test tubes to 3 (one flooded and only a lone queen survived that I was able to get out.)  What's really interesting in this species is that the queens seem more fluid than I imagined.  I've read the workers and queens in the wild move between colonies.  I've observed queens getting out of the test tubes, exploring, then going back in.  Very often a queen is standing to the entrance of the test tubes as well.  I can see eggs and larvae in all the test tubes that have queens, so curious to see how these work out.  May end up selling one or two:

 

 

My A. picea is SO close to her fist brood of the season eclosing.  My other A. rudis queens; one has larvae, other laid eggs for sure.  I'm very excited about these.

 

Looks like all my Crematogaster sp. laid eggs.  I can already see one is probably going to be a dud as her eggs are scattered all over vs the others with nice and neat piles.

 

Brachymyrmex depilis is still laying.

 

Still need to print out my new formicarium to test on the Lasius flavus(?) which will use vermiculite as a nest medium.

 

I saw weather forecasters are predicting unseasonable cold into the middle of April due to the cold air mass stalled out to our north.  Guessing P. imparis flights may be later this year than last.

[fmoreira60]

Hey, I have been trying to catch prenolepis imparis for a few years now and I have been unsuccessful. Pretty sure they are suppose to fly during the next few weeks. So i wanted to know how and when to catch them.Thanks!. 

[noebl1]

Hey, I have been trying to catch prenolepis imparis for a few years now and I have been unsuccessful. Pretty sure they are suppose to fly during the next few weeks. So i wanted to know how and when to catch them.Thanks!. 

 

Last year in MA I observed my first flight of the season on 4/10 as soon as temps hit 80F in the afternoon.  A couple hours earlier I observed male alates in small numbers first.  You need to be in an area that has them, as by my office I saw tons of them.  However at my house (a more forested area), I didn't see any.  Essentially if you are in the area that has them, the first few 70-80F degree days they start flying.  They are super easy to spot on the side walk as they are rubyish colored in the sun.  

[fmoreira60]

Are prenolepis imparis in western mass?

[noebl1]

Are prenolepis imparis in western mass?

 

Yup

 

Just be warned, they aren't the easiest species to start with.  They will lay the first season, but very few people (myself included), have had them lay year two.

 

 

Not long after P. imparis flight, the Camponotus flights will start the end of April/early May as well here.

[Aquaexploder]

Hi guy's I'm still alive! Sorry that I haven't posted at all recently, school has sucked up a lot of my time. Unfortunately most of my colonies have died off, but luckily some are still around. Once summer vacation hits I can guarantee you that I will be much more active. What is everyone hoping to catch this year? 

[noebl1]

I'm hoping to catch Myrmica sp. dealates that are out foraging from the Fall flights as mine didn't make it. Going to try again for Camponotus nearcticus as didn't have great luck with with last year either.

[fmoreira60]

Like I said before p. imparis and I'll try to get pheidole but I know the are really hard to get.

[noebl1]

Like I said before p. imparis and I'll try to get pheidole but I know the are really hard to get.

 
@Salmon was able to find a Pheidole alate last year in MA, not sure how they are doing (he may pop his head in to comment.)  I have never personally seen them where I live, so kinda gave up hope   I read here people have had success using light traps with them at night.

[fmoreira60]

well that's to bad

[Connectimyrmex]

I found a Pheidole queen a year ago, but a parasitic mite infestation killed her, plus some sickness.

 

My Myrmica queen just got her fourth worker, and my Camponotus chromaiodes just got their first pupa of the year!

 

I also caught a new Polistes queen, so hurray for me!

[noebl1]

My Aphaenogaster picea finally had it's 2nd worker eclose (first of the season.)  Not a nanitic either as noticeably larger than the one from last year that eclosed just before Fall hibernation.  My A. rudis from last season has larvae getting bigger, *really* hoping they make it as still very excited about them.

 

So far, no more strange deaths.  Tetramorium, Lasius and Temnothorax are doing well.  My Brachymyrmex depilis larae appear to be slowing getting larger.  My Crematogaster queens also seem to be doing well.  

 

Quite a few of the Fall Lasius have laid, and the ones who laid just before hibernation are developing into larvae (so didn't die.)  One of them I'm wonder if may be a late L. alienus flight, but won't know until the workers eclose.

 

Just made a modified version of this:

http://www.formicult...-feeding-video/

 

Only gave it to a single Lasius and single Tetramorium colony as don't want to risk killing all the colonies if I made a mistake.  I did the paste method, but still a bit too liquidy so Lasius were getting stuck a bit due to surface tension.  If I do it again, going to go the Agar method so the little ants don't get stuck.  Both colonies took to it instantly and were feeding on it.  I added a bit of coconut fiber to help so more don't get stuck.  Next time I may use a bit of a cotton ball or let it sit out a few minutes to thicken a bit more.  The Lasius were totally engorged to the point of looking like small P. imparis.  I'm curious to see as it's a mix of chicken and sugars, if they feed it to larvae or not.

 

So... we placing bets on May for P. imparis this year???

[Connectimyrmex]

My Myrmica's tube shattered during their mini-hibernation, and a large portion of their egg cluster and one worker was drowned. Thankfully, the other four workers, the queen, and most of the brood survived.