54 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

I got the Myrmecocystus mexicanus from someone, and dug up the Myrmecocystus navajo next to the road going up to the Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area.

 

Queen 1: (EDIT: Was thought to be M.navajo queen but is also M.mexicanus)

It has been 6 days since I have had her, and she already has a large egg pile.

 

Queen 2: (EDIT: Was originally known as mexicanus queen.)

She also has a very large pile of eggs, and what struck me the most, was both of these have very yellow eggs, compared to all the other species I have which tend to be white.

Edited by Gregory2455, February 20 2019 - 10:24 PM.

[dspdrew]

I don't remember for sure, but I think the ones I had that turned out to be infertile had white eggs. My new ones right now have really yellow eggs too.

[Gregory2455]

Knowing that it is a 99% chance my Acromyrmex versicolor will fail, these are the two that I want success in the most...

Honey pot ants were my favorite back when I first started anting...

Edited by Gregory2455, August 11 2014 - 11:50 PM.

[Gregory2455]

As I was writing that, I noticed my one single Solenopsis xyloni from 7/09/14 has about 8 nanitics!!!! YAY!!!  

[dspdrew]

I don't think you'll have any problems with the S. xyloni being successful.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 8/13/2014

I was not going to update this for a while, but yesterday's picture taking session really seemed to have freaked these two out. They both ate about 3/4 of their eggs, and scattered the rest around their test tubes. I am going to let them be for about two weeks, then check on them.

Edited by Gregory2455, August 12 2014 - 11:40 PM.

[Gregory2455]

8/21/2014

Both of their egg piles are now back to full size after they ate them about a week ago, nothing seems to be developing, though I do not know how long it takes for this species eggs to become larvae. Anyone know?

[dspdrew]

I don't remember, but I'm still waiting for mine to turn to larvae too.

[Gregory2455]

Update 8/27/2014

Still what appears to be no larvae, also they now have whiter eggs. The put all the yellow ones on the dry side of the test tube and let them shrivel up. There may just be a few small larvae, but I cannot tell yet...

[Anhzor]

Myrmecocystus has an uncanny habit of not piling their eggs together when its laid, this can cause the eggs to shrivel and dry up.  They often time put the eggs right on top of the food i gave to them for reason i don't really know, though i suspect it might have to do with moisture.

[AntsAreUs]

my C. vagus queen has her only eggs and larvae in one spot and she chewed up the cotton and covered them up like a blanket. I am afraid that they will die, which this queen is very slow and does not take very good care of her stuff. She is about three months old and only has one pupa.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 9/1/2014

The Myrmecocystus mexicanus queen has larvae!   There are 2-4 small larvae mixed in with her brood pile.

 

The Myrmecocystus navajo queen still has eggs only however.  I hope she is fertile.

 

Both have significantly lost body fat since the first pictures in this journal were taken, so I am probably going to have to feed them before they get workers.

[Gregory2455]

The Myrmecocystus mexicanus queen is fine, with many skinny larvae in multiple sizes, she has lost a lot of body mass by laying eggs, and just letting them dry out and stuffing them under cotton instead of eating them... The Myrmecocystus navajo queen now has completely white eggs, and seems to be infertile, but we can still hope, right?

[dspdrew]

All my Myrmecocystus seem to scatter a lot of their eggs all around and let them dry out and die. I don't know why they do that.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 9/9/2014

The Myrmecocystus mexicanus has about 5-8 fully grown larvae, and judging by the opaqueness, a few are likely to pupate within a few days.

The Myrmecocystus navajo still doesn't have any developing eggs.

[Gregory2455]

I don't want to call the Myrmecocystus navajo infertile because she is my only one... 

[dspdrew]

Update: 9/9/2014

The Myrmecocystus mexicanus has about 5-8 fully grown larvae, and judging by the opaqueness, a few are likely to pupate within a few days.

Nice. Lucky you.

[Gregory2455]

Why is that? Do yours not have larvae yet? Because that would put me to peace with the Myrmecocystus navajo not having larvae yet...

[dspdrew]

They do, but I have not had much luck with this species.

[Gregory2455]

Update: 9/22/2014

After eating a bunch of her larvae, the Myrmecocystus mexicanus was down to one about a week ago. I doubt it was stress, but like I said before, her body size had decreased dramatically. It was obviously hunger, I have her some hummingbird nectar, and by now, she is doing fine with two close to pupating larvae!

 

Still no signs or fertility in the Myrmecocystus navajo.