djant's Myrmica Rubra (2016)

[djant]

30th June 2016
I saw these ants at a bargain price on ebay. There was supposed to be 10 queens and over 300 workers in the colony, so I made sure to have a large acrylic antkit formicarium ready, with a decorated grout outworld. When the ants arrived they were in a very small test tube, which caused some concern. One of the queens had unfortunately died, and I would estimate there were only around 150 workers with very little brood. I didn't delay and let them out right away and gave them some honeywater, which they lapped up quickly. I have got ants before in the past from ebay with no trouble, including my previous successful Myrmica colony, which I released into my garden a couple of years ago. 

After exploring for a couple of hours the ants found the acrylic nest, which I made sure was well hydrated. They have started moving in the brood and a worker has carried what appears to be 2 more dead queens into the nest. I will check on these ants tomorrow when I can hopefully get a good look at them if they've all moved in.

17th July 2016
These ants have been doing well over the past couple of weeks. The two queens I thought dead have been revived it seems after being fed by the workers. The pupae that was present has ended up as about a dozen new worker ants, and 2 winged males. The ants clump together so it's difficult to get a peek at the brood pile. I have seen a clutch of eggs laid though, and they are eating well. This colony is a lot shyer than my Myrmica Scabrinodis colony, although they do behave aggressively on the occasions that I've given them live waxworms. These ants seem to prefer apple slices to honeywater so far, I am just trying them with new foods currently to see what they take a liking to. 

[djant]

Well these ants proved me wrong about not liking honeywater that much! Despite it being available on Saturday, when they ignored it, they swarmed over a drop of it along with some waxworms this morning!

[Wood~Ant]

I have never known any Myrmica species I've kept to not drink honey water, as my M. sabuleti love the stuff. smileys-cheers-309988

[djant]

25th July 2016

These ants have been enjoying the weather, with a large egg pile evidence of all the protein they've had! Aside from several moths and waxworms, they've stuffed themselves on 7 small crickets in a single day! These ants are currently gulping down honeywater, but do not seem interested in cooked meats, either ham or chicken.

Something interesting also happened regarding the alates in this colony. Last week I spotted a winged queen, and three winged males. Two of the males died the following day and were carried out of the nest, and the winged queen was nowhere to be seen! I counted 10 queens in the colony, so I was pleased that I had got another queen to boost the colony. However, a couple of days later I found a dead queen in the colony's rubbish pile. Counting the queens, they are definitely back down to 9. I have no way of knowing if the dead queen was the newly mated one, or an old queen. It does give me hope however for some alates next year, and hopefully I can grow this colony really huge. I am considering attaching another small nesting area so this colony can create a satellite nest.

[djant]

1st August 

Sadly another queen died in the past week. She left the nest and was just sitting in the outside with a couple of workers for company for 2 days. This queen, and the last queen to die have both been noticeably smaller than the others. It could have been old age I suppose. There are now 8 queens remaining in this colony. Brood wise the Rubras are doing well, with a few pupae appearing as well as eggs and larvae. There is still a single male wandering the nest too. These ants have been naughty however, and have dragged a dead waxworm into the nest. The worm has since blackened and the ants show no sign of moving it. My Pallidula colony has also done the exact same thing frustratingly! If the ants let the waxworm go mouldy, I will have to take apart the acrylic to get it out.

Here's a view of the nest and the brood pile (hidden by workers sadly):

[djant]

17th August 2016

These ants have been quite confusing lately! Another queen died recently, meaning that there are only 7 left. The remaining queens and much larger than those which died, and are lighter in colour. There have been hardly any dead workers, so I doubt it's a result of the environment. However, there are two males in the colony now, with another male pupae about to eclose. Hopefully this means that next year I will also see some alates, hopefully queens too, in the colony.

[djant]

Sunday 23rd April 2017

Good and bad news! During hibernation in the shed the lid to the outworld must have been knocked off by the cat! I found these ants a couple of weeks ago having moved out, with the odd worker scurrying around the shed. It seems they have located underneath and outside the shed. I am sad to see the ants go but pleased that they are foraging outside, and every now and then I give them a little treat. Sadly this journal won't be too interesting as I cannot observe the nest properly so I think that is it for this colony, meaning I have only 2 colonies left until my Tetramorium arrive and I can move them into my old Pheidole nest.

[Wood~Ant]

djant, sorry you've lost this colony; but looking on the bright side at least they are native to the UK and should survive in the wild. They will probably even produce more new colonies, and they should survive our winters and thrive, so you might find lots of nests in your garden in a few years time.