penlid
Nurse Ant
Hello
Posts: 77
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Post by penlid on Jul 23, 2009 11:18:44 GMT
Hey guys, thought I'd pop in and say hi. The forum is looking really good by the way. I know its been a while but I have just finished my degree in chemistry and did well, and I'm doing a masters in toxicology next year which I'm really happy about. Everything looks well good in the forum at the moment, I've still been a massive ant enthusiast, mainly in clearing up peoples misconceptions about ants. Just went to Cyprus and saw some amazing ones, they were orangey with soldiers, I looked them up and they start with a P----something. Could watch them for hours, they found a dead dragonfly and a hornet that was semi alive and chopped them up and carried them back. I had a look and they are for sale on the antstore but I was wondering if any one has had any success with them in England, as its a bit cooler than the med to say the least . Hope that everything is going ok for everyone.
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Deleted
Hibernating
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2009 11:28:14 GMT
Welcome back penlid!
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Post by Jenny on Jul 23, 2009 13:50:19 GMT
Hi Penlid Great to see you haven't forgotten this nest Congrats on your chemistry, you are on the way up in life We are just hanging around here waiting for the mating flights, the poor ants don't know whether to come out of their nests or stay inside with this see-saw British weather of ours.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 23, 2009 14:46:53 GMT
Hey Penlid, nice to see you around the old place once more. Long time no see as they say Glad all is going well at uni, and hope you didn't get too homesick being away from Shropshire for your studying Good job on getting your degree and also for enlightening your fellow students about ants, as I know a lot of young ladies are a bit squeamish about what they refer to as "Creep Crawlies", but we know different don't we I think the ants you found may be Pheidole pallidula? They can be kept in Britain as long as they're kept indoors, and they need a bit of warmth during winter. Otherwise they are fairly easy to keep
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Post by formica on Jul 24, 2009 10:18:46 GMT
Hi I'm going to cyprus soon too! what colour where they? Where they small? Nice to see you back! ;D
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penlid
Nurse Ant
Hello
Posts: 77
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Post by penlid on Jul 24, 2009 11:51:57 GMT
Heya, yea everything is good. Have moved in with my gf in Northampton for the summer then I am going to to Brum soon for the masters. Glad everyone is doing ok.
Yea saw some mating flights today, a few winged males (alates I think??) whilst I was mowing the lawn, but then it rained torrentially.
Yea thats right Woodant, they were Pheidole pallidula, they were fascinating to watch. My gf has kinda gotten into them aswell so hopefully ill be able to get some next year. I read a research paper about them and the way they use pheromones. Whilst watching them find an insect you could see some workers running back then an army of soldiers coming towards it, and more would come depending on the size of the insect. And apparently the colony produces more soldiers if there are rival colonies near to them.
Hey formicalemani I stayed in the north west end in a place called polis and mainly saw these Pheidole pallidula, they were an orange colour and yes quite small, but there was soldiers present, they were highly aggressive aswell. Any food dropped on the floor was moving within minutes!! I also saw some larger black ants, very big, which seemed more timid and less numerous. Cyprus is lovely though you'll really enjoy it, hope you have fun.
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Post by formica on Jul 24, 2009 19:11:48 GMT
I am going to paphos! most likely you saw M.barbarus as some have red heads others do not. I have M.barbarus and P.padduila so it will be cool to see them in the wild! Where they having a war over food because most harvester species war over food!
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