markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Jun 9, 2009 20:52:35 GMT
Fed the Lasius colony tonight. Found 2 small spiders by the door and gave them to the colony. I have not really ever gotten a chance to observe them after feeding for more than a minute or two. 2 kids, wife and a dog keeps me from sitting in any one place to long. However my daughter was in the bath and my wife was watching the other so I was able to check them out for quite awhile today. Very exciting to see one lone forager out and when she found the ant she hurried back to the tube and did something that got everyone all excited, next thing you know 5 of her sisters came out to help her pull one of the spiders into the tube. Again very exciting to watch the cooperation and coordination involved to pull this "small" spider into the tube. The spider was at last 2 ties bigger than the ants.
Update: as I wrote the last post I missed all the action. In the 4 minutes I was at the computer they found the second spider and have already dragged that one into the tube as well.
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markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Jul 2, 2009 16:12:50 GMT
Here they are getting something to eat...
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markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Jul 8, 2009 14:23:21 GMT
Nothing to new to update with. They are still in the dried up test tube but they seem to be thriving. They have a lot of debris in the tube, sand from the foraging area, trash heap in the middle of the tube where all the cocoons go after the ants hatch, left over spider parts, etc. I did pick up the tube yesterday to get a look inside and there are a lot of cocoons, eggs and larvae in there and the queen seems to be doing well. It was suggested to remove the water test tube I have in the foraging area to make them forage more in search of water to maybe get them moved into the plaster set up but I hesitate to do so simply because if they don't move they may dry out and die but I am tossing the idea around. Maybe remove it for a day or two and see what happens. Not sure about numbers although they must be over the 20 mark. I can usually find a few foraging around and drinking from the sugar water cotton ball I have in there for them. Spiders and most any insect I put the foraging area are quickly found and dragged into the tube. So here they are in all their glory. This is the test tube they are in, I told you it was dirty!! Here they are doing what they do with a bee I got for them.
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markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Jul 20, 2009 20:10:29 GMT
Just an update for those that follow this journal. The ants still insist on staying in the original test tube. Someone suggested adding a second test tube to the foraging area in case they were not ready for such a large nest. I took that advice and added a second test tube that they can move into if they chose. instead it seems like they like to use it only during the day. about half the workers carry the cocoons into the second test tube while the queen and the remaining workers, eggs and larvae (I assume eggs and larvae but it is impossible to tell what is in the original test tube anymore beside the queen and some workers.). Then when I turn off the heat lamp the workers carry the cocoons back to the old test tube. here is a shot of the foraging area.
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Post by Zarbi on Jul 21, 2009 11:55:10 GMT
I really enjoy seeing the pics on your journal Mark. As glass retains warmth for only a short time, the ants probably move their brood around to find the right conditions
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Post by formica on Jul 23, 2009 10:29:58 GMT
Markm, some ant species use dirt to spin their cocoons and Lasius species do this to, so the more dirty your tube is the more brood will develop and they will stay there. But eventually they will have to move when their numbers get bigger.
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markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Jul 27, 2009 16:02:53 GMT
So since I have moved the nests around to face the heat lamp a bit more, they have stopped using the other clean test tube at all. They have stretched themselves out over the length of the dirty test tube instead of clumping up at the end.
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markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Feb 9, 2010 22:44:02 GMT
Been a LONG time but good to be back. Life got BUSY so I am sorry. They did finally move into a nest I had build ages ago. Hibernated them and here they are this year... The ladies are busy, busy, busy. constant foraging and constant movement in the nest which is a big change from last year. They were more docile last year, probably because I did not use the heat pad on them last year so they stayed at a constant 70 degrees verses this year which they have a constant 78 degrees. Lots of movement of the larvae and now cocoons. Pictures from moments ago.... Here is one of misc cocoons and a large pile of the smaller sized larvae. Here is one of many ants working to cover the larvae with sand and other debris so they can spin cocoons.
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Post by bankez on Feb 10, 2010 9:50:15 GMT
really nice and healthy colony
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Post by Wood~Ant on Feb 10, 2010 13:49:35 GMT
Great photos Mark, and nice to see how big the colony has grown since last year when it began from only the queen and just 1 worker The colony is evidently happy with life from all those pupae and larvae, and the dozens of workers you now have
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Post by Jenny on Feb 10, 2010 18:45:36 GMT
Great to see an update Mark they have done well, and lovely to see them as the months go by It is especially good for us in the UK to see, as we are hopefully coming to the end of our Winter and Spring is just around the corner
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markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Feb 20, 2010 3:13:47 GMT
The cocoon pile keeps getting bigger and bigger while the larvae piles are getting smaller daily. I have yet to see an egg pile and am at a loss as to why the queen has seemed not to lay any yet. But she knows what she is doing I suppose. They drag any and all prey into the nest as you can see. They worked on that one for 2 days but eventually got it up and in. I generally tear the legs off of most prey and split the body for easier movability. Here is the ever growing cocoon pile. Here are some workers moving the bug into a better position for the larvae. This one isn't as good but shows some of the larvae getting prepared for spinning cocoons.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Feb 20, 2010 9:17:48 GMT
Love the photos Mark, and your queen has a built in body clock which tells her it is still a bit too early to lay eggs yet, as even kept in a warm place, the ants know that it is winter. March into April is the normal time for Lasius queens to lay new eggs, and from the number of larvae and pupae your colony has it doesn't seem to in need of any new mouths to feed just yet Even though other members can post on this thread, I have moved it into the journals board which seems the appropriate place for it
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markm
Nurse Ant
Posts: 83
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Post by markm on Apr 30, 2010 22:50:09 GMT
Was able to snap a few shots of the goings on. As of now, a large majority of the early eggs are cocoons. There are larvae everywhere and while the egg laying has slowed it certainly hasn't stopped. When I look back and see how this colony has grown even during the time from hibernation until now it simply amazes me. I should see another huge population explosion when these cocoons all eclose. Here is a shot of the nest and where they are in the nest. Larvae are everywhere and you can see the cocoons are also spread around. They will shortly have to start evacuation a chamber for use but that may be next year for them honestly. This is the chamber on the bottom far right. Here is the small area within the nest, it is right above the lower main chamber in the center.
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