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Post by Smudge on Sept 4, 2012 12:20:25 GMT
Well as some of you know I orderd a small colony of these from James Lovell they are supposed to arrive today fingers crossed. So at this moment in time I am looking out the window in search of the postman
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Post by Smudge on Sept 4, 2012 13:44:57 GMT
..... And they are here ;D a very nice looking species I must say you can tell the difference between them and a native red ant species straight away with the extended thorax. There was one healthy queen and 8 workers with eggs, larvae and pupae they look stunning I put the test tube in a microwaveable carton that you get from a chinese (thouroghly cleaned of course). I put some compost at the bottom but only a thin layer as not to dig as this is only temporary until I get them back to my house. I captured a spider and thought I had killed it (or so I thought) as well as a young grasshopper that I found in the bathroom which was dead on the windowsill even though it was walking around earlier . Anyhow I popped them both in and removed the cotton from the testube. All workers suddenly rushed out and attacked the small spider who was playing dead. It was in this moment when I was revelling the brutallity of this species when I had a sudden very nasty pain on my hand, almost like being stuck with a hot needle. when I pulled the cotton out I failed to notice the worker who was clinging onto it and got distracted by the onslaught. I think I will be a little more careful in future because I have to be honest that ruddy hurt
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 4, 2012 13:57:51 GMT
You could say the worker which stung you was doing so to let you know your rubies had arrived, as you did worry so about them and she wanted to remind you this species are ants with attitude Smudge. ;D
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Post by Smudge on Sept 4, 2012 14:08:25 GMT
Haha I guess so I have to be honest I did enjoy watching them take down the spider it was a pretty quick death. It has now been dragged into the test tube I will try and get some pictures later with my girlfriends camera but I doubt the pictures will be that good but I will give it a go anyway
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Post by Antboy888 on Sept 4, 2012 14:30:39 GMT
Wow makes me want to get a colony.
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Post by Smudge on Sept 4, 2012 15:28:27 GMT
I would advise it they are fun to watch
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Post by Smudge on Sept 4, 2012 19:26:17 GMT
Well just checked on the rubida and they are all fine. The spider is being munched on by the larvae and the workers have been busy too pileing up dirt to make some sort of ramp to the test tube but not enough to seal it off. The grass hopper hasnt been touched it was actually partially coverd by dirt. At the moment they are residing in my girlfriends airing cupboard as its warm and humid.
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Post by Smudge on Sept 5, 2012 13:23:49 GMT
Quick update:
Yesterdays spider has disapeared presumed eaten by the larvae. The cotton bud that had suger water on it has been removed.
all workers brood and queen look healthy. And they have been busy blocking up the entrance to the test tube or so I thought. What they have done is made a mound up to the entrance of the testtube which is hollow and has entrance holes at the base of it.
Still wondering what to do with them when I get home do I try them with just the ytong or should I put soil in there for safe measure. Problem is they might not take to the ytong. But if I put soil in I won't be able to moniter them.
What do you think I should do?
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Post by TenebrousNova on Sept 5, 2012 13:45:56 GMT
..... And they are here ;D a very nice looking species I must say you can tell the difference between them and a native red ant species straight away with the extended thorax. There was one healthy queen and 8 workers with eggs, larvae and pupae they look stunning I put the test tube in a microwaveable carton that you get from a chinese (thouroghly cleaned of course). I put some compost at the bottom but only a thin layer as not to dig as this is only temporary until I get them back to my house. I captured a spider and thought I had killed it (or so I thought) as well as a young grasshopper that I found in the bathroom which was dead on the windowsill even though it was walking around earlier . Anyhow I popped them both in and removed the cotton from the testube. All workers suddenly rushed out and attacked the small spider who was playing dead. It was in this moment when I was revelling the brutallity of this species when I had a sudden very nasty pain on my hand, almost like being stuck with a hot needle. when I pulled the cotton out I failed to notice the worker who was clinging onto it and got distracted by the onslaught. I think I will be a little more careful in future because I have to be honest that ruddy hurt The possibility of getting stung is all part of the fun. I've been thinking about trying a Manica colony myself, I haven't had any polygynous or stinging species before. I'll be watching progress on yours and Wood's colony's to see if they're easy enough. If not, I'll try another colony of Pheidole pallidula.
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Post by Smudge on Sept 5, 2012 14:43:52 GMT
They do seem relatively easy enough if their requirements are met. So far I am rather intrigued by them as they seem remarkable hunters. Mine are still settling in at the moment and aren't in there permanent set up which is ready as soon as I get home. The spider has been partially eaten but left outside the nest but there is food for them so I will leave them be for now
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Post by Smudge on Sept 7, 2012 1:34:55 GMT
Right trying to limit my observation to once or twice a day but finding it so hard not to.
On observing them today I noticed they had eaten all food I had put in for them and the brood count is quickly growing to. Anyone else notice this with this species? There is always eggs and always small larvae it looks like almost twice as much as when I recieved them.
I'm finding it hard to find enough flies and small spiders to put in they are going through a lot. I have noticed they prefer live food to dead though plus its a lot more fun to watch. I really cannot wait to get them home and get them in they're permanant set up. I have heard they can grow up to thousands of workers and fortunatly my tank has plenty of room cannot wait.
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Post by Smudge on Sept 9, 2012 17:53:16 GMT
Some interesting news, today as it was sunny outside and warm so I put them outside to absorb some heat. I left the lid off knowing they couldn't escape I left them be for 20 mins. When I came back I had a nasty shock, about 15 Lasius niger workers had got in. I thought that's impossible, where had they come from and realised I'd placed the set up on their nest. Anyway observing what happened next surprised me more. the Manica rubida came out all at once, queen as well. Powerless to stop what was about to happen without injuring my own ants I watched. A number of fights broke out I thought my ants would have been slaughtered as they were outnumbered. But they attacked with vicious ferocity and stung every Lasius niger they came across until they were all but a memory. The Rubida haven't even got a scratch as they are all still roaming around collecting the dead bodies. They are all nicely scattered amongst the many larvae and being devoured.
Other than this all is well.
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Post by Jenny on Sept 9, 2012 18:28:36 GMT
Lucky more nigers didn't get into your set up, and I bet you won't make the same mistake again if you put them outside for a warm up
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Post by Smudge on Sept 9, 2012 18:36:59 GMT
No that I won't I'm just thankful it wasn't more otherwise they might not have been so lucky
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Post by Antboy888 on Sept 9, 2012 19:15:39 GMT
You know just casually killing a load of nigers and feeding it to the larvae haha.
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