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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2013 6:16:20 GMT
For my Pheidole colony I use olive oil!
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Jun 28, 2013 14:35:07 GMT
Huh... did that seem to work? how did you apply it? mist them with it or put it in something and let them eat in it?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2013 16:24:47 GMT
In about 4 days a colony of 5000 workers and 4 queens will be arriving on my door step and I'm worried about them getting out. I've built the largest nest I've ever had from scratch to sit next to my desk on a mount. the dimensions are about 4'X3'X1'. Everything is set up and working fine but I'm not sure what to use to keep them in the tank? I've been playing with the idea of using axle grease but I'm still undecided. I refuse to use talcum powder because its messy and leaves unsightly flakes around the base of the tank when it start to crumble. Any advice on what to use would be greatly appreciated. Especially from people who have experience with this Sp. Thank you P. UPDATE:They arrived and pictures have been posted. Formica123: For my Pheidole Pallidula colony I use olive oil around the rim of the tank, it prevents them easily!
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pyroant
Leaf Cutter Ant
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Post by pyroant on Jun 29, 2013 14:19:16 GMT
Oh haha Petroleum jelly seems to be doing the trick also. Thank you
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pyroant
Leaf Cutter Ant
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Post by pyroant on Jul 7, 2013 21:01:07 GMT
The lemon juice SEEMS to be working. I have noticed surface activity up again. te be sure though, I'm going to try to coax out a major with food and capture him for a close up study. all food that has been fed to them has been injected with a tiny bit of lemon juice too just to be sure that all basses are covered. I also have a food trout with lemon juice in it.
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Jul 20, 2013 16:32:26 GMT
Majors have started coming out and assisting in bringing in food so I think I may be outgrowing the mite problem. They are still present, but they are not covering the majors like they were. I've examined many workers and they don't seem to ever have any mites on them which is good I suppose. They go through over 100 crickets in four days at this point. The surface is always crawling with them. I'm guessing there are around 30,000 at this point. I'd like to graph there growth but it would be skewed since I'm only able to estimate based on surface activity.
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Post by Jonzii on Jul 20, 2013 16:45:42 GMT
They must be great to watch, having that many workers running around. Can't imagine having to feed 25 crickets a day! Hope the mite problem is getting sorted as it sounds like they are doing really well.
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Post by Black Ant on Jul 20, 2013 17:10:11 GMT
Would love to see more photos now your colony is getting so big
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Jul 26, 2013 22:48:19 GMT
over view of the surface tunnels.
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Jul 26, 2013 22:53:22 GMT
one of the majors(with hundreds of workers). I gave him an inspection. He only had one mite which is a vast improvement!
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Jul 26, 2013 22:59:45 GMT
DOUGHNUT!!
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Jul 26, 2013 23:16:46 GMT
OH! I almost forgot. We have a colony of small black ants living on our balcony under the tile. Well out of curiosity I took one of the workers and placed her in with my colony. Nothing happened in the 15 minutes that I watched. the two SP. came into contact multiple times and didn't seem to be bothered by one another. I've seen diversus workers lung at shifting dirt before.. I am completely lost as to why they didn't even seem to care about each other.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2013 7:26:57 GMT
Well, maybe it is a genus like Temnothrax. They live in peace with other ants.
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Aug 8, 2013 15:12:25 GMT
But Pheidologeton diversus are aggressive. I've tested it with other SP. and they are usually brought down rather quickly. I'm going to have to try to get a positive ID for this species.
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pyroant
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Post by pyroant on Aug 8, 2013 15:18:08 GMT
In other news, more and more majors are assisting on the surface. I think the mite crises has been adverted. They are still present though.
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