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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 18, 2019 16:03:14 GMT
The big larva has finally pupated today. Not big enough to be a new queen, so either a major (Possibly even a super-major like Wood said) or a male. I am looking forward to seeing what emerges, although that probably won't happen for about a month. Meanwhile, the queen still seems to share some of the brood rearing responsibilities. Here she's feeding one of her larvae.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 20, 2019 15:31:17 GMT
Another large larva has pupated (Right) although not as big as the other cocoon. A regular major? There's over ten eggs but it's hard to count them since they're kept in a tight ball.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 21, 2019 21:46:59 GMT
Today I can count 29 eggs in total! Some are kept in the queen's chamber but most are in their own chamber. The workers have difficulty moving the major pupae on their own. Here, the queen helps her daughter to move one: ...And takes it off her. "No, I'LL do it!"
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 24, 2019 15:48:49 GMT
The queen is still laying eggs with a vengeance. By my rough estimate, there's almost 60 in that pile! There's currently seven pupae, including the larva in the middle of this photo who's spinning a cocoon: I'm excited to see how quickly this colony has sprung into action. How many workers will be born this year, I wonder?
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Post by TenebrousNova on Mar 7, 2019 19:59:31 GMT
I'm happy to report that one cocoon has darkened significantly, meaning the first worker of the year will likely eclose within the next few days. This is particularly good because one of the existing workers has died of old age. There has been something weird though. This larva has grown with the others but it also looked unusually short, like half of it was missing. It even began to spin a cocoon yesterday, but the workers are currently eating it. I've seen a few malformed larvae before in my Camponotus colonies. Wonder what that's about.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Mar 10, 2019 15:02:50 GMT
The first worker of the year has recently eclosed! It shouldn't be too long before the other cocoons follow suit. There's a lot of eggs, which should start hatching soon enough. If all goes well this colony should easily surpass 100-150 workers this year.
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Post by 1moldavite on Mar 10, 2019 17:07:52 GMT
Whatever you are doing you are doing it right,wow that many potential workers.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Mar 24, 2019 15:57:15 GMT
The latest worker to be born into the herculeanus colony has a wider head than any of her sisters, but a few of the others are just as long. I wonder if this could be a media worker? Meanwhile, the largest cocoons have been developing for over a month and still haven't begun to darken. I hope they eclose soon, because I'm on tenterhooks to see what emerges!
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Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 1, 2019 15:07:38 GMT
Very soon, perhaps even today, the first major cocoon should eclose! There have been a few more standard workers eclosing recently. The biggest cocoon of all has also begun to darken although it's still going to take a little longer to eclose, probably a few more days. Many of the eggs are hatching but the colony has taken to throwing freshly killed crickets into the garbage chamber (And they've now started a second one). I hope they start changing their minds so the newborn larvae can grow.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 2, 2019 18:58:49 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 6, 2019 8:02:32 GMT
The long awaited unwrapping of the big cocoon happened last night: it's a male! Certainly the biggest male ant I've yet to see. Unfortunately, by this morning, they've left him half trapped in the pupa membrane, unable to even stand up. I fear that his remaining lifespan is going to be measured in hours rather than days. I feel pretty bad for him.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 9, 2019 22:49:23 GMT
Surprisingly, the male is still alive. His legs seem to have been freed at last and he's been quietly keeping to himself in a chamber away from the others. His wings are a bedraggled mess but it's not like he's going to be using them anytime soon.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 15, 2019 13:57:23 GMT
The male has now been around for over a week! He's been staying in the queen's chamber and begging for food from passing workers. The queen has seemingly stopped laying eggs for the time being, but they're still foraging as usual. The larvae seem to be developing very slowly though. Maybe it has something to do with the fluctuating weather here since it's warm on some days and freezing on others.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 21, 2019 15:08:23 GMT
The male is now about two weeks old! I've been having some trouble getting this colony to accept protein despite the larvae present in the nest. They'll happily accept sugar water but tend to ignore crickets now. The queen still hasn't resumed egg laying.
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andavane
Nurse Ant
Posts: 99
Country: UK
Favourite Ant: All Messor spp, Lasius niger, L flavus, Pheidole palidula
I Like: Peaceful Meditation
I Am: Medically Retired
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Post by andavane on Apr 22, 2019 8:09:09 GMT
Have you ever seen workers doing first aid/trying to bring a dead/dying worker back? It's a wonder to behold, I assure you. All Of You! John xxjj ¶ anbudan ¶ அன்புடன் me =°= =°= =°= =°= =°= = ॐ =
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