Queen Capitulia: A Tragedy in 3 Acts
Mar 31, 2018 18:51:14 GMT
TenebrousNova and shadowynne like this
Post by andavane on Mar 31, 2018 18:51:14 GMT
BioData: Species: Messor Capitatus : Given Name: Queen Capitulia, the Inquisitive
ACT ONE: The Living Room : 2016, April
My Messor Capitatus arrives from AntKit in a test-tube.
If anyone tries to tell me that Ants are completely lacking in character, the life of this Noble (yet extremely nosey!) Queen refutes this myth. Had she been a human being, this Queen would have grown up to be a village gossip, standing on pavement corners and keeping a sharp eye on who moved in and out of the village; indeed by the time she reached Middle-Age, Capitulia (nicknamed "Tulip") would have built up an encyclopædic knowledge of the heart of the village: Even by the end of her girl-hood, her place in the Parish Records would have been assured.
I never really investigated whether Messor Capitatus is claustral; but if so, this amusing Queen would be the one to break the mould. Every movement everything and anything which twitched would cause this Queen to rush away from the brood to investigate what was going on.
November: The Queen is transferred to a cooler temperature in the Hall, with the thermostat set to fall not much lower than 8–10 °C. I'm sure that in human terms, Tulip would have set her bed by the velvet curtains, facing the street. She only falls to a light doze. Eyes blink open at the slightest sound, except the falling of snow-flakes.
ACT TWO: OUT OF THE TUBE: 2017, APRIL–MAY
Capitulia is destined (in human terms) to become a curtain-twitcher; never missing a trick. I obviously had no idea what happened during Winter, as I was far away. Nonetheless, her inquisitive nature has grown in leaps and bounds and the time has come to put her tube in a larger formicarium where she can give full reign to her inquisitive nature. I select a model like this: www.amazon.co.uk/Ant-Farm-free-Ants-Queen/dp/B01LXYI1U1/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1522520733&sr=8-5&keywords=ant+farm
Initially I am surprised, because Tulip is immediately aware that there are "Goings-on" in the locality. She rushes to the opening, and then returns to here brood. As the days go by, she explores more of her now vast Kingdom (Queendom?), but the tube remains her favourite haunt for at least 8 weeks.
The year rolls on, Autumn approaches, a new type of water feeder is installed, and immediately the entire brood crowds round it for a drink. Autumn arrives, and soon it's hibernation time again.
ACT THREE: THE DAWN OF February/March 2018 : JOURNEY'S END
Returning from India, I am delighted (after leaving the ants for a further week after my return) to find the water feeder fully occupied with worker ants of both castes drinking and starting to scurry about. Another 10 days or so cheerfully pass, and then...
One morning my carer Raj comes into the back-room and I hear a cry of OOOOH NOOOOOO!!!!!
For some reason quite beyond me, the ants have chewed their way out of the corner of the tank, and.....
Queen Capitulia's body rests lifeless near her Royal Entrance.
And what is stranger that her loyal workforce appear quite unable to accept the fact of what they see and smell. Numerous attempts are made to revive her. One morning I call Raj to come quick because the workers have dragged the body right up the acrylic sides of the tank, however by the time the iPhone arrives, she is back to ground level. The revival efforts continue to this very day. Here's a video:
ACT ONE: The Living Room : 2016, April
My Messor Capitatus arrives from AntKit in a test-tube.
If anyone tries to tell me that Ants are completely lacking in character, the life of this Noble (yet extremely nosey!) Queen refutes this myth. Had she been a human being, this Queen would have grown up to be a village gossip, standing on pavement corners and keeping a sharp eye on who moved in and out of the village; indeed by the time she reached Middle-Age, Capitulia (nicknamed "Tulip") would have built up an encyclopædic knowledge of the heart of the village: Even by the end of her girl-hood, her place in the Parish Records would have been assured.
I never really investigated whether Messor Capitatus is claustral; but if so, this amusing Queen would be the one to break the mould. Every movement everything and anything which twitched would cause this Queen to rush away from the brood to investigate what was going on.
November: The Queen is transferred to a cooler temperature in the Hall, with the thermostat set to fall not much lower than 8–10 °C. I'm sure that in human terms, Tulip would have set her bed by the velvet curtains, facing the street. She only falls to a light doze. Eyes blink open at the slightest sound, except the falling of snow-flakes.
ACT TWO: OUT OF THE TUBE: 2017, APRIL–MAY
Capitulia is destined (in human terms) to become a curtain-twitcher; never missing a trick. I obviously had no idea what happened during Winter, as I was far away. Nonetheless, her inquisitive nature has grown in leaps and bounds and the time has come to put her tube in a larger formicarium where she can give full reign to her inquisitive nature. I select a model like this: www.amazon.co.uk/Ant-Farm-free-Ants-Queen/dp/B01LXYI1U1/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1522520733&sr=8-5&keywords=ant+farm
Initially I am surprised, because Tulip is immediately aware that there are "Goings-on" in the locality. She rushes to the opening, and then returns to here brood. As the days go by, she explores more of her now vast Kingdom (Queendom?), but the tube remains her favourite haunt for at least 8 weeks.
The year rolls on, Autumn approaches, a new type of water feeder is installed, and immediately the entire brood crowds round it for a drink. Autumn arrives, and soon it's hibernation time again.
ACT THREE: THE DAWN OF February/March 2018 : JOURNEY'S END
Returning from India, I am delighted (after leaving the ants for a further week after my return) to find the water feeder fully occupied with worker ants of both castes drinking and starting to scurry about. Another 10 days or so cheerfully pass, and then...
One morning my carer Raj comes into the back-room and I hear a cry of OOOOH NOOOOOO!!!!!
For some reason quite beyond me, the ants have chewed their way out of the corner of the tank, and.....
Queen Capitulia's body rests lifeless near her Royal Entrance.
And what is stranger that her loyal workforce appear quite unable to accept the fact of what they see and smell. Numerous attempts are made to revive her. One morning I call Raj to come quick because the workers have dragged the body right up the acrylic sides of the tank, however by the time the iPhone arrives, she is back to ground level. The revival efforts continue to this very day. Here's a video:
