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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 25, 2018 17:05:42 GMT
Here's a few photos:
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 25, 2018 17:19:55 GMT
I wish mine were doing as well as yours, and I'm hoping to see the eggs have hatched when I get back from hols.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 30, 2018 16:29:08 GMT
The oldest larva has finally pupated. Like all Camponotus they're supposed to spin cocoons, but this one is bare like Shane's is. All the larvae seem to be growing quickly at this point and the queen was chewing up a piece of cricket the other day, despite a worker trying to pull it away from her!
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 1, 2018 22:33:26 GMT
Just as quickly as the pupa appeared, it has vanished now. Must've been eaten...
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Post by shane on Jul 1, 2018 23:31:00 GMT
This happened to mine too . I left her for 3 or 4 days not to disturbed her but it had gone eaten.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 4, 2018 6:41:27 GMT
A larva has spun a cocoon, so hopefully it'll be second time lucky?
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 5, 2018 14:18:17 GMT
There are now two cocoons. Fingers crossed that they won't get eaten.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 6, 2018 9:17:39 GMT
Things still seem to be going well so far. Last night the queen ate a cricket and presumably shared some with the larvae. The workers at first seemed to see the cricket as a threat and kept trying to take it away from the queen, but she'd snatch it straight back!
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 8, 2018 11:10:15 GMT
A third larva is currently spinning a cocoon.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 10, 2018 13:17:22 GMT
There are now four cocoons.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 10, 2018 17:07:26 GMT
Here's a photo I just took of them.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 15, 2018 10:48:33 GMT
It seems that the queen is still laying eggs, even as new larvae hatch. A few of them look like they're close to pupating and the existing four cocoons still haven't been eaten. All six workers are still doing just fine. I actually feel a bit optimistic about this colony's chances now. Provided there isn't any last moment cannibalism it should be a bit bigger next month.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 16, 2018 15:23:24 GMT
There's now a fifth larva spinning a cocoon for itself. I'm wondering what this colony would think of a tiny locust instead of crickets all the time, since ants can get bored if they only receive the same food. I might give it a try.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 18, 2018 0:40:21 GMT
The cocoon count is now up to six and I think there will be a seventh one tomorrow. I can't wait to see the first callow when she eventually ecloses.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 18, 2018 19:41:28 GMT
Here's the xiangban queen sat on top of her brood pile. There's no seventh pupa yet but it looks like the egg pile has grown a bit. She and her workers have still been calm compared to how they used to be. The queen no longer flies into a panic when exposed to light and although a worker briefly peeked outside the test tube whilst I had it open for feeding, she didn't take the opportunity to escape.
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