|
Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 22, 2018 6:53:39 GMT
I have never attempted to keep this species before, so I purchased a small colony from Antsrus last night. Hopefully it'll arrive in a few days! I've long been fascinated by this so-called slaver ant, which doesn't necessarily need "slaves" to thrive but will raid the nests of other Formica species (In particular, Formica fusca) and steal their brood, which they will raise as their own. These pilfered young aren't mistreated in any way by the sanguinea as their nickname suggests, but will help them with tasks such as foraging and raising their own brood. Since my own Formica fusca colony has produced a lot of pupae lately, perhaps I could nick a few and give them to the sanguinea when they arrive, to better observe this trademark behaviour? As always, feel free to comment.
|
|
|
Post by jeoff82 on Apr 22, 2018 14:26:13 GMT
I have 2 colonies, really easy to keep. Last year one of the colonies quadrupled in size, no boosting just provided them with some extra warmth. Will virtually live anywhere aswell, I had them set up in some plastic tubes which they was fine in. This year I have both nests inside small cork logs, I haven't checked on how many eggs have been laid so far this year but I bet there is some brood now.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 24, 2018 9:39:41 GMT
They have just arrived! There's the sanguinea queen and several "slave" workers, presumably F. fusca. No eggs or larvae yet.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 18, 2018 22:51:40 GMT
I'm afraid the queen, although plump, still hasn't laid any eggs at all. If anyone can find Formica cocoons, I'm willing to pay for some if necessary. Just PM me if interested.
|
|
shadowynne
Nurse Ant
Posts: 84
Country: UK
Pets: Many, many pets...
Favourite Ant: Lasius flavus
Likes: 63
|
Post by shadowynne on Jun 19, 2018 8:48:10 GMT
I'm in the same boat as you.
I love this species, I have been enamoured by sanguinea ever since I found some workers foraging on my local beach. I didn't know what species they were and even wondered if they were queens due to their size!
After a great deal of research I finally identified them, and then after some searching I found a seller, and finally got myself a small colony. Sadly you all know the ballad of the lone queen by now I'm sure.
My queen is now completely on her own and has never produced brood.
She is beautiful, and always active, tearing around her formicarium like a wild thing. She always investigates anything new in her environment but never shows any interest in food. I do wonder if adding some fusca brood to her would help.
Still, lovely, lovely ant.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 24, 2018 12:20:44 GMT
Still no eggs.
|
|
|
Post by jeoff82 on Jun 24, 2018 12:42:33 GMT
Does she still have all her workers?
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 24, 2018 12:43:23 GMT
Does she still have all her workers? Yes, but there's not many of them.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 4, 2018 13:16:18 GMT
deansyme has very kindly sent me a test tube crammed with Formica lemani pupae, the lion's share of which I've given to this colony after moving them into a cleaner test tube first. The rest, I gave to the rufibarbis. This should keep them going! Thanks again Dean!
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 7, 2018 16:25:21 GMT
As I suspected, the brood boosting was just what the sanguinea queen needed. A few lemani workers have already eclosed and joined the fusca workforce. In addition, the queen has at last laid four eggs on the cocoon pile.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 8, 2018 11:09:16 GMT
There's already nearly 30 workers and the queen has laid a few more eggs.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 8, 2018 22:59:15 GMT
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 13, 2018 18:00:24 GMT
There's now another small clutch of eggs, ever more lemani workers and the first of the larvae has hatched. Formica really don't mess around, do they?
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 16, 2018 20:43:38 GMT
Of the cocoons donated by Dean, there's only about four or five left! I'd say there's between twenty and thirty eggs right now. They drink an absurd amount of sugar water and right now they're eating a cricket.
Although she's more settled now, the queen is still very active and always on the move. I find it funny that this is technically a three species colony, I wonder how many other Formica species are compatible "slaves" for sanguinea? I think I remember Jeoff saying that his colony raided his rufibarbis once.
|
|
|
Post by jeoff82 on Jul 16, 2018 21:24:11 GMT
Of the cocoons donated by Dean, there's only about four or five left! I'd say there's between twenty and thirty eggs right now. They drink an absurd amount of sugar water and right now they're eating a cricket. Although she's more settled now, the queen is still very active and always on the move. I find it funny that this is technically a three species colony, I wonder how many other Formica species are compatible "slaves" for sanguinea? I think I remember Jeoff saying that his colony raided his rufibarbis once. Yes one of my sanguinea colonies has some fusca and rufibarbis workers in it. Part of the demise of F.rufibarbis in this country is down to raids by F.sanguinea. This same colony once again got out this week due to the heat softening the rubber tubing and it coming apart from connectors. They have been and raided a Formica fusca nest in my garden and the raid seems to have been successful. They had been unchecked for a day and as soon as they can get out they go raid a large nest. They are quite a formidable species.
|
|