Polyrhachis ratellata - 2018

[shane]

First log: 12.07.2018

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Giving "British ants" one last chance since colony's I had from there either had mites or old queens or boosted colony's.

I got today in post Ratellata another Polyrhachis species that's a small shiny black ants with brown to red legs.

The ratellata seem to be way more active then dives colony on first arrivals and already 3 to 4 scouts are out looking around set up foraging tank.

This colony has 2 Queens 9 workers 5 larvae but I don't see any eggs. There also settled in a new location under some ever green leaf's

Workers seem to drink from drops of water then sucking from cotton wool.

There new nest place under some leaf's

A worker drinking sauger water.

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[shane]

Log: 18.07.2018

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This colony is doing very well for starters, Always eating stuff that's good, No deaths but hard to see in to nest if there's any new larvae.

There defence when away from nest is a strange one.

As I was removing dead shells out of foraging tank, A worker that was out froze and ducked like hiding, Over odd days I take out dead shells

and replace with new fresh meat, The workers that are scouting around did same, At least I don't have to worry about them running out and off

when I take lid off to clean around

Nothing to see here move on

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[shane]

Log: 28.07.2018

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Colony's doing really well, Numbers around same but there keep moving nest a lot which I wonder if there like dry placers

or maybe wanting cool placers with it been warm over summer weeks.

As of now there moved back in to test tube and looking at there gasters, there are full of food ready to feed larvae.

Colony Numbers are around 20+ and 2 queens, and eggs larvae are in a ball in middle of colony cluster.

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[shane]

Log: 07.08.2018

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Not much going on with this colony as there like to group hugged up in nest with larvae and eggs in middle with both queen

that are hard to see at times.

This colony are very shy, Only 1 or 2 going out to feed time to time in day.

At night is where this colony comes to life, Many a time there's scouts looking for new nest sights, Once there find a spot there all

move there, Then for what ever reason there then move back in to test tube , There do this once every 3 nights to 4 nights

then rest around 11pm.

Colony numbers have risen a little by 4 new workers. but at same time there look like there low in numbers,

I don't see any dead ants yet so I don't know what they do with there dead yet as there messy eaters with dumping stuff there eat just

at entrance of there home test tube.

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[shane]

Log: 14.08.2018

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This colony only becomes very active at night with more workers scouting the foraging tank floors for any scraps of food.

In day there's only around 1 or 2 works that only scout for 3 minuets then for rest of day you see nothing and peeking in to nest

you see them all hugging up asleep like on photos, If there foraging for food and you disturb them, There will just freeze for a min or 2

and then back to what every they was doing, But 90% of time there will return to nest if there got disturbed when its all clear.

There top foods seem to be any thin that's same size or smaller then the ants size.

Fly's are top with anything else at bottom there picky eaters.

Colony size seems about same even thought there's new workers.

There do constantly move nest sites over night, HINT there like dry nest placers and drinking water from cotton buds at night.

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[shane]

Log: 23.08.2018

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This colony only seem active at night and hugel up grouped asleep in day.

Colony numbers are growing  but very slow and 4 dark cocoons will enclose any day now,

There are new larvae under them of about 11 at different stagers.

There do move nest at times looking for dry placers then end up moving back in test tube,

At some point I may add another 2 empty test tubes and see if there nest in them.

Colony numbers 24.

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[shane]

Log: 04.09.2018

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This colony at times is like hide and seek as there like to move a lot at night.

Today I found them in a new test tube which I put 4 in foraging tank a week ago so there can pick what there want as a home but I'm thinking now

of just using 2 as I don't want colony to end up splitting in to 3 or 4 groups .

Colony is growing slowly and not seen any deaths yet unless there eat there own dead.

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[shane]

Log: 27.02.2019

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Over December to Jan, The colony's not done so well in colder months with little to no activity, Just keeping in test tube.

The colony number has dropped low to 8, No eggs or larvae, But today there is little activity with day been warm and bright.

I have this colony close to window and I hope the 2 queens start laying again, Colony don't seem to do good below 17c

But today I hope colony starts to get more active then been still in nest .

Colony numbers only 8

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[shane]

Log: 11.04.2019

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This maybe last log for this colony as last queen has died.

No matter how warm or cold it is, This colony can take ages to grow, But for some reason the queens

stop laying eggs thou December and never recoverd., Only 4 works seem alive in nest but seem to never move,

A worker or workers must have moved there queen that died to there bin zone in foraging tank today.

If I decide to try this colony again, The tank will have to be warm all year round.

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