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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 13, 2019 3:02:53 GMT
Here's the queen. She's moved, but I managed to catch her eating some fungus.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 14, 2019 17:15:37 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 24, 2019 19:02:49 GMT
Sorry about the lack of recent updates. I was a bit worried about the colony last week because although they cut leaves as usual, they'd then throw the pieces away. Maybe there was something on those leaves that they didn't like? Now that I've changed them they've started feeding the fungus again. I'll post more photos to make up for it. I noticed that whenever condensation forms on the sides close to the garden, the workers quickly start to drink it. I'm not sure if it's just because they're thirsty or if they're trying to stop the fungus from getting damp. Could be both. Once more there is visible brood. I'm not sure how much there actually is hidden within the garden...I used to suspect that it's just the same batch being moved onto the surface, but there's been several more callow workers lately and the pile doesn't seem to have shrunk. Still no sign of eggs, but I'm fairly confident the queen is laying them. Today I saw a few tiny minim workers (Callows by the look of them) carrying pieces of fungus around. I believe that these little white nodules are what the colony eats. I wonder if they're destined for the workers or the brood? More fungus being carried out of a hole: At the same time, the queen was eating. They could've been feeding her as well.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 29, 2019 3:36:09 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 31, 2019 19:36:30 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 3, 2019 17:55:25 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 4, 2019 23:09:35 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 6, 2019 19:26:55 GMT
Today, they seem to have filled two new little brood chambers with pupae of varying sizes.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 8, 2019 4:04:31 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 13, 2019 3:00:53 GMT
Things are still going well. Foraging is consistent (I'm going to have to replace their leaves tomorrow already) and the fungus has got a bit taller and thicker around the top. On Sunday I tried them on a pea, piece of broccoli and cooked chicken. The first two were shredded and put on the garbage pile, but oddly they did take the chicken. They've spent most of today processing an apple slice and oddly, the two largest workers were helping to cut it up. Considering how regimented each caste is I'm wondering if they're merely a larger variant of media worker rather than soldiers. Tiny minim worker tending to the garden's summit: I have also noticed that if I water the substrate when workers are about to bring bits of leaf back to the garden, it seems to confuse them and they'll wander around aimlessly searching for it before eventually giving up and dropping whatever they're carrying. I'm guessing I accidentally removed their pheromone trails?
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 14, 2019 21:36:32 GMT
When changing their leaves today, I noticed they were bringing bramble twigs onto the fungus. I'm not sure if they intend to chew them up or not. It did give me the idea to prop a few against the base of the garden because it's getting wobbly and heavily leaning to the side now. I'm sure they'll object and move them away, but it might help. The fungus is still doing well. The queen is starting to look quite small on it now!
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 18, 2019 4:04:36 GMT
There was an incident earlier. Whilst I was inspecting this colony I noticed an escaped Formica sanguinea worker running under the tank and as I lifted it to retrieve her, the Atta's fungus fell over! Following advice I read, I braced myself and carefully gripped the fungus to right it again. It's very, very soft and feels much like a sponge. The ants were understandably outraged at this transgression and I had many minors and medias running onto my hand and biting away, but it was done and the fungus was back to its normal position. Hopefully it wasn't damaged in any way. The queen seemed supremely unconcerned by the whole incident.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 21, 2019 23:24:23 GMT
I just saw the most marvellous sight on a pile of brood the colony had in the open: EGGS! There were a few small piles of them right behind the queen. This is the only evidence I've seen in months that she is laying them, so I'm very happy.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 24, 2019 17:46:32 GMT
Last night I had more trouble when the fungus fell over yet again. I endured loads of bites (In particular, from one of the biggest workers in the colony, who joined the attack!) but I leaned it against the side so it shouldn't happen again. I was very worried because I accidentally broke a small piece of the fungus off, but the workers quickly carried it back to the garden to repair the damage. They've been putting more leaves on it today so hopefully there will be no lasting damage? I have no desire to ever touch the fungus again but if it becomes absolutely necessary, I think I should wear gloves in case skin oils/bacteria are harmful to it.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Mar 2, 2019 16:32:20 GMT
The Atta seem to have recovered perfectly well from that mishap last time. The fungus is repaired and in fact a little bigger now. Queen is perched on top: Another new brood chamber: Leaves being processed: Later today I must go out and get more leaves for them!
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