shane
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Post by shane on Jun 6, 2019 11:08:01 GMT
First Log: 06.06.2019 ===============
I Ordered this colony Sunday night from "Mierwinkel.nl" and was pretty fast, This small colony come through post today at around 10am. Queen and workers seem fine, 3 worker and Queen and larvae, I gave them a very small dip of honey water on entrance cotton.
There are small ants and will have to try and set up a home for them. Post some videos later.
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shane
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Post by shane on Jun 6, 2019 12:26:42 GMT
Log: 06.06.2019 ===========
Heres a small video of colony, Not found the right foraging tank for them yet, Plastic or glass tank, have to see.
Looking forward to seeing wood's colony too ============================== ==============================
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shane
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Post by shane on Jun 6, 2019 17:08:40 GMT
Log: 06.06.2019 ============
Decided to put them in glass tank set up, Just laid there test tube down near a nest entrance, Not going to let them free from test tube just yet, Let them settle as there are then maybe tomorrow I'll let entrance cotton open a bit so there can explore. There test tubes in dark so queen won't be disturbed.
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shane
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Post by shane on Jun 14, 2019 19:17:31 GMT
Log: 14.06.2019 ===========
There seem to be doing fine in there new home with odd worker coming out to drink honey water. There seem also shy and very fast runners, There seem to do small tandem running stopping and starting with running back to nest There also have good eye sight with shadows or colour shades, Soon as I try and take a video of them drinking there already back in nest.
Hope when colony grows there wort be as shy.
As for now there seem happy.
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shane
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Post by shane on Jun 17, 2019 22:10:01 GMT
Log: 17.06.2019 ===========
The small colony has moved fine, There in a dry nest and workers do go out time to time to drink honey water by what I call a oasis in foraging tank.
I checked on small colony and there seem fine and queen has laired around 14 eggs and maybe ready to lay more with her gaster ballooning in size.
Here's a small video of them, As I rarely check in nest incise I disturb them. But the workers are fast with zipping around oasis foraging for stuff if I'm lucky to see them in time.
There nest activates
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shane
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Post by shane on Jul 12, 2019 22:47:46 GMT
Log: 12.07.2019 ===========
Had 2 workers die, Maybe of old age but the number of workers are up to 5 with a new small major worker that was born this morning.
Queen seems fine and still laying eggs and more cocoons I see so more maybe born around week end maybe. There diet is mixed honey water with water and chopped frozen cricket bits in a tinfoil dish.
Colony seems fine but shy. ======================= =======================
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shane
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Post by shane on Jul 20, 2019 14:52:12 GMT
Log: 20.07.2019 ===========
Small colony for some reason has decided to move back in to a test tube which I think colony like a dry nest as the yog set up in foraging tank maybe to damp or not like how it is.
Workers are down to 4 unless theres a worker hidden some where in foraging tank as I cannot seem to find the 5'th, There's no dead body's in bin zone, So she will be some where.
Theres already about 8 cocoons and more on way, They do grow fast, Almost as fast growing as the messor colony for development.
Queen and workers seem to adventure out mainly some times at night to go out for a feast if workers cannot carry food bits in to nest, So I put food at nest entrance as I don't want queen to end up getting lost as she does wonder a bit before finding her way back.
I put food at entrance and it seems to have worked and queens not wording out with workers to find food. ============== ==============
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shane
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Post by shane on Aug 1, 2019 11:09:30 GMT
Log: 01.08.2019 ===========
Checked on colony today and workers have gone from 5 to now 12 Colony seem to be hugged up with eggs and larvae. There's only 1 scout that seems to come out now and then to scout around.
There seem to be ignoring any food today so colony must have all the food stored from yesterday.
Colony's active in nest part and only 1 that scouts around.
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shane
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Post by shane on Aug 3, 2019 20:34:46 GMT
Log: 03.08.2019 ============
Colony numbers have jumped again today from 12 to now 16, The jump in numbers has turned the colony to a bit too the aggressive side.
Anything I put down near entrance or in there food bole there run to it attacking in a stabbing like motion with there jaws open then either the scout then running in to nest beating floor with her gaster and touching others with her antener to get them to come out and inspect food or to protect rest or colony. I've not seem them do this before till now today, But for this colony to get more aggressive and continent in coming out is good news.
Things are looking up for colony but as colony grows I hope there don't get to aggressive...….. musty the majors which do run fast as darts to any food source to attack or inspected
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shane
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Post by shane on Aug 4, 2019 20:29:27 GMT
Log: 04.08.2019 ============
A time laps of them foraging. I was wondering if they're taking water or water from cotton but now I know its solid water they're taking, and they sleep too for odd minutes.
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shane
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Post by shane on Sept 19, 2019 23:15:02 GMT
Log: 20.09.2019 ============
Seems when colony workers get old they seem to end up stopping out in foraging tank and end up sleeping more till end of there life cycle.
Most of the older workers have now died off but there soon replaced with new workers which are around 30+ strong.
Even with the older workers dying off the rate there grow from egg to larvae to ant are really fast. I'm trying to fully take them off honey water and letting them feast on just fly's their favourite food,
Colony are also very messy with way there just leave left overs every where in nest.
Colony numbers are 30+ strong, I said 30+ as there are some older workers that seem to sleep under stuff even under lid when I have to watch out for, As there can easy run off and out of foraging tank if I disturbed them if I'm to fast with lifting lid off to feed them.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
Posts: 1,738
Likes: 819
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Post by shane on Nov 13, 2019 20:48:39 GMT
Log: 13.11.2019 ===========
This colony still seem to be growing. There around 50+ strong now and about 20 works are always wounding around foraging tank.
they do love a bit of protean jelly.
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shane
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Likes: 819
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Post by shane on Dec 9, 2019 19:50:49 GMT
Log: 9.12.2019 ==========
Queen of this colony seems to have stopped laying eggs that worries me a little. Colony has fat gasters in nest and seem active in or out of nest. "They do eat there own dead that surprised me" before there run around with bits of dead workers in foraging tank before there dropping them off some where for me to remove at a later day as there garbage starts to increase up around the walls sides of foraging tank as there seem to like to drop there garbage at a hight before returning back to nest.
Colony seems fine but queens stop laying eggs.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Dec 10, 2019 17:35:51 GMT
Don't worry about your queen, as mine stopped laying eggs 3 weeks ago. I think she is resting up for the winter months until spring, as even if you keep your colony warm it is entering a dormant period.
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shane
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Post by shane on Feb 22, 2020 20:29:24 GMT
Log: 22.02.2020 ============
Queens alive and well, and there's about 7 workers always foraging.
Colony numbers are around 20. From when I stopped feeding them honey from last year and just feed them flys. Colony seems to be doing well. There don't seem to be drinking water but taking mixed juicers from dead flys.
Colony's slow growing and queens on and off with laying eggs. =============== ===============
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