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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 25, 2011 15:31:49 GMT
This colony is getting more confident when it comes to food; I placed a small dead cricket in there. This is a rather detailed description of their reaction. At first, a pair of workers ran towards it. The moment they touched it, they shot away so fast that I couldn't see their legs, they looked like they were skating around. ;D The workers kept running at it and making small pinches, then immediately shooting away. Then the queen did the unexpected, instead of cowering in the corner like most queens she slowly climbed down from her perch in the cotton and approached the cricket slowly, antennae slicing the air like a pair of samurai swords. The moment she touched it, she ran for her life. After a while of these little hit and run attacks, they started eating the cricket. Most of it is gone now, I'm so pleased that I got them to eat.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 26, 2011 21:24:14 GMT
The weaker queen finally died. There was no remaining brood, but I placed her with the living colony as food for them. In a way I am glad she has gone, as she was never happy and at least that is over and done with for her. The living queen seems to be taking particular pleasure in eating her dead rival, and her brood are getting even bigger. The L.Flavus colony have just suffered yet another fungal outbreak, and by the time I checked them it had covered the entire surface and gone under. In order to counter this, I regret to say I had to remove all of the soil. Rest assured that the L.Flavus were unharmed and settled now. Their brood mass is getting massive, their queen is a healthy little thing. Smaller than the L.Niger and M.Barbarus, and yet far more successful with over 50 daughters. ;D I have given them a dead cricket and some honey, which they are happily eating now. I have provided them with some damp cotton wool and some areas under which they can hide. I hope to be able to give them a proper set up soon, but I wish I knew how to stop the fungus from following this poor colony around. I considered placing the Flavus inside the Ytong (I think that's what its called?) handmade set up, but I'm not sure if they will like it. When I received them in a test tube and coaxed them in, they eagerly ran in and then left after they ate the crumbs I had put in for them.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jan 28, 2011 21:28:18 GMT
L.Flavus are fine, most of their eggs have hatched into stage one larvae now. L.Niger are doing well, a second larva has pupated- looking forward to Worker Seven. They haven't actually started eating the dead L.Niger queen, but they have shown a lot of interest in her- nibbling and probing, almost as they would if she was alive and accepted. I find that a little odd. The living queen is paying particular attention to her supposed food, in fact they have taken their brood to it. The few seeds I tried them on have begun germinating, I shall probably remove them soon.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 1, 2011 7:39:30 GMT
Both L.Niger and L.Flavus are eating some honey and a cricket each. L.Niger brood development are okay, one of the cocoons is beginning to turn brown. Can't wait for Worker Six.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 3, 2011 19:51:11 GMT
L.Flavus seem reluctant to take food, so I'm going to try them on a few new things. L.Niger queen is looking very plump, in stark contrast to how she looked a few months ago when the colony was visibly struggling. The older cocoon is pale brown and will hatch hopefully by next week. There is also a batch of at least 16 eggs, which certainly weren't there a few days ago. The presence of a few eggs still stuck to the Queen's gaster seems to prove that they are very recent. About four larvae will soon progress to the cocoon stage, and the earlier generation of eggs have all hatched. I am feeding them on honey absorbed in cotton, small crickets, and other small insects I can find. I change their food at least once every two days and they usually eat some of it.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 6, 2011 10:01:14 GMT
I am pleased to confirm the presence of a third cocoon. This means there will be a total of eight workers, which is excellent because it means that this colony is now getting on track from a relatively shaky start. The 6th worker will hatch within the next few days, according to my estimate.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 6, 2011 17:02:14 GMT
Oh, wow! Just checked the Lasius Niger and there are now two new cocoons in there. That's three in one day! That means there will be TEN workers once all five hatch. They grow up so fast. ;D Also, the queen has been pretty busy over the last few days. While the older larval generation are reaching their cocoon stage, she has laid over twenty eggs. They must be content.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 8, 2011 20:48:19 GMT
The L.Niger workers are paying a lot of attention to a few of the cocoons this evening. I imagine that it heralds the new workers arrival, I hope to see the new callow within a few days. I have also observed the queen laying about two eggs, adding to the pile of 30 eggs or more. ;D
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 14, 2011 21:32:37 GMT
L.Niger are still alright, I haven't checked on them since Wednesday. All five cocoons are still there, but unhatched at the moment. The egg mass is still big.
L.Flavus are still okay, but I'll have to get them some better accommodation soon. They are getting hard to feed, as well. Their brood mass is still big, but there are still no cocoons.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 14, 2011 22:20:13 GMT
They were easiest to feed when they were still in their test tube, but at the moment they don't have a lot of soil due to a fungus infestation that follows them everywhere. They show momentary interest in their food, and then pile dirt onto it later. Look at the photo at the top, you can make out the golden masses eating from some jam. There has to be a little over 50 workers, with a plump and tiny queen.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 17, 2011 15:25:47 GMT
Not much to say about my L.Niger, except that the egg mass has to number about 40 now and there are now 6 pupae. None have hatched yet, but it can't be long now. On a related note, the L.Niger colony that lives in my front garden has become active once more.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 21, 2011 13:02:14 GMT
Lasius Niger have feasted on a few tiny flies, and several larvae are almost ready to add to the pupa number. Lasius Flavus have developed a habit of covering their food with dirt rather than eating it, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Their larvae are in various stages of development, but there are no pupae yet.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 22, 2011 10:26:15 GMT
The Lasius Niger queen's appearance has completely changed from when I found her as a small and scared princess who had just shed her wings. In fact, I found her in the library quad of my school and a group of kids were actually trying to stomp on her. Luckily I was able to snatch her up and place her in my pencil case before it was too late, along with her late sister who died during the winter. She is now a lot healthier and her abdomen has reached the size where the plates of her armour have to stretch a little. In the light, she almost glows a dull brown/gold like a Lasius Flavus queen would. -----------------------------------==<(Colony Status)>==------------------------------------------------ Queen: Healthy Workers: Six- I found the remains of a cocoon this morning, though I have yet to meet the new callow. ;D Pupae: Five Larvae: Around 10 or so, most are almost ready to pupate. Eggs: 30+ So as you can see, the queen has become very prolific over the last few months and the colony has reached the stage where worker births will be more frequent. As mentioned, I found the remains of a cocoon this morning. While I have not yet seen the callow, I expect it is because she is hard to see against the brood mass and cotton. I expect I will meet her once she has gained her black armour.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 22, 2011 12:00:07 GMT
You are too kind. There have indeed been plenty of twists and turns, and even times when I thought the L.Niger would die. My Science teacher has offered to lend me her camera, which she says should be able to take photos of small insects. So I might in future be able to show a few pictures of them.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 22, 2011 19:36:38 GMT
Earlier, I was fortunate enough to observe the Lasius Niger queen laying an egg. It took roughly one and a half minutes for the egg to be fully laid, and the queen doesn't look finished yet- she seems to lay about three a day. The Lasius Flavus have once again had to have some of the soil changed in order to counter the fungus that chases them. They have settled in, but have not yet dug any chambers at the sides or bottom. They will do this in the next few days, and there is a tunnel running a few centimetres along the side. Every so often a Flavus worker runs along it, before disappearing into the gloom again. I have seen brood taken along this tunnel as well.
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