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Post by batspiderfish on Apr 18, 2012 15:45:04 GMT
Those are very large workers, definitely not nanitics. Sounds like this person boosted your queen before shipping to you. I wonder where they get the pupae from.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Apr 22, 2012 8:58:34 GMT
(Log 2)Two workers have died, these ones were quite small. Probably old age. The queen appears to have laid a few eggs though. Honey still appears to be rejected.
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 5, 2012 10:45:47 GMT
(Log 3)There have been about four more worker deaths, but I have now found this colony to be receptive at last to honey. The queen has laid about ten eggs after eating a big fly. As each worker approached, I gave them a small drop of honey which they eagerly drank. Once full, they returned to the others and fed them.
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 11, 2012 19:20:11 GMT
(Log 4)I am happy to see that the queen has laid about fifteen eggs or so in a short period of time. The workers are very aggressive and will come running with jaws wide open at any vibration. Being quite big ants, I can actually hear them as they move around- the queen in particular. I have given them a mealworm this evening, which they should hopefully take.
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 23, 2012 6:41:22 GMT
(Log 5)The larvae have begun to hatch, and are already at a nice size. There are more eggs and larvae outside the picture, which were dropped in surprise when I checked the colony. The one pupa looks like it will prepare to eclose soon as well. I gave the Formica a bit of apple a few days ago, and they drank from the flesh.
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 26, 2012 8:41:25 GMT
(Log 6)I seem to recall someone saying at some point that Formica brood grow quickly, and I was skeptical at first- but since the larvae are already very big and nearing the pupa stage, I eat my words. The workers are still happy to take their food and honey. Maybe this colony will get a bit bigger.
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 26, 2012 8:50:58 GMT
(Log 6)I seem to recall someone saying at some point that Formica brood grow quickly, and I was skeptical at first- but since the larvae are already very big and nearing the pupa stage, I eat my words. That was me ;D Formica brood does develop very fast, especially at this time of year when Britain is basking in the warm summer sun; and daytime temperatures get very hot.
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 27, 2012 7:48:50 GMT
(Log 7)Brood is getting bigger, and some more eggs have been laid whilst others hatch. Here's the queen and some of the brood. That cricket was given to them yesterday, and they've already removed a leg for the larvae to munch on: Worker with the biggest larva: As I noted before, through careful listening the workers can be heard as a faint rustling sound as they move. The queen makes a small tapping sound when she moves, especially at top speed. I changed their cotton wool earlier and placed the new piece in a different corner. The workers began to move their brood underneath, then one came back for the queen. She nipped the queen's gaster gently before wheeling her 'round and dragging her to the others. ;D
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 31, 2012 6:23:59 GMT
(Log 8)One of the larvae has pupated. I think that one more cricket should be enough to get some of the others into this stage. The brood is still doing quite well.
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 31, 2012 8:05:43 GMT
(Log 8)One of the larvae has pupated. I think that one more cricket should be enough to get some of the others into this stage. The brood is still doing quite well. Only "quite well"? At this time of the year Formica brood is maturing very fast, so I hope yours are doing more than quite well, as all my Formica species with the exception of my sanguinea are doing extremely well now that summer is here in JOE (Jolly Old England) ;D
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 31, 2012 12:34:50 GMT
You are correct, I didn't use the right words for that. ;D
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 2, 2012 10:56:20 GMT
(Log 9)More content- there's now at least eight pupae. I noticed a large larva that was buried under a thin layer of sand, and it was weaving its head about. That'll be the ninth pupa. Workers having a morning drink: Queen: Some of the brood: The queen, impatient for food, gets it herself. ;D Video of the queen having her drink. Towards the end, she gets dragged off.
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Post by honeypotant on Jun 2, 2012 13:54:15 GMT
nice vid, but no sound that I could hear on it.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 2, 2012 14:46:29 GMT
Intentional, I'm too shy to be heard. ;D As for the 'background noises', there were some doors shutting whilst recording.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 2, 2012 17:49:23 GMT
Intentional, I'm too shy to be heard. ;D You'll grow out of it eventually, as believe it or not I was exactly the same as a teenager until I went into nurse training. Then I found myself chatting to the girls in my class group and found a lot more confidence in myself that I never knew I had before!
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