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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 7, 2012 8:46:13 GMT
(Log 10)There's at least ten pupae now, a few are bare but most are cocooned.  Larvae are still growing, albeit a little slower as it's a bit cooler now. I noticed a few larvae eating at a bare pupa earlier...perhaps these pupae are more vulnerable to cannibalism. 
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 28, 2012 19:31:08 GMT
I cannot help but notice that there isn't much brood left, and that the bare pupae shriveled up and died.  |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jul 2, 2012 19:12:45 GMT
There is a three day old worker in there now.  Unfortunately though, the other pupae seem to have shrivelled up or been eaten. |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Sept 1, 2012 10:33:46 GMT
At my Nan's for the weekend, and have made a nice discovery. On an impulse I took this tiny colony with me, and I am glad that I did- because they are now laden with about 60 Formica fusca pupae from a wild nest.  Until now, this colony was heading on a downward spiral. There's no sign of rejection so far and the pupae are being taken care of, so I hope that this colony will get back on track shortly. In the same wild nest, I also saw a single F.fusca princess but she didn't stick around. I'm very pleased, and I expect that my colony is too! About two bites from angry workers is an excellent exchange for this prize, I think. |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Sept 3, 2012 9:00:41 GMT
Queen:  The adopted pupae:  |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Sept 8, 2012 13:02:49 GMT
I have noticed that quite a few of the adopted pupae have been eaten or otherwise destroyed. My only legitimate explanations could be either that they were simply cannibalized, or that the pupae were damaged when I retrieved them. There seems to be a mostly eaten worker who wasn't freed properly from her pupa membrane. There is a young and pale worker who is up and about and a few pupae that should eclose, but there's not as many pupae left now. I'm not sure what's going on here. |
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