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Post by Jonzii on Apr 6, 2013 17:12:29 GMT
Hi All,
Thought I would start a journal for my Lasius Niger colony.
This is my first ever colony, which I recieved about a month ago consisting of a queen and around 20 workers.
They are currently living in a slim nest with sand loam, connected to a foraging tank.
Since they moved into the nest, I have only seen the queen twice, as they haven't dug out the chamber enough for me to see into. She looks really healthy and there is ever increasing brood being moved round by the workers.
At the minute there are around 15 cocooned pupae, 10 or so large larvae, 15 or so small larvae and today I saw over 20 eggs too.
It looks like the colony should increase massively over the coming months.
There are always workers out foraging, and come out in force when I give them insects, I can't give them enough mini mealworms, they go crazy for them.
Only thing that I find strange is that most of the time, apart from the eggs, the brood is kept on the surface of the sand and away from the queen. Could there be any reason for this?
I will post some pictures soon, once I can get some good ones.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Apr 6, 2013 18:07:08 GMT
Sounds to me like the surface soil temperature is probably warmer than where the eggs are stored. Larvae and developing pupae are often given different conditions to speed up their growth.
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Post by Jonzii on Apr 6, 2013 18:09:00 GMT
A few photos of part of the brood, and their foraging area. Sorry about the poor quality as they are taken with my phone.
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Post by crockatt on Apr 6, 2013 19:09:25 GMT
I find my nigers don't really go in for meal worms, but love a spider and flies, good luck with your colony
Sent from my GT-I8150 using proboards
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Post by Jonzii on Apr 6, 2013 22:55:02 GMT
Thanks Crockatt. Mine seem to love them. Tried crickets but they don't seem interested in them, will start giving them other insects as soon as I can find any. Its still really cold here, so not much out there.
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Post by crockatt on Apr 6, 2013 23:02:09 GMT
I know what you mean, I had to rummage my mothers greenhouse to get 2 spiders for my colonies, roll on spring warming up
Sent from my GT-I8150 using proboards
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Post by Jonzii on Apr 15, 2013 19:00:33 GMT
All seems to be well with my Nigers. Currently have about 30 cocooned pupae, that are kept on the surface most of the time only occasionally taken below. 3 balls of eggs were also on the surface earlier today, I would estimate maybe 20-30 in each so the Queen is definitely in laying mode. Haven't seen many larvae though, and they don't seem to interested in protein since the cricket they ate about 5 days ago so maybe there just isn't many to feed. Not too sure how much the colony has grown so far as I still can't see into their tunnels or chambers. Although the first larvae pupated around 3 weeks ago I think, so I assume there are a few new workers around. Had my first escapee when I moistened the nest the other day, let her run around my coffee table for a while and she made her own way back in. Overall they seem quite lively, and always out in the foraging basin waiting for me to replenish their honey water. Have some more photos, but having problems uploading.
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Post by Jonzii on Apr 16, 2013 11:43:20 GMT
couple of photos of the cocoon pile, which they keep on the surface most of the time. A few eggs at the bottom too.
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Post by crockatt on Apr 16, 2013 11:59:34 GMT
Like yourself I have cocoons and eggs and very little larvae, I think the cocoons are from the larvae that was over wintered and the eggs are close to hatching or have hatched but are the first stage larvae "instar" I think Wood refers to them, and things just a bit slow due to the colder weather we are all having, hopefully things will speed up when it gets warmer.
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Post by Jonzii on Apr 24, 2013 18:30:52 GMT
So, the girls are still doing well. I think the reason the brood was spending a lot of the time on top of the sand was that it wasn't most enough for them. Since watering the nest they are now mostly tucked away underground, although the cocoons are still brought up now and then. Speaking of cocoons, today I saw a new worker being cut out of her cocoon, the first callow ant I have seen in my colony! I did manage to catch the end on video, albeit very poorly which you can see below. I was in a mad rush to get it, and filmed or the wrong way round. You will see the callow being cleaned and then carried off underground. It didn't move or anything though, just stayed curled up like a bare pupae, not sure if this is normal or not.
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Post by Jonzii on May 2, 2013 11:48:31 GMT
Saw the Queen today for the first time in a while. I was about to moisten the nest and she came out to see what all the fuss was about. The workers must be doing a good job looking after her, she looks very healthy and her gaster is huge! Plenty of brood, and a few recently eclosed callow ants still to get their colour. I would estimate the colony has at least 40-50 workers now.
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 2, 2013 15:35:34 GMT
That is great news, as it is always nice to read the journal of a successful colony; and your colony looks like it is certainly doing very well.
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Post by Jonzii on May 2, 2013 17:28:07 GMT
Thanks Wood, I'm really happy with how they are going, looking forward to further growth over the next few months.
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Post by Jonzii on May 11, 2013 17:34:39 GMT
The girls still seem to be doing well. Have been constantly foraging for the last week, any protein I give them is covered in 10-15 workers within minutes, there is no stopping them. Always makes me smile when word gets out and they all come sprinting down the tube to the basin. They currently have loads of larvae, far too many to count so this must be why they are taking everything. Also around 20 cocooned pupae, and new workers enclosing regularly. For whatever reason, they have decided to construct walls up against the glass on top of the sand in the nest, I guess it's to block light out, even though it is covered most of the time.
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Post by Jonzii on May 13, 2013 17:25:14 GMT
Not sure what's going on with these girls, but the walls they were constructing are currently getting a roof attached! They are quite the builders. It's like they are making a chamber on top of the sand, I'm slightly concerned that the conditions underground aren't very good for them but no idea why as It's kept moist for them.
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