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Post by Asiletto on Apr 9, 2013 9:18:50 GMT
I keep this colony since January 2013, here a quick summary of its growth. I am keeping them at 27-29°C and feeding them with Tenebrio molitor and honey. I am curious to see if in six months they can reach same colony size as the one of Mikey Bustos, but I have some doubts on that. 8 January 2013
I collected a couple of queens in north east Thailand, on the porch of my house, they were attracted to light. I put the queens in a small plastic container filled with dirt, and they quickly build a small chamber and seal themselves. I did not know what species are them, they got and ID later on the italian forum I attend. 16 JanuaryFirst eggs are hatching 18 January
First larvae are visibles 22 January24 JanuaryFirst pupa 27 JanuarySome more pupae 29 Januarya lot more pupae 30 Januarya pupa is changing color 01 Februaryfirst worker eclosed 02 February04 Februaryants starts to dig some tunnels 06 FebruaryI moved the ants in a small arena with a standard tube, hoping they will move in 08 February
ants moved into test tube 12 February
they are growing. the visibility in the test tube is much better. 15 February
17 February
02 March
27 March
5 April
first major have eclosed
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Post by Wood~Ant on Apr 9, 2013 9:28:55 GMT
She looks a large queen for a Solenopsis species I am unfamiliar with, so she should produce plenty of brood. Nice journal, I will follow this closely.
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Post by Asiletto on Jul 22, 2013 13:16:55 GMT
With the summer temperatures the colony is growing quickly, I made a small ytong nest for them and they moved in the same day. I observed this behaviour, for some hours a day they hang the pupae on the roof of the nest. I don't know why they do that.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 22, 2013 14:08:13 GMT
Ants which have bare pupae tend to pile them up a lot, as it helps with air flow drying out the brood if the chambers are a bit too damp. Hanging them down from the chamber ceiling is quite a novel way of doing this though, as my ants usually place the brood on the top of stones or the soil surface, although my Q2 Messor barbs often pile a lot of brood up the tank wall above their seed pot. Nice update
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Post by Asiletto on Aug 12, 2013 10:48:24 GMT
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 12, 2013 12:27:21 GMT
That is such a lovely colony Asiletto, and is growing fast from the look of things inside the nest.
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Post by Asiletto on Aug 20, 2013 12:05:39 GMT
First alate pupae! I hope they will produce both males and females, so I can attempt an "indoor" breeding.
Also, I need to link another nest, this one is already full and the ants are trying to find a new place to colonize...outside the arena . Good I have a water moat surrounding the nest, so they can't escape. I will replace the talcum powder with vaseline grease in the next set up, and I hope it will be more effective to keep the ants in .
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Post by Asiletto on Sept 15, 2013 21:06:46 GMT
The nest is already full. I've build a bigger one and I will connect it in the next days. I have not seen any more alates, just a couple of males.
The nest.
A brood chamber.
The queen.
A super major.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Sept 16, 2013 6:18:45 GMT
That's a brilliant looking colony! Always wanted to keep Solenopsis, they seem to spread like wildfire.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 16, 2013 6:52:57 GMT
This colony is incredible, and the castes are very much like Pheidole. I can hardly believe it has grown so large since the queen laid her first eggs back in January, she certainly has done well and this journal is a great story of a thriving ant colony to follow for ant lovers.
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gas
Callow Ant
Posts: 55
Likes: 4
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Post by gas on Sept 16, 2013 22:02:17 GMT
They are brilliant and awsome ! I'm booking a queen, just in case, they will fly ! Cheers!!
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Post by Joona on Sept 17, 2013 13:13:49 GMT
Wow she did that in nine months! Great colony you got there.
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Post by Asiletto on Sept 20, 2013 13:39:01 GMT
Male. I hope to see some queens. I hope they will not colonize my house, too .
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Post by Asiletto on Sept 27, 2013 7:38:12 GMT
Moving into new nest.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 27, 2013 7:48:18 GMT
Did they need much persuading to move into the new nest, as they looked very eager to move in on the video? Great choice of music for such frantic activity.
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