Grace Ant Journal
Moderator: ooper01
Re: Grace Ant Journal
Noticed from my journal that I went out around 8:30-9:30 on my most successful trips. Tonight was later, not sure if they fly around a certain time of the night. But I have noticed the fire ant nuptial flights have been starting around 1:30 to 2:00 pm. They flew last week at 2:00 pm. This week they started around 1:30 pm. I am thinking I may have arrived too late and the males I found were the ones that could not mate with a queen. Not sure though is really only a guess. Will definitely be paying more attention to time though and see if there is any connection.
Re: Grace Ant Journal
Decided to take an extended break from ant keeping. Got tired of my queens dying off. Had basically forgotten about anting. Three days ago it happened again. My daughter, the biology major, and amateur entomologist said those magic words. "Hey, theres a queen". So I walk over and sure enough there is a beautiful Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen. I let it crawl onto my hand, and begin the mad rush to find where my wife has stored my test tubes. So I'm searching while watching the queen to make sure she doesnt fall off, I found a few that I had brought with me on my last anting trip, Stuck the queen in one, also found a cork the perfect size, popped it on. Went upstairs to prepare a test tube setup with another test tube. Put her in the setup and into a dark place. Next day, was working in the yard, and another C penn queen climbed up my arm. So yet another foray, balancing act, to get to the test tubes without losing the queen crawling on me. So, today, my daughter messages me and says "Do you have any test tubes? I found a queen.". So, now I have three C penn queens, and a new game plan. I usually have very little problem getting nanitics. My ants generally die when I move them into a critter container. Going to do it differently this time. Am going to use a test tube portal to feed once nanitics get here. Also, since I am in, I might as well go all in. Will be taking an anting trip or two very soon. If I'm going to try to raise three queens, I might as well try 10, if they all make it I already have homes for 4 colonies. Might try the rest on GAN, or talk to some teachers I'm sure I can get rid of all the ones I do not need. Anyway, going to try this again. If I am not successful at founding a colony this time, I am all out of ideas. Pictures will be coming in a week or two, as soon as I get back home. Wish me luck.
Re: Grace Ant Journal
Checked on my queens, queen number three did not make it, not sure why. She did not lay eggs, just was dead when I checked on her. The other two have eggs, I believe I also saw larvae. Was not able to look closely, took them out, glanced, put them back. Meant to get pictures, but did not. May get some in the next day or so. Or may wait a while, do not want to stress them more than I have to. Anyway, went looking for queens for a few minutes, saw nothing. May spend a good portion of the day tomorrow looking. Still want another C castaneus, may have missed them completely this year though. Got about 50 test tubes out, cleaned up and ready just in case .
Re: Grace Ant Journal
Went out looking for queens again, saw nothing except 10 or so Solenopsis queens. Did not get them because I do not want to keep a fire ant colony
Re: Grace Ant Journal
Got a new queen.
She is a Formica species, not sure which species. Possibly subsericea, but not sure. Anyway, this queen claimed me. This is the third one this season. I was pumping gas, and out of the corner of my eye I see something land on me. I thought it was a wasp at first, I went to brush it away and it did not fly. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a queen ant. She was caught July 25, 2020. Keeping her, and hoping she will form a colony. Have her put up, and now it's just a waiting game.
I have about decided to quit going out looking for queens. Every time this year I have went looking, I've come back empty handed. But they land on me when I'm least expecting it.
She is a Formica species, not sure which species. Possibly subsericea, but not sure. Anyway, this queen claimed me. This is the third one this season. I was pumping gas, and out of the corner of my eye I see something land on me. I thought it was a wasp at first, I went to brush it away and it did not fly. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a queen ant. She was caught July 25, 2020. Keeping her, and hoping she will form a colony. Have her put up, and now it's just a waiting game.
I have about decided to quit going out looking for queens. Every time this year I have went looking, I've come back empty handed. But they land on me when I'm least expecting it.
Re: Grace Ant Journal
keeper of: 41xCamponotus novaeboracensis, Crematogaster spp. and unidentified species and tapinoma sessile
Re: Grace Ant Journal
Queen ant 1, C. penn. Really large gaster.
These are both pics of queen 2, she is not quite as large in gaster as first.
Have not been able to update near as often as I would like due to lack of time. Also, really not much has changed.
I lost the formica queen, not sure she was fertile. Lost one C. penn, these are the two I have left.
Both have several pupae, larvae and some eggs. The first one is quite plump. Neither have nanitics yet. Not sure if they are waiting for spring, or just being slow to develop. Since it is taking so long, I offered both a drop of honey. Cannot say whether either ate any, I definitely did not see them if they did. The old test tubes were grungy, and dry. I moved both into new, larger test tubes.
Do not remember my last ones taking this long. Still patiently waiting.
Re: Grace Ant Journal
So, I went back and looked through my journal.. I caught these around the same time I caught my last C. penn queens. Difference is, last time I had nanitucs by August. It is already December, and no nanitics. No clue why this is, should have a bunch of nanitics by now. Kind of clueless as to why.
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- Location: Arizona
Re: Grace Ant Journal
It all depends on the ant. I know some queens take a long time for their brood to develop. Also, the climate could affect development. Does she have eggs? If she does, don't worry. Just give her until spring, when it warms up, and see how she does. For example, I thought that smaller ants would develop faster but my Monomorium minimum has already taken about 2 months and she barely has pupae. So all in do time
Stay safe, wear a mask!
-ArizonanAnts
Stay safe, wear a mask!
-ArizonanAnts
Keeper of
Nothing right now
Nothing right now
Re: Grace Ant Journal
Same species as last time she may be in a slightly cooler place than last time though. They both have eggs, larvae, and pupa.
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