Tapinoma sessile Journal!

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Onyxiguana
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:53 pm
Location: Illinois

Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15112Post Onyxiguana
Fri Dec 02, 2016 11:55 am

This will be a journal for my first colony that I hope will be a success. I'll post pictures later, this first entry will be just text right now. About a month and a half ago, I was luring bugs to an area to catch some for some spiders I own (Don't worry, I don't feed my colonies to other animals.) and I noticed a large movement of worker ants. As I went to observe them I noticed a few differently shaped ants among the workers. I capture two of them and a few workers, leaving three or so of the the odd shaped ants behind, and got them identified as queens! I've been trying to raise a colony from them, but since winter has come they might not even start until next spring. I so far managed to keep on of the two queens alive. She scared me recently because she dug into the cotton in her tube, making a really small clausteral chamber in the cotton :shock:. She sticks around in there now and sometimes comes out every once in a while. I hope to update this in a week or two with pictures.
Current Queens:
(2) Tetramorium Imimgrans

Reevak

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15131Post Reevak
Fri Dec 02, 2016 6:49 pm

Can't wait to see. Tapinoma sessile is a species I don't see people keep often, so this will be pretty interesting to watch as it updates.

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Nathant
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2016 7:57 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15148Post Nathant
Sat Dec 03, 2016 9:29 am

Onyxiguana wrote:This will be a journal for my first colony that I hope will be a success. I'll post pictures later, this first entry will be just text right now. About a month and a half ago, I was luring bugs to an area to catch some for some spiders I own (Don't worry, I don't feed my colonies to other animals.) and I noticed a large movement of worker ants. As I went to observe them I noticed a few differently shaped ants among the workers. I capture two of them and a few workers, leaving three or so of the the odd shaped ants behind, and got them identified as queens! I've been trying to raise a colony from them, but since winter has come they might not even start until next spring. I so far managed to keep on of the two queens alive. She scared me recently because she dug into the cotton in her tube, making a really small clausteral chamber in the cotton :shock:. She sticks around in there now and sometimes comes out every once in a while. I hope to update this in a week or two with pictures.

Yes, I love polygynous ants! Will be sticking around for updates, good luck!
Massachusetts Nuptial Flight Thread | Massachusetts Anting Thread | My Ants

MichiganAnts

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15312Post MichiganAnts
Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:29 am

Good luck! I caught 2 colonies of these girls aswell. Both about 100 workers but only 1 queen per colony. All colonies of this species never seem to last over6 months

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Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15315Post Batspiderfish
Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:43 am

xW1Z25x wrote:Good luck! I caught 2 colonies of these girls aswell. Both about 100 workers but only 1 queen per colony. All colonies of this species never seem to last over6 months
My Tapinoma sessile colony lasted five years before I lost it. I'm still absolutely confident that the 'colony' you introduced your Lasius umbratus queen to is Lasius alienus.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

Onyxiguana
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:53 pm
Location: Illinois

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15436Post Onyxiguana
Thu Dec 15, 2016 4:52 pm

Image
Image
Image
As promised here are some pics, finally found a way to get the to properly show up! Any way, I know this set up isn't the best, but I've mentioned before that she burrowed deeper and deeper into the cotton in her test tube. I was really concerned she'd drown herself so I moved her into this container. I figure every couple of days I'll check the cotton carefully and maybe drop a bit of water on it. I placed a dab of honey nearby if she gets hungry, but I figure that she won't have any/much brood since it is pretty much the dead of winter. So far I don't see any brood, but size might be a factor in that. It also can be that she hasn't lain any eggs because hibernation. If that is the case I hope she lays in the spring, I'm willing to wait. I'm hopeful that some family member will consider getting me one of the small omninests for Christmas this year, that will help if workers come. All I can do now it just wait. I'll update if anything major happens or if I get a new set up. Happy Holidays!
Current Queens:
(2) Tetramorium Imimgrans

Martialis
Posts: 1576
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 5:30 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15437Post Martialis
Thu Dec 15, 2016 5:01 pm

Onyxiguana wrote:Image
Image
Image
As promised here are some pics, finally found a way to get the to properly show up! Any way, I know this set up isn't the best, but I've mentioned before that she burrowed deeper and deeper into the cotton in her test tube. I was really concerned she'd drown herself so I moved her into this container. I figure every couple of days I'll check the cotton carefully and maybe drop a bit of water on it. I placed a dab of honey nearby if she gets hungry, but I figure that she won't have any/much brood since it is pretty much the dead of winter. So far I don't see any brood, but size might be a factor in that. It also can be that she hasn't lain any eggs because hibernation. If that is the case I hope she lays in the spring, I'm willing to wait. I'm hopeful that some family member will consider getting me one of the small omninests for Christmas this year, that will help if workers come. All I can do now it just wait. I'll update if anything major happens or if I get a new set up. Happy Holidays!
Sorry.. but they aren't showing up! :lol:
Keeper of

Selliing:

Onyxiguana
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:53 pm
Location: Illinois

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15446Post Onyxiguana
Fri Dec 16, 2016 7:29 am

Martialis wrote:
Onyxiguana wrote:Image
Image
Image
As promised here are some pics, finally found a way to get the to properly show up! Any way, I know this set up isn't the best, but I've mentioned before that she burrowed deeper and deeper into the cotton in her test tube. I was really concerned she'd drown herself so I moved her into this container. I figure every couple of days I'll check the cotton carefully and maybe drop a bit of water on it. I placed a dab of honey nearby if she gets hungry, but I figure that she won't have any/much brood since it is pretty much the dead of winter. So far I don't see any brood, but size might be a factor in that. It also can be that she hasn't lain any eggs because hibernation. If that is the case I hope she lays in the spring, I'm willing to wait. I'm hopeful that some family member will consider getting me one of the small omninests for Christmas this year, that will help if workers come. All I can do now it just wait. I'll update if anything major happens or if I get a new set up. Happy Holidays!
Sorry.. but they aren't showing up! :lol:
ugh, they were yesterday. Even in the preview. I'll edit it later when I have the time.
Current Queens:
(2) Tetramorium Imimgrans

Onyxiguana
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:53 pm
Location: Illinois

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 15567Post Onyxiguana
Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:48 am

Image
Image

Hopefully this should have the picture work, I'm gonna try the others soon. Side update I got an Ant farm for Christmas, with ants. I was hoping to use it for my colony, but I figured why not test it out with the harvester ants that we already received. Only 10 survived cause the poor things were delivered on a really cold day. I honestly didn't realize my family already ordered the workers. I will say it is very fun to watch them work in the farm, makes me even more excited to raise a true colony in the spring.
Current Queens:
(2) Tetramorium Imimgrans

Onyxiguana
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:53 pm
Location: Illinois

Re: Tapinoma sessile Journal!

Post: # 16609Post Onyxiguana
Wed Feb 01, 2017 8:22 am

Small update, My starter kit from the Antscanda website came in a week or so ago. I decided to put her back in the small test tube since it was easier to regulate and that the plastic container was more of a temporary set up until it arrived. So far no brood I can see, but her gaster seems a little bigger. I'm just gonna leave her alone for a few weeks and see what happens.
Current Queens:
(2) Tetramorium Imimgrans

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