Queen #1
Species: camponotus pennsylvanicus
Location: Found in a log next to my swamp behind my house on 10/11/2016
Nickname: Blackwood
Nanitics: 1
Eggs: 3
Queen #2
Species: camponotus noveboracensis
Location: Found in a log next to my swamp behind my house on 10/12/2016
Nickname: Omni Nove
Workers: 2
Nanitics: 14
Eggs: ~100
Larvae: ~10
Queen #3
Species: camponotus noveboracensis
Location: Given to my by a friend on 1/5/07
Nickname: Starks
Nanitics: 10
Eggs: ~30
Queen #4
Species: camponotus noveboracensis
Location: Found in a log next to my swamp behind my house on 10/5/2016
Nickname: Little ones
Nanitics: 1
Eggs: ~30
I woke up my girls on 1/1/17 2 weeks short of 3 months. I admit i shouldn't of but its my first year ant keeping. And after spending money on heating cable, nests, super worms, ect, i wanted to start putting ants into what i had bought. At first all was the same in all the colonies, they has barricaded the tunnel entrance and thats about it. On 1/5/17 A buddy of mine gave me one of his Campo Nove colonies, originally found in the northern part of my state. The road was harsh to them and the chill of winter took some workers. 2 workers and ~5-10 eggs died during the travel.
Once i got the Starks settle in with all the rest of my colonies, the waiting began. But not all was as it seemed. after 24 hours i saw 5 more dead workers in the Starks test tube. I started to think it was something in the test tube. I had to do something. I had to do an emergency transfer of them by moving them into the outworld of a nest and hope that whatever was causing the deaths would stop.
There was good news last night though, as the Omni Nove decided to remove the barricade of the nest! I was so happy! I noticed they kept 1-2 workers in the outworld.. almost looking for something. So i decided to offer some food. I give them a little slice of apple. They checked it out and seemed to of tasted it, but didnt really seem to care. I tried giving a piece to all of the colonies, since they all sent out 1 worker for sugar water every couple hours. None seemed to care. But i kept looking at the Omni Nove, they wanted something.. and i decided now is the time. I took the smallest super worm and cut it into 1/4s. I give 1/4 to each colony..... and waited. The Omni Nove jumped at the food ASAP, tearing into the lovely bug guts. I saw up to 5 workers going at it with the guts. It had seemed at least they are fully awake now.
Then I noticed movement in other outworlds. I saw the Blackwoods send out 2 scouts to the food, and then they drug it into the nest. But the Little ones and the Starks didnt eat. Im not surprised by the Little ones, since she only has 1 nanitic. But the Starks seemed to not care either. I guess they still are not ready to eat.
on 1/7/17 I removed the apple slices and also noticed that all but the Little ones have ate at least some of the worm, so i gave each one another bit of worm. I more than likely wont feed them again for a couple days. Ill be adding pics in a bit of each colony. All my colonies have access to wood chips and some fine cotton to edit there home into whatever they want. I do need to clean the outworlds though, the EVOO i use as a barrier has dripped a little and makes it hard to take pic and vids. In other news today i noticed that the Omni Nove colony has larvae now!! and a couple seem much bigger than the rest, perhaps majors?
or just larvae more along? Im thinking majors due to all the eggs are from the same time. pics will be placed here once i take and upload them.