Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

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Hikari

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 21950Post Hikari
Sun May 28, 2017 7:02 pm

Gratz on the worker! That little nanitic is so tiny compared to the queen!

xTNxANTMANx
Posts: 416
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:03 am
Location: Western Tennessee

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 21966Post xTNxANTMANx
Sun May 28, 2017 9:37 pm

I managed to get 2 of these queens myself. Their eggs were the around the same age and one already had a pupae. The other is just now getting larvae...weird how it works differently though things may be the same. Can't wait for the first worker to arrive. And gratz btw! Brood is looking great too
Keeping:
Camponotus subbarbatus
Formica pallidefulva x2
Formica subsericea x4
Lasius sp
Tetramorium immigrans x2
Dorymyrmex bureni

Founding:
Formica pallidefulva
Unknown sp x2

AntzNaTube

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22235Post AntzNaTube
Fri Jun 02, 2017 5:54 pm

Queen 1 has another worker!

Image

Takes her current count to 2.

Also, you can tell in the pic queen 2 isn't far behind.

AntzNaTube

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22236Post AntzNaTube
Fri Jun 02, 2017 6:14 pm

Also, I think queen 1 seems to be the first camponotus pennsylvanicus with nanitics for the year. Looks like I lucked up and got myself an overachiever... lol

But seriously, I attribute their speed to ***** heat provided by a hacked heating pad. It has a thermostat and the cut off feature has been disabled. Probably far easier to just buy one used for this specific purpose, but I already had this one modified for growing fungi, so it was the most convenient option for me.

Hikari

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22345Post Hikari
Sun Jun 04, 2017 10:09 pm

Nice. Queen 1 sounds well on her way! Probably helped that you got her so early in the year too. If you got her in early April, this sounds about right for her first nanitics to be showing up.

You hacked a heating pad, lol. But hey, if it works, why not? Mine thankfully doesn't have automatic cut-off by default, but I do wonder if one of these days I shouldn't get a thermostat. Right now I just keep it on low, and only part of the formicarium and/or tube for my two on the very edge of the pad and watch it like a hawk. Of course, if I invest in a thermostat, I may as well invest in a heating cable too (which is what I'd really like) and be done with it.

Have you started feeding them yet?

AntzNaTube

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22392Post AntzNaTube
Mon Jun 05, 2017 8:07 pm

I've started attempting to feed them. The workers are still very skiddish and don't seem to want to venture to the side of the tube I have been leaving the honey on. I have however been leaving daily offerings even if they barely touch them. :roll:

And as for the heating pad, like I said before, not the simplest or best way to go about it. However, I already had it done for another project where I was growing fungus, so I just used what I had on hand considering it was suitable.

Hikari

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22399Post Hikari
Mon Jun 05, 2017 8:46 pm

Awww...poor things. I'm sure they'll work up their courage once they get hungry enough.

Also, I apologize if you thought I was dissing your heating pad. I thought it was a rather brilliant idea. I was just amused cause I'd never heard of anyone doing something like that before. BTW, I'm curious, what kind of thermostat do you use with it?

AntzNaTube

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22404Post AntzNaTube
Mon Jun 05, 2017 11:42 pm

Oh no! I didn't think that at all. :o I don't really remember what thermostat I used honestly. That project took place several years ago and the ol' memory bank isn't quite what it use to be. :roll:

Hikari

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22405Post Hikari
Mon Jun 05, 2017 11:51 pm

Oh, gotcha. I was thinking maybe it was one you connected separately, like the one I use for my snake tank. Been trying to find cheaper alternatives, lol.

AntzNaTube

Re: Journaling my first queens (camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Post: # 22406Post AntzNaTube
Tue Jun 06, 2017 12:03 am

I remember it came off of something else but I can't remember for the life of me what it came off of. I do however remember it was much harder to get it to work the way I wanted than I had previously expected. But, such is the nature of workshop tinkering. :lol:

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