Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

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wmedina83

Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8316Post wmedina83
Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:42 am

I'm new to ant keeping and through the GAN project I purchased my first colony at the end of May. Acromyrmex versicolor, leaf cutters, that I'm very much enjoying and wanted to share my progress.

I wanted to journal on here about my new colony, and I will do some but I realize most want to see what's going on. So I made a Instagram account (@my.ants) just for them and potential future colonies. I'll post photos and vids there, and thought that it'll be good to use the forum to post my ideas, chat, and/or answer questions if any, in the forum.

So check them out and let me know what you think.

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ooper01
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Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8318Post ooper01
Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:03 pm

wmedina83 wrote:I'm new to ant keeping and through the GAN project I purchased my first colony at the end of May. Acromyrmex versicolor, leaf cutters, that I'm very much enjoying and wanted to share my progress.

I wanted to journal on here about my new colony, and I will do some but I realize most want to see what's going on. So I made a Instagram account (@my.ants) just for them and potential future colonies. I'll post photos and vids there, and thought that it'll be good to use the forum to post my ideas, chat, and/or answer questions if any, in the forum.

So check them out and let me know what you think.
I'm not an Instagrammer :(
~ ooper

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wmedina83

Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8331Post wmedina83
Thu Jul 07, 2016 3:05 pm

I'll post images on here too, but it's just much easier on Instagram.

Let me know if the link below works too, cause I don't think you need Instagram to view my photos.
https://www.instagram.com/my.ants/

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Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8353Post ooper01
Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:55 pm

wmedina83 wrote:I'll post images on here too, but it's just much easier on Instagram.

Let me know if the link below works too, cause I don't think you need Instagram to view my photos.
https://www.instagram.com/my.ants/
Ahhh yes, the link works fine. I can see your pics there. Wow! That is an amazing colony! Regarding your comments on some of the pictures:
1. Looks like we need to replace that one large plant in the Desert & Oasis Biome kit. We originally had a different one, when we re-ordered, they sent that one. We will double check on the next order.
2. We will look into the outworld seal issue.
3. Broken glass. This is the first one I have heard about. Hmm that is odd. They must have handled that package pretty roughly! I wonder if the rough handling had anything to do with the outworld seal issue??

Anyway, thanks for the great pics and for helping us know areas where we can improve! ;)
~ ooper

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wmedina83

Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8358Post wmedina83
Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:59 am

Thank you, and thanks to AntsCanada for bringing this little joy, the ant keeping hobby, to me.

My guess is the seal issue was probably a manufacturing issue. I say that cause (I didn't show it and there's no real easy way to see it on a photo) the back right side is flat and the oval outworld isn't perfectly rounded. So it looks almost like a dent. The left side comes to the seal nice and round but the right side gets flat before meeting up at the seal. If that makes any sense.

It's not noticeable after its all put together so I'm happy. Solving these little things helped make it my project, gave me more ownership and made the end result just that more satisfying.

So it all worked out the issues were superficial and the result is far beyond satisfying. I'm also glad to know that my comments might help someone.

wmedina83

Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8457Post wmedina83
Sun Jul 10, 2016 12:10 pm

Here's what I started with just about a month and a half ago. About 200 workers and one ball of fungus filling half of the chamber

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHavf-PAI0I/?taken-by=my.ants

wmedina83

Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8458Post wmedina83
Sun Jul 10, 2016 12:22 pm

I wanted ants that came with a twist. Honeypots were top of the list, but leaf cutters came in a close second. So when the honeypots weren't available in through the GAN project, I selected a small A. Versicolor colony and now 6 weeks later I've come to realize this was the better choice. Now the setup and colony has gotten much larger. With plans in the work to improve their setup even more.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHbIuU6gHhg/?taken-by=my.ants

I'm finding that the happier they are the faster they seem to grow, and I enjoy testing different substrates (fungus food) to see what they snatch up. Chives are on the top of the list.

wmedina83

Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8520Post wmedina83
Mon Jul 11, 2016 3:07 pm

Gave them honey today for the first time and shocked that they seemed to really enjoy it. I say that because there's been very little that I can say is "typical" with these compared to most other colonies. I went so far as to purchase ant nectar from byFormica when I first got the colony. And they hated it, so I thought honey was for sure out cause I assumed that the nectar would have been the favored option.

Got a couple of those free little honey packets from Starbucks on my last visit and tried that today with great success. They seem to take their fill and then tell the next ant to come over so theres never too many ants around the honey at one time. But many ants have had some honey.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHu8OzeA1zw/?taken-by=my.ants

wmedina83

Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8589Post wmedina83
Wed Jul 13, 2016 11:08 am

The colony has taken to their new hybrid nest better then expected. But for a colony that grows fungus it seems they are going to run out of space quickly.

https://instagram.com/p/BHx15M5gX8X/

Wishing there was an option for a hybrid nest large or extra large even. I'm open to suggestions, but if this is how quick they grow in a month I'm going to have to come up with a solution quick.

nightxwolf88

Re: Acromyrmex versicolor (My new colony)

Post: # 8592Post nightxwolf88
Wed Jul 13, 2016 12:48 pm

Durant wrote:Ya I wish there was a hybrid nest large and X large like the omni nests ;)
There was a hybrid large but a crazy demand for it like other ac products haha, it might be brought back tho. I hear some other new stuff maybe announced in the near future.

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