Camponotus castaneus from louisiana

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Stevedog16
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 8:49 pm

Camponotus castaneus from louisiana

Post: # 26486Post Stevedog16
Sun Jul 23, 2017 5:33 pm

Hey guys new update on my campontus Castaneus queen she now has a new group of workers ant (nanitics) 3 with developing pupa I'm so excited after about 2 days I proceeded to give them some honey witch surprisingly they excepted. After about 4 day they seem to reject protein good such as a cricket leg I tried to offer I'm guessing it's because they are still developing are body parts or hardening so I will wait a couple of more days before I introduce any type of protein food I will try fruit flies next they tend to be more softer with my be better for this first small developing ants if you guys have any info on this love to hear back and Good luck on your ant colonies. :D :D

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

Re: Camponotus castaneus from louisiana

Post: # 28283Post xTNxANTMANx
Mon Aug 07, 2017 12:11 pm

I live in Tennessee and my Camponotus castaneus queen has her first workers as well, 4 the last I looked. So far, mine have been the same, they love sugar water and the Sunburst nectar from byFormica on Amazon but as far as protein, they haven't accepted any just yet. She got her first worker about 2 weeks ago now so I too am going to try fruit flies maybe today. I have both types of flightless fruit flies but I'm going to try the smaller species first. Let me know how yours does with the fruit flies if you don't mind and I'll do the same
Keeping:
Camponotus subbarbatus
Formica pallidefulva x2
Formica subsericea x4
Lasius sp
Tetramorium immigrans x2
Dorymyrmex bureni

Founding:
Formica pallidefulva
Unknown sp x2

Stevedog16
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 8:49 pm

Re: Camponotus castaneus from louisiana

Post: # 28560Post Stevedog16
Wed Aug 09, 2017 7:23 pm

Hey buddy my campontus queen ant now has 5 workers her colony is starting to develop really good. I have been giving them fruit flies because they didn't really want the cricket leg I tried to feed them at first. Man they love the fruit flies do went right at them and started to bite and use there farmic acid it was great to see that. But my concern is when will they start to accept crickets or mill worms my oldest worker is about 3 weeks old now but is real small I have 2 of the last pupated workers that are a little bigger in size . My guess is because the workers or small and or the first group they want smaller and softer insects to tackle because there mouth parts or still not strong enough to chew up the crickets I guess I will wait a couple of more weeks when bigger workers arrive and see what happens and thanks for your update buddy these is really a learning experience

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

Re: Camponotus castaneus from louisiana

Post: # 28590Post xTNxANTMANx
Wed Aug 09, 2017 10:33 pm

Yes it truly is a learning experience for us both. I know my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colonies have a few more workers than my C. castaneus, but they still prefer the smaller soft-bodied insects compared to say crickets and superworms. I'm not sure if it's because they are smaller workers or what but I think what it is is that the colony is not very large and so they feel like they can't tackle bigger prey items. I have smaller species that have no problem going after bigger insects like my Crematogaster cerasi colony or Tetramorium caspitum. And most of the videos I watch on the Camponotus species, it seems they are a relatively skittish species. I know mine sure are LOL. I gave them a housefly today and every time I feed them it's like they freak out for a second and run all over the place and once they realize it's already dead then they go to work. My Camponotus castaneus though is by far my favorite species I own. I searched for over a month for a queen with no luck but I seen many many males. I had almost given up hope and finally found not 1 but two queens but only one was fertile. She's actually the only one that I gave a name to :-) her name is Ember. I am very fascinated by their color. I'm going to try and feed mind some fruit flies in the morning when I get off work. I have two different species of flightless fruit flies so we will find out which one they like more. I'm only going to give them a couple of each though because what fruit flies I have right now are in starting cultures to produce more.
Keeping:
Camponotus subbarbatus
Formica pallidefulva x2
Formica subsericea x4
Lasius sp
Tetramorium immigrans x2
Dorymyrmex bureni

Founding:
Formica pallidefulva
Unknown sp x2

Stevedog16
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 8:49 pm

Re: Camponotus castaneus from louisiana

Post: # 28690Post Stevedog16
Thu Aug 10, 2017 9:19 pm

Lol I can't believe you named your queen ember that's the exact name I had in mind for my queen that's great because of her coloration that name fits her well. And my next goal or I should say task is to catch the black campontus pennsylvanicus I love that species its actualy was my very first campontus ant I ever seen it's been years since I seen them. which places would be best to find themI no they are wood dwelling species. I will start looking next week hopefully I find something. And yes the campontus Castaneus species seem to be very picky about what they eat I hope they eventually start tackling bigger insects because I would like to see that but they are still young we will see what happens.thanks for the info do buddy keep me updated ☺☺

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

Re: Camponotus castaneus from louisiana

Post: # 30749Post xTNxANTMANx
Sat Sep 02, 2017 3:30 pm

Camponotus pennsylvanicus are super easy to find and right now, you could actually find one with nanitics already. Look in semi rotten logs, especially close to where a limb has been broke off or a knot in the log. I found so many this year and still have 2 myself. One of which had her first Major eclose yesterday. I was so excited. Good luck in finding one. I hope you do. They are a beautiful species as well.
Keeping:
Camponotus subbarbatus
Formica pallidefulva x2
Formica subsericea x4
Lasius sp
Tetramorium immigrans x2
Dorymyrmex bureni

Founding:
Formica pallidefulva
Unknown sp x2

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