Protective Custody

Share your Ant Journals, Youtube Channels, and Blogs with the global ant community

Moderator: ooper01

Warden
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 2:33 pm
Location: MN

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62052Post Warden
Mon Aug 05, 2019 1:02 pm

Image
The new nest boxes. They live in a drawer in my D&D room, the one where fallen adventurers are laid to rest, a crypt of sorts.

sartwell90
Posts: 94
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 2:46 pm
Location: South East Michigan

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62100Post sartwell90
Tue Aug 06, 2019 4:00 am

Warden wrote:
Mon Aug 05, 2019 1:02 pm
The new nest boxes. They live in a drawer in my D&D room, the one where fallen adventurers are laid to rest, a crypt of sorts.
So all the stories of the colonies that come out of that drawer... are tales from the crypt?

Heh, but catching up, quite a bit of excitement I see. Glad they are all doing alright. Wondering if you'll be able to snag any pics of the mega pupa.
Check out my colonies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDze5idJomnpRCpvd3QoAFA
Or, if you would rather read about them check here - https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?p=60680#p60680

Warden
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 2:33 pm
Location: MN

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62108Post Warden
Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:49 pm

sartwell90 wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 4:00 am
So all the stories of the colonies that come out of that drawer... are tales from the crypt?

Heh, but catching up, quite a bit of excitement I see. Glad they are all doing alright. Wondering if you'll be able to snag any pics of the mega pupa.
More or less, honestly I didn't TPK often so its closer to a retirement home I suppose...

But yeah its the only one visible in the pic of #2. A quick clarity recap:

#1 was collected solo and along with a good chuck of brood, she has already "hatched" (?) 2 workers from stolen brood. Additionally she has fresh eggs on the way
#2 was collected with workers instead of brood essentially, the exception was the one big pupae (both pictured and hopefully a super major). She is also laying fresh eggs already.

I've always been bad at pictures, I'm almost always too hungry after cooking to take a picture of a well cooked meal before all I've got to show is the cleaned plate lol, will be trying to take more especially now that I don't cause mass panic every time I try to keep them from drying out or suffocating. I let them settle down for 24+ hours after getting into the new next boxes, check enough to know they're out of honey but I figured letting them settle was a priority since no one was out foraging. Will try to remember the camera if I see anything interesting tonight when I get them some fresh honey but no promises anything visible can be gotten inside the tubes but if it turns out, ill get some more beauty shots up though if they do.

sartwell90
Posts: 94
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 2:46 pm
Location: South East Michigan

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62113Post sartwell90
Tue Aug 06, 2019 1:26 pm

Warden wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 12:49 pm
sartwell90 wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 4:00 am
So all the stories of the colonies that come out of that drawer... are tales from the crypt?

Heh, but catching up, quite a bit of excitement I see. Glad they are all doing alright. Wondering if you'll be able to snag any pics of the mega pupa.
More or less, honestly I didn't TPK often so its closer to a retirement home I suppose...

But yeah its the only one visible in the pic of #2. A quick clarity recap:

#1 was collected solo and along with a good chuck of brood, she has already "hatched" (?) 2 workers from stolen brood. Additionally she has fresh eggs on the way
#2 was collected with workers instead of brood essentially, the exception was the one big pupae (both pictured and hopefully a super major). She is also laying fresh eggs already.

I've always been bad at pictures, I'm almost always too hungry after cooking to take a picture of a well cooked meal before all I've got to show is the cleaned plate lol, will be trying to take more especially now that I don't cause mass panic every time I try to keep them from drying out or suffocating. I let them settle down for 24+ hours after getting into the new next boxes, check enough to know they're out of honey but I figured letting them settle was a priority since no one was out foraging. Will try to remember the camera if I see anything interesting tonight when I get them some fresh honey but no promises anything visible can be gotten inside the tubes but if it turns out, ill get some more beauty shots up though if they do.
Lol, my first campaign that I built from scratch had a built in TPK mechanic that sends the party to another plane after fighting a young white dragon (there was an alternate storyline if they beat the dragon - which was possible with a party of seven - but they insisted on standing in front of the dragon).

And your pictures have been great, I see the big pupa you were talking about now. Indeed large compared to the smallest worker, even among the 3 eclosed workers in the picture of #2 there appears to be some size differences, real cool! I really wonder how far along those 2 queens were if they were possibly already producing majors.

Excited to see what comes next! *popcorn*
Check out my colonies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDze5idJomnpRCpvd3QoAFA
Or, if you would rather read about them check here - https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?p=60680#p60680

Warden
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 2:33 pm
Location: MN

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62117Post Warden
Tue Aug 06, 2019 2:35 pm

sartwell90 wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 1:26 pm
I really wonder how far along those 2 queens were if they were possibly already producing majors.
The mystery really deepens with the fact they were in close proximity, have looked into that more than feeding and care so far now and I'm left with 4 possibilities in no particular order...
First is that they are observed to cooperate "early on" perhaps this early phase is a few years, long enough to start producing majors.
Second, they were nest mates, but already becoming aggressive towards each other, the nest log was quite small and most was buried in my tiger lily patch and was possible that section was not suitable for nesting but had been, forcing the two close when I came along.
Third, I've delt with these buggers since I moved in, sprayed 2 lawn nests close to the house and eradicated a colony that was tunneling my house already (was able to spot the signs early and recognize them, then kill accordingly), but all this means there are other very mature colonies here as well. So I think its possible fresh queens that couldn't find a suitable nesting site had taken up residence in a 3rd party's satellite nest.
Fourth and in my opinion the least likely, there is an observed rise(apparently) in monogyny species exhibiting polygyny behavior. Odds are that if this is becoming a thing I'm not going to be the one to confirm it.

At this point #1 has 2 workers just so far who have never seen another ant so I doubt I could be talked into attempting a merge anymore. However I kind of regret not keeping them together as found even just for a possibility of documenting a cooperative pair, even had they started to fight any length of peace between the two could be great information in the hands of experienced keepers able to glean useful observations or run their own experiment. If I ever find a pair under similar situations I absolutely intend to try at least until a conflict is apparent. Who knows, the human pressure placed on their survival in this area might have forced queen who aren't prepared to fight to the death, to adapt or die from lack of a proper nesting site locations.

All the questions begging answers have been almost as fun as the early and rapid successes and I'm just happy to be along for the ride. As with everything else, I would love to hear thoughts and theories!

sartwell90
Posts: 94
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 2:46 pm
Location: South East Michigan

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62121Post sartwell90
Tue Aug 06, 2019 3:51 pm

Your fourth proposal is something I am personally examining in a Tetramorium polygyny experiment. Tetramorium occupies a niche similar to other species to pick up polygynous behavior though, but that doesn't mean the same might not be happening with Camponotus colonies, especially in areas they compete for resources with newly polygynous Formica spp.

Other notable examples include the notable Argentine ants, where in their home turf they are still observed as being monogynous despite the lack of aggression the invasive colonies abroad show which has allowed for their massive expansion.

My hypothesis is that in these areas where there are multiple megacolonies consisting of polygynous queens (whether a new or established case of polygyny) provides selective pressure on traditionally monogynous colonies to adapt and form larger, polygynous colonies to be able to maintain adequate competition.

I also suspect areas with a glut of resources (which we humans often inadvertently provide) become hotspots for said competition, whereas resources in other areas that have competition from a greater number of species (ie. Undisturbed woodland with much more significant biodiversity than a back yard) may better support smaller monogynous colonies. We also have given them the advantage of more permanent and maintained habitats then the constantly shifting scape of a natural forest, which would further sustain longer lasting polygynous behaviors.

Who knows? The only reason I am even trying my personal experiment into this is because I noticed recently mated Tetramorium queens entering and seemingly being accepted into the many established colonies around my driveway. Though this might indeed be a fatal choice for those wild queens in a few moments after they are hidden away from my observations, it is still a behavior that is happening - which suggests there is some level of success to it.

So far in my polygyny experiment I have some interesting preliminary results which I will post in my journal so as to not completely flood your journal. :P
Check out my colonies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDze5idJomnpRCpvd3QoAFA
Or, if you would rather read about them check here - https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?p=60680#p60680

Warden
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 2:33 pm
Location: MN

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62123Post Warden
Tue Aug 06, 2019 4:44 pm

Best pictures from todays check in.
#1: Sitting pretty, not a great shot but its what I could manage.
Image

#2 worked out much better having a clear tube. Ended up rotating the eggs to the ceiling as I got the foil readjusted for pictures and they're nicely visible, as is the mega cocoon which rolled to the floor. After multiple nest scattering earthquakes a day they were totally unphased by me cleaning out the bag nest and other garbage then exposing their nest to light.
Image

As usual honey for all, but did not offer protein today. Will collect some mosquitoes or a cricket for them soon though.

User avatar
antnest8
Posts: 1438
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:11 pm
Location: Detroit, MI

Re: Protective Custody

Post: # 62551Post antnest8
Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:47 pm

Man now i feel bad for not being in the forums these last few months, D&D and ants! my two favorite things!
Some of My Informative Sheets
https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=19099
Includes :
  • Ant Care Sheets
    Queen Hunting
    How To Identify Ants
Goal is to become #2 poster on the forum

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests