My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

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ArizonanAnts
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:16 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65022Post ArizonanAnts
Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:57 am

UnrealSparks wrote:
Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:52 am
UnrealSparks wrote:
Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:49 am
CANant wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 6:19 pm
Oh wow! Do you see what I see??!! Just when you think that’s it for the season. Yep! That’s another pupae on the top of the cluster of larvae. She’s tiny but I’m not surprised because they haven’t been eating much protein.

Image
They've definitely been busy! :lol:
And looking at that larvae pile it's already looking good for spring. :)

Mine are still producing pupae too, I'll be waiting a little bit more, but not too much.
I could post a photo or two if anybody would be interested.
Yeah, you should post some pics. And CANant nice. I'm really glad that your colony is producing another worker!!
Keeper of

Nothing right now :cry:

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65023Post CANant
Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:11 pm

UnrealSparks yes I would love to see a picture as well.

ArizonanAnts yes it’s a pleasant surprise. One more will be good for the colony.
Sounds like you have a surprise pupae too! That’s awesome!
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

ArizonanAnts
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:16 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65024Post ArizonanAnts
Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:31 pm

CANant wrote:
Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:11 pm
UnrealSparks yes I would love to see a picture as well.

ArizonanAnts yes it’s a pleasant surprise. One more will be good for the colony.
Sounds like you have a surprise pupae too! That’s awesome!
Indeed I do!
Keeper of

Nothing right now :cry:

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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
Location: Turin - Italy

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65049Post UnrealSparks
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:53 pm

Here's my Camponotus Barbaricus colony getting ready for their second hibernation. Can't wait for next spring to come! :)
Hope yours will do this good next year! :D

Image

Image
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

ArizonanAnts
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:16 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65050Post ArizonanAnts
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:54 pm

UnrealSparks wrote:
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:53 pm
Here's my Camponotus Barbaricus colony getting ready for their second hibernation. Can't wait for next spring to come! :)
Hope yours will do this good next year! :D

Image

Image
That is so awesome. They look really cool. Hopefully, they are treating you nicely.
Keeper of

Nothing right now :cry:

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65055Post CANant
Thu Oct 24, 2019 4:06 pm

UnrealSparks wrote:
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:53 pm
Here's my Camponotus Barbaricus colony getting ready for their second hibernation. Can't wait for next spring to come! :)
Hope yours will do this good next year! :D

Image

Image
Wow they’re doing very well! This is after their 1st winter?! They look so similar to C. Pennsylvanicus don’t they.
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

User avatar
UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
Location: Turin - Italy

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65081Post UnrealSparks
Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:38 am

ArizonanAnts wrote:
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:54 pm
That is so awesome. They look really cool. Hopefully, they are treating you nicely.
To say nicely is an understatement. No escape attempts, low maintenance and whenever I stick my hands in their formicarium they don't even consider them as a threat! Just amazing! :D
CANant wrote:
Thu Oct 24, 2019 4:06 pm
Wow they’re doing very well! This is after their 1st winter?! They look so similar to C. Pennsylvanicus don’t they.
Yeah, they actually look pretty similar.
After waking up from their first hibernation there were 8 workers... now I can't even count them properly! :lol:

A tip I can give you is to prepare for, I'd say April/May, with either a heat mat or heating cable. They LOVE heat! Since I wasn't sure how placing the heat source directly under the nest would have been I actually attached a silicon tube on the side of the formicarium, closing the other end of said tube with a water test tube. Then I placed a heat mat (17.5W) under their new tunnel and it took minutes for them to carry all their larvae/pupae over there. That may have been the determining factor for such a rapid growth in numbers! :)
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65090Post CANant
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:11 am

UnrealSparks wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:38 am
ArizonanAnts wrote:
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:54 pm
That is so awesome. They look really cool. Hopefully, they are treating you nicely.
To say nicely is an understatement. No escape attempts, low maintenance and whenever I stick my hands in their formicarium they don't even consider them as a threat! Just amazing! :D
CANant wrote:
Thu Oct 24, 2019 4:06 pm
Wow they’re doing very well! This is after their 1st winter?! They look so similar to C. Pennsylvanicus don’t they.
Yeah, they actually look pretty similar.
After waking up from their first hibernation there were 8 workers... now I can't even count them properly! :lol:

A tip I can give you is to prepare for, I'd say April/May, with either a heat mat or heating cable. They LOVE heat! Since I wasn't sure how placing the heat source directly under the nest would have been I actually attached a silicon tube on the side of the formicarium, closing the other end of said tube with a water test tube. Then I placed a heat mat (17.5W) under their new tunnel and it took minutes for them to carry all their larvae/pupae over there. That may have been the determining factor for such a rapid growth in numbers! :)

WOW! That’s incredible they have that many workers in one season. Now I’m even more excited and hope all goes well this winter.

I actually have them on heat now (via heat cable). I offer a variety of foods but so far it’s been challenging with what proteins they accept. I am able to keep them very clean without stressing them because of my setup. I’m sure that will become more challenging as they grow in numbers but maybe they will be a very clean colony. 🤞🏻Any tips you (or anyone) wants to share I will gladly hear them. Thank you!
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

ArizonanAnts
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:16 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65092Post ArizonanAnts
Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:31 am

CANant wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:11 am

WOW! That’s incredible they have that many workers in one season. Now I’m even more excited and hope all goes well this winter.

I actually have them on heat now (via heat cable). I offer a variety of foods but so far it’s been challenging with what proteins they accept. I am able to keep them very clean without stressing them because of my setup. I’m sure that will become more challenging as they grow in numbers but maybe they will be a very clean colony. 🤞🏻Any tips you (or anyone) wants to share I will gladly hear them. Thank you!
You should try giving them pieces of tuna. Maybe that can work for a protein source.
Keeper of

Nothing right now :cry:

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65095Post CANant
Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:42 am

Ok I will try that. Wet cat food chunks and pâté was not touched. :( also anyone try peanut butter or other nut butters?
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

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