ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

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

Moderator: ooper01

PaydenB

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 3245Post PaydenB
Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:52 am

Thanks, I'll have to try it out.

User avatar
ooper01
Head Moderator
Posts: 842
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:07 am
Location: Utah, USA
Contact:

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 4258Post ooper01
Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:18 pm

October 21, 2015
An update for my Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony. They are still doing quite well and continue to expand the nest and the colony. Still haven't seen the queen, but plenty of evidence that she is in there somewhere due to the ever increasing size of the colony and brood. There has been a bit of a die-off over the last 2-4 weeks or so. I have cleaned out roughly 50 workers over that time frame. Not sure if it is natural die-off or if I fed them a bad fly or something??

Estimating 150 to 200 workers now.

~ ooper

Forum Moderator
Image

calrodrigz

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 4286Post calrodrigz
Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:18 pm

Very elaborate setup. Looks like they're loving it! :)

Gregory2455

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 4288Post Gregory2455
Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:21 pm

Cool setup! I have a large ant-farm style setup like this too but I am saving it for Veromessor pergandei. :geek:

calrodrigz

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 4305Post calrodrigz
Tue Oct 27, 2015 10:52 pm

Ooper, would an Omni Nest Vertical setup be an ideal formicarium for a Pogonomyrmex species? I've been told that a glass/acrylic/plastic setup is not recommended, but I'd like a second opinion.

User avatar
ooper01
Head Moderator
Posts: 842
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:07 am
Location: Utah, USA
Contact:

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 4308Post ooper01
Wed Oct 28, 2015 9:21 am

calrodrigz wrote:Ooper, would an Omni Nest Vertical setup be an ideal formicarium for a Pogonomyrmex species? I've been told that a glass/acrylic/plastic setup is not recommended, but I'd like a second opinion.
My best experience thus far with P. occidentalis has been soil formicariums, as evidenced by this colony. These gals just really like to dig. They even dig tunnels in the shallow sand I have in the second out world in this setup.

With the other species I keep (Formica, Camponotus, Monomorium) they seem to be okay with acrylic/plastic nesting space with attached out world.
~ ooper

Forum Moderator
Image

calrodrigz

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 4311Post calrodrigz
Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:13 pm

Thanks for the input!

User avatar
ooper01
Head Moderator
Posts: 842
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:07 am
Location: Utah, USA
Contact:

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 5173Post ooper01
Mon Mar 28, 2016 12:54 pm

March 28, 2016
I brought this colony out of hibernation about a month ago, by turning on the heat cable again. It wasn't much of a hibernation as far as temperature goes, but they did take a break. They slowed down overall and the queen stopped producing. Over the past month she has begun again and there is quite a large brood throughout the nest.

I am in the process of building a larger soil nest for them as the colony is now estimated to be around 300 members. Hopefully within the next month or so I will have pictures/video of their new setup.

Here is a poor-quality time lapse of a cricket-feeding. I hope to improve my time-lapse skills soon ;) I didn't leave the time-lapse running long enough to show them carrying the cricket into the nest. It had been going for 30-45 minutes and being my first time-lapse attempt, I wasn't sure how long of a video it would be or if it were even working properly.

~ ooper

Forum Moderator
Image

User avatar
MadVampy
Main Forum Admin
Posts: 931
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 6:19 am
Location: Alabama
Contact:

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 5196Post MadVampy
Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:31 pm

Kool video! Thanks for sharing it!
MadVampy

Head Forum Admin
Image
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people. :lol:
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants. :twisted:

User avatar
ooper01
Head Moderator
Posts: 842
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:07 am
Location: Utah, USA
Contact:

Re: ooper's Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony (#1)

Post: # 5361Post ooper01
Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:52 pm

April 15, 2016
I finished the new soil formicarium! I'm happy with how it turned out. It is 18" x 36" with a 1/2" spacing between the two acrylic panels for the ants to create their nest. I documented through videos some of the things I went through during the build process. Have a look if you are interested.

~ ooper

Forum Moderator
Image

Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests