My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

[CabboAntsGuy]

They are beautiful CANant! They look so good. And I love that painting in the background. I wish my colony was doing that good. I posted my update on the campo crew if you want to see it. Hope you're doing well.

[CANant]

May 25 - I added an Isopod to the outworld yesterday. Seems the colony has other intentions for it.


We have a crazy amount of June bugs around. I wondered if the ants would enjoy one so this evening I picked the biggest one I could find. I’d say it was a hit and was completely hollowed out by morning.

Some images of the nest. I had obviously been adding too much water because they completely blocked off the lower half of the nest were the water holes are to reduce the humidity in the upper part. Now that it’s drying out a bit they have opened their soil blockage. Very interesting to observe. They also almost blocked off one of the entrances to the outworld and the other is completely open.

[CANant]

They are beautiful CANant! They look so good. And I love that painting in the background. I wish my colony was doing that good. I posted my update on the campo crew if you want to see it. Hope you're doing well.

Thanks! Thanks about the painting too. I’ll check out your update on CC.

[CANant]

Late last night this little beauty caught my eye in the garden. She’s another Camponotus Pennsylvanicus. Hope she’s fertile. I don’t really want two of the same so I may sell or trade her later once she has some nanitics.

She had already removed one wing when I found her and she removed the other while I was setting up her test tube.


All settled in her founding chamber.

[CabboAntsGuy]

I don’t really want two of the same so I may sell or trade her later once she has some nanitics.

Thats my approach to it as well, but I don't know who I would give or sell them to. I know I could join the Gan Project but I'd rather just do things myself and find people on the forums. Now we both have new queens. When did you catch yours? we could maybe do a comparison in how our colonies do if we caught them around the same time. just a thought.

[Hawkeye]

I don’t really want two of the same so I may sell or trade her later once she has some nanitics.

Thats my approach to it as well, but I don't know who I would give or sell them to. I know I could join the Gan Project but I'd rather just do things myself and find people on the forums. Now we both have new queens. When did you catch yours? we could maybe do a comparison in how our colonies do if we caught them around the same time. just a thought.

You could just share the thought of having a spare queen available on the Camponotus Crew thread? I am not sure if there are any members on there which live close to you, but hey it can't hurt.

[Hawkeye]

Nice to read up on the wellbeing of your colony. Those crystal clear pictures are amazing! My own colony still consists of a queen and 4 nanitics, but the brood is developing nicely.

[CANant]

I don’t really want two of the same so I may sell or trade her later once she has some nanitics.

Thats my approach to it as well, but I don't know who I would give or sell them to. I know I could join the Gan Project but I'd rather just do things myself and find people on the forums. Now we both have new queens. When did you catch yours? we could maybe do a comparison in how our colonies do if we caught them around the same time. just a thought.

Ya I don’t see the point in joining the GAN Project for one queen. I caught her in the evening on the 25th. Wasn’t even looking For queens and I just saw a big “bug” that I thought was a beetle at first and then realized it was a queen ant. I thought about letting her go. It’s been very hot and humid here for quite a few days. I suspect that’s what triggered the nuptial flight.

[CANant]

I don’t really want two of the same so I may sell or trade her later once she has some nanitics.

Thats my approach to it as well, but I don't know who I would give or sell them to. I know I could join the Gan Project but I'd rather just do things myself and find people on the forums. Now we both have new queens. When did you catch yours? we could maybe do a comparison in how our colonies do if we caught them around the same time. just a thought.

You could just share the thought of having a spare queen available on the Camponotus Crew thread? I am not sure if there are any members on there which live close to you, but hey it can't hurt.

I’m going to wait and make sure she’s fertile first. I know I won’t have trouble finding a home for her if needed.

Nice to read up on the wellbeing of your colony. Those crystal clear pictures are amazing! My own colony still consists of a queen and 4 nanitics, but the brood is developing nicely.

Thanks. I’ve actually been considering getting a macro lens for my mobile to improve the quality.
Great to hear about your colony too. Hopefully you are resisting the urge to peek. I’ve noticed now that my colony is larger they aren’t as alarmed when I do peak which makes sense.

[CANant]

The new queen is doing well. Just did a quick peek too make sure she was ok and look what I discovered!