We Are ImportANT [Prenolepis Imparis Journal]

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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katdaily710

We Are ImportANT [Prenolepis Imparis Journal]

Post: # 3530Post katdaily710
Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:29 pm

I got my first ever queen ant yesterday! [9/13/15] She's so pretty!

However, she's in an old test tube and I'm trying to get her to move out into a new one, so no pictures for now.
If you'd like to follow them but forums aren't really your thing, we also have a tumblr that I will probably remember to update more.

http://we-are-import-ant.tumblr.com/

Update 9/14/15

Still can’t get a good picture because they’re really attached to their moldy old test tube. They haven’t budged.

I caught the queen taking a peek at the new one before I fell asleep last night but went right back to her cotton ball by this morning. She doesn’t seem to give a damn about the light that’s on them, even though the clean tube is darker and safer looking.

The light is not a heat-emitting light, it’s literally just my iPod’s flashlight. So they have no heat on them to make them uncomfortable, and I don’t really want to risk that method of making them move, though the moldy cotton is concerning.

I’ll continue to monitor them, and hopefully as the water runs out of the old tube they’ll move.

Camponotus

Re: We Are ImportANT [Prenolepis Imparis Journal]

Post: # 3532Post Camponotus
Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:55 pm

They? are there workers?

katdaily710

Re: We Are ImportANT [Prenolepis Imparis Journal]

Post: # 3535Post katdaily710
Mon Sep 14, 2015 1:23 pm

Ah, yes, there are two of them. I forgot to mention that, apologies.

katdaily710

Re: We Are ImportANT [UPDATE!]

Post: # 3541Post katdaily710
Mon Sep 14, 2015 4:47 pm

9/14/15

We have pictures! And a video but that's taking forever to upload to Google Drive and I'm excited to share pictures with you guys. ;u;

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This is *** SPAM *** and her two teeny workers [if you don't understand her name look up Bioshock; if you do get the reference, I refer to the workers as Little Sisters it's adorable].

She's so very pretty! And seems not to give a damn about the light. Hm.

katdaily710

Re: We Are ImportANT [NEW VIDEO]

Post: # 3542Post katdaily710
Mon Sep 14, 2015 6:15 pm

9/14/15

https://vimeo.com/139277861
https://vimeo.com/139277861

*** SPAM *** and her tinies say hi to the camera ;u;

katdaily710

Re: We Are ImportANT [UPDATE]

Post: # 3576Post katdaily710
Wed Sep 16, 2015 5:11 pm

9/16/15

I gave *** SPAM *** and co. a tiny drop of honey, towards the end of the test tube that’s taped to the new one. They still seem determined not to move.

I’m getting a bit worried that they won’t move away from the moldy cotton in time for hibernation. I’ll see what I can do, if anything, before then.

katdaily710

Re: We Are ImportANT [UPDATE]

Post: # 3592Post katdaily710
Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:07 pm

9/17/15

Image

They were moving a bit slowly when I checked on them today, so I gave them a tiny honey drop and good God that sped them up. I even filmed the complete difference in gaster size on the nantics. It's adorable, and I also got trophylaxis on camera between worker and queen!

I saw it between the workers too but my iPod decided to say nope and not record that. Thanks iPod.

Anyway, I noticed a lot of pupae that looked pretty close to becoming workers, so some day soon there might be a lot more tiny antlets running around! ;u;

katdaily710

Re: We Are ImportANT [HIBERNATION INFORMATION]

Post: # 3594Post katdaily710
Fri Sep 18, 2015 11:35 am

9/18/2015

So I did a little research, since I knew my particular species is a bit exotic, in the sense that they're odd little cold-loving ants and not one of the most commonly kept species.

Apparently, these ants thrive in winter. They don't hibernate in the cold, they hibernate in the summer.

It's a strategy Prenolepis imparis have developed, being able to work in cold cold COLD conditions, so that they can forage and avoid other invasive species that do most of their stuff during the summer and warmer months.

Which is completely fine by me because I love winter and I'm excited to be able to share that with my ants, and I can actually give them Christmas presents, like a new AntsCanada formicarium!

Also I don't like summer either. Let's all just take a long nap and wait for the cold to come back. I'll hibernate with my ants.

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Re: We Are ImportANT [Prenolepis Imparis Journal]

Post: # 3595Post MadVampy
Fri Sep 18, 2015 12:34 pm

Maybe that's why I like my solenopsis ants? I dont like the cold, I live in the south, and prefer a warm/hot day over a cold one any time! LoL

Oh and I have a temper when disturbed! :twisted:
MadVampy

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

katdaily710

Re: We Are ImportANT [NEWLY ECLOSED WORKERS]

Post: # 3758Post katdaily710
Sun Sep 27, 2015 10:37 pm

Update
9/27/15


Not many updates lately because I'm trying to leave *** SPAM *** in peace, aside from checking to see if she's abandoned that moldy cotton ball. Still no luck on that.

But today I went to check, and I saw something super exciting!!

TWO NEW BABY WORKERS! And I don't mean eggs or pupae, I mean little white and childrens ;u;

VIDEO:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5VTpKj_RykAd3ZRN1lxQWlJY28/view?usp=sharing

I noticed that these two popped up super quickly after I gave the two existing workers a tiny piece of deli meat. I remember hearing that protein was good for pupa development, and I wanted to see if they'd go for normal protein food before rushing off to buy bugs.

I don't do well with feeder insects. Bad experience.

But anyway they ate the turkey just fine, and suddenly a couple days later, new babies. I gave them a tiny drop of honey this time to balance it out.

BUT I'M SO HAPPY I'M SUCH A PROUD ANT MAMMA

PS I have videos from about a week ago I'm trying to edit together but it's a very slow process so stay tuned for more adorable ants <3

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