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Mikey_Bustos: Random Scenes of My Ants' Daily Hunting/Feeding Adventures (21. Jul 2009 17:15)

Created a new video! Sorry, I'm so fascinated by this colony in particular because never before had I created a nest design that allowed for such footage. In the past I've always has soil ant nests. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Own0qoJMNE

An interesting collection of scenes of ant feeding and social behaviours on the hunting grounds and within the nest of my Myrmica rubra colony.

Details to look out for:

• worker ants tending and cleaning up their hunting grounds and foraging territory
• the epic journey and cooperative transport of a dead fly multiple times their weight back to the nest
• the stationing of a satellite nest location under leaves
• the weevil beetles that live symbiotically and harmoniously with the ant colony (note the scene with the ant grooming the weevil)
• the dramatic mass killing of an earwig
• the communal water hole (this ant species loves water)
• the ants' feeding chamber within the nest and the various insect body parts being feasted upon by the workers
• worker ants grooming a drone ant newly emerged from its pupal stage in the main atrium of the nest

NOTE: The speed of this video is unaltered, therefore all scenes in this video, e.g. ants attacking the earwig, are in absolute REAL TIME!

SteveUK28: Re: Random Scenes of My Ants' Hunting and Feeding Adventures ( (21. Jul 2009 17:35)

I do love these ants.. wish i could have my colony back in my room but i know my other ants would go and perhaps attack them so i dont wanna risk that.. They are my favs though and they was also my first big colony :)
Yours will most probabily grow loads and loads over this summer.. you will have your hands full :D

Mikey_Bustos: Re: Random Scenes of My Ants' Hunting and Feeding Adventures ( (21. Jul 2009 17:59)

Sweet, Steve! I do hope the nest does well over the next year. :D They're eating well and producing many eggs. I believe I've seen some of your ants here in this forum and I remember being very impressed!

In addition, yesterday was a Lasius nuptial flight and I was able to capture two queens and place them in their test tubes. I'll check up on them briefly in a few weeks to see if they're laying eggs. *crossing fingers*

As for this colony, I love how active, not to mention aggressive they are!

Mikey