ANTSTORE World of Ants

[AntsNational]

Currently I have her in one of my store formicariums. They beat out ytong (AAC), pumice, hydrostone. Check them out at my youtube channel.
cheers

[AntsNational]

To update:

Unfortunately most of the pupae which were transported ended up being dead, and some of the larvae did not get accepted by the queen. The good news is that now the queen does have 4 workers who tend to her. Population is 5 strong, social, healthy ants. This is an excellent sign. They clean the nest, forage, hunt, and bring back whatever they find to the queen and their other nest mates. There is one remaining pupa and it is quite small. I am hoping to see a very small worker eclose from it. No eggs to report yet. I'm looking forward to seeing this colony take off.

[AntsNational]

Here is a picture of the colony as of yesterday. They have been fed today and are now all with extended gasters.

[Boiledwater]

That is brilliant..... Can't wait to read more on this colony.

[AntsNational]

That is brilliant..... Can't wait to read more on this colony.

Thankyou ^^

There are still no eggs just quite yet but the ants have made this "nest" circle with gravel and sand. I think perhaps this may be a sign that the queen is ready and calm enough to try again. I am hopeful.

[AntsNational]

Houston, we have eggs.

[AntsNational]

Since Jan 25 2010, there has not been a single egg within this colony. The queen then nearly died to a temperature accident, and it took me an entire night of handfeeding her and caring for her (then letting her rest) to eventually see her get her strength back. I was patient in hoping that she would perk up with the arrival of some helpful newfound family members, and she did. After a very long time, and now with several workers to help her, the queen has laid an egg. Unlike before, this little egg will be watched over by more than just the queen. All engines are at full speed now. This colony will finally take off and the queen is finally conjuring her Tribal Warriors. The queen has laid a total of four eggs in the span of 18-20 hours!!! The previous picture of the first egg was taken last night.

[AntsNational]

From the beginning of may to the end, this colony went from a single queen to adopting some pupae to laying a new clutch of eggs of her own. May has been an extremely eventful month and I can only prospect as to what June will hold... hopefully some hungry growing little larvae and finally the rise of the queen's empire.

[AntsNational]

There is some bittersweet news. Keeping ants is not easy, and not for those who take failure hard. While I've been away, the queen has perished. Nobody is to blame for it, but it so goes to show that no matter how hard one may work, sometimes failure is inevitable. I don't blame the back-up keeper one bit, she has been given a monumental task which was unfair of me to bestow upon her. This queen was more than a pet, she was the talisman for me to divert my mind from the stresses and hardships of everyday life. She helped me through a lot just by being there for me to watch her progress in her life.

I'm gutted, but with every life comes death. Rest in peace to my first and most favoured ant. The original eggs from the post above have hatched into larvae, which in turn pupated into 12 pupae and there were 12 new eggs before I left on vacation. The day after the queen perished, 4 of her first pupae eclosed into workers. She was fertile after all. Here are a few pictures sent to me from the keeper.

I'm very sad to see this journal End.
Vasile B.

[AntsNational]

I'm currently looking for someone out there to aid me with some virgin winged queens. If my calculations are correct, I think I can create the perfect conditions for a captive mating to take place. Anyone out there who has winged queens please message me!

[camaross]

I know how you feel. In my Myrmecia pavida colony has happened about the same. She died just baseless .. But just because something can happen to animals. Sad but true. regards

[AntsNational]

Thanks for your understanding sympathies Camaross, I am sorry about your queen as well. Its the way they go sometimes...

Regards,

Vas

[AntsNational]

Since the queen passed a few months ago the colony has been extremely busy. All of the queen's final workers have laid eggs, which have grown and pupated into males. So far, 5/8 of the dead queen's "grandsons" have hatched. These males are spectacular! I recently received 6 princesses from a different colony & I plan to document a captive reproduction. As soon as all 8 males have hatched I will give it a shot. The workers have been busy hunting and caring for the next 12 larvae, which should pupate at any moment.

[AntsNational]

After the original queen died in the summer, the workers began to lay their own haploid eggs. I knew that these would turn into males so I came up with an idea to keep my deceased queen's bloodline to continue. The haploid eggs hatched after a time of 2-3 weeks and the tiny larvae were fed worker eggs and small soft-bodied insects like crickets, freshly-molted mealworms and the occasional silverfish.

After a time of 1-2 months (kept at room temp), the larvae began to spin their cocoons which were assisted by the workers. The workers buried the larvae in order for the larvae to properly cocoon. After a time period of about a month to a month and a half, the workers began to cut the cocoons open. The colony had males! My timing was perfect as I just received 6 virgin princess alates from a generous friend's colony. These princesses' arrival was timed perfectly with the males' hatching, which tells me that my research and observations were accurate.

After 5 males hatched, I placed 3 males along with the 6 princesses into a specialized breeding enclosure. There has been positive results in the aspect of peace and no killing, but there hasn't been any reproducing yet. The males have been busy flying around but so far nothing except more haploid eggs. It has been rumoured that Myrmecia can produce multi-queen colonies along with mating within a nest. Let's hope that these rumours are true! So far the 6 queens and the 3 males are being observed in their 'safe house' together, with females cleaning eachother and the males.

The males have been patient thus far, but as their parent colony produces more males, the better the chances for a captive mating. I will be keeping my eyes out for the results. I'm hoping that it's only a matter of time.

[AntsNational]

Myrmecia pavida male mating with a winged queen. At this point they were not copulating but before the picture was taken they were attached.