Been working with Camponotus chromaiodes a lot lately. Got a couple nice colonies these past couple weeks and I've been looking for a 100+ worker colony for some lab work. I've identified one nest with some 500 workers. Anyone have any research specimens or microscope shots they'd like to show off ??
>>5054680Mate, I've wanted to have a colony for the longest time but haven't gotten around to it. The one time I found a queen and colony complete under a rock and got a working set-up at home I had to move it outside because my girlfriend didn't approve. That was all good for a year. They thrived on a diet of honey and minced meat. I showed my girlfriend the established colony and she thought it was cute/interesting and agreed to have them inside again. Then, when I was at work severe rain and wind blew the whole setup onto the garage floor. Completely destroying it. By the time I got home the whole colony had already migrated into the garden. Might order a queen online this time.
>>5054790I'm sorry that happened to you anon. Women cannot comprehend the joy and excitement that a man feels from watching and caring for an ant farm.
>>5054790I live out by the woods and I've chopped down a ton of trees over the years so all I have to do is go to a downed tree a couple months after nuptial flights and I can find like 10 first year colonies. Same goes for a few other Camponotus species like Camponotus pennsylvanicus. Unfortunately, Camponotus subbarbatus does not seem to nest in downed rotted trees.
>>5054808>Camponotus pennsylvanicusOh right, that's an american species right? >so all I have to do is go to a downed tree a couple months after nuptial flights and I can find like 10 first year coloniesSounds great, It would be cool to have a highly visible glass pane style ant-farm that somehow incorporates the wood tunnels that carpenter ants make.I'm in Australia, got no idea what species of ant I had. Can't id the species now even with better internet. There's no trees here. it's just a large sheep farm with the occasional boulder.>>5054801Oh, she's great. We're still together. It just took her a while to warm up to everything. She would be completely fine with it now. She's great with the kids and the dog.
>>5054808Did id the "Myrmecia pilosula" Jack jumper ants here though. Which is odd because most guides say they need shrubbery and leaf litter to thrive. Also, their stings aren't anywhere near as painful as a bee sting. it's just annoying more than anything. Apparently even the workers can lay eggs because it's a primitive ant species with poorly differentiated castes. Their eye-sight is very good. They react to your presence from a meter away. They seem to have minds of their own and less hive-mind like behavior.
>>5054790>because my girlfriend didn't approveguffaw
>>5054818very nice indeed. Yes, Camponotus pennsylvanicus is an American species. A friend of mine here bought two Myrmecia brevinoda queens. I know one of the queens has developed a thriving colony, not sure about the other one. Was amazing to see a 32mm ant in person. Seems Dinoponera gigantea still hold the throne for the biggest workers. Here in America, we are told that Myrmecia stings can kill you. We are also told that Myrmecia stings are the most painful ant sting in the world. Makes for a rather intimidating pet, no ?? Australian ants are highly coveted here, and are a rare import, usually costing thousands of USD.>large sheep farm with the occasional boulderJust based off this, I'm assuming its some sort of grassy plains area then, right ?? Here, we usually find Formica in these types of ecological sites. Also, about those boulders, certain species of ants that can be rather difficult to acquire can be found under or inside the cracks in boulders. If the boulder is small enough to lift, that is.If you want, you can send me some pictures of ants you were wondering about on their IDs and I could have my ID team take a look at them. Or you can post them on iNat and have some other people look at them. I will need a general location (like a province) for where they were collected, though. If you have a microscope in working order, that might be important.
Also, managed to collect a pair of male and female Platycryptus undatus from a pile of bricks the other day. Hoping to get them to mate, though I don't have Drosophila melanogaster to feed the slings.
Sorry for barging in but found this little bugger on my floor. Any ideas? Cheers lads
