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Parasitic ant's!

Some of you don't really care probably and are like What the heck ants?

WELL I have found something quite amazing, and it makes me REALLY happy as a myrmophile! (ant enthusiast)

My small first year colony of A. fulva has been destroyed by a parasitic queen. Called A. tenneseensis! This is not the only social parasite you will see pertaining to ants but its a lesser known one. That aside It doesn't happen often in a "lab" (if you could really call my basement in a plastic tray on a flimsy table a lab). This colony has done OVERLY poor as I didn't expect much to happen especially in the last month or so, so the colony lost a few workers, and then I haven't fed them for the past week week and a half... so hopefully theirs some brood to keep the colony numbers up. EITHER way, their is some brood, their is a new queen who destroyed the other.

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Some poor quality pictures but its some evidence none the less!

Hope you enjoy this!
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Ask ANY Questions.
 
Long live the new Queen!!
 
Looks like her butt was sliced off? That's pretty cool, keeping ants. Do they live in the tubes, or do they have like an "ant farm" to live in as well?

-Ben
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Looks like her butt was sliced off? That's pretty cool, keeping ants. Do they live in the tubes, or do they have like an "ant farm" to live in as well?

-Ben

I believe the 'butt' that you are speaking of is the abdomen if i'm correct.

But i am also curious as to if you keep your ants in tubes or what ever as well. It looks like another fun little hobbie.:)
 
I start them out in test tubes bunged up with cotton and water.

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I have been giving them less space though.

I have plaster set ups made out of Plaster of Paris. I made a kind of an impression and made little tunnels for them to walk through they cant dig. Theirs allsorts of possibility's on how to make an ant farm. Uncle Milton and those gel ones are wastes of money!

I keep them in test tubes till they get about a 100-150 or so worker count that is pretty crowded... but it makes you feel good once you see those workers spread out!

Im actually gonna try a different kind of set up. It involves petri dishes plaster and a little plastic container. Ill have to post one once I get the petri dishes and make a few!

The A. fulva's queen did have her abdomen w/e its called I for get the anatomy, sliced off its quite a shame she had to die for me to get this colony. My friends boast how they caught the colony, but this is so much more pleasing saying I started off this colony! Plus not many people can get this to happen, the Ant forum I'm on the people are kinda excited to say the least.
 
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