JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
-
- Larva
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:07 pm
JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
Hello, I decided to start updating my journal in this forum also. You can check the beginning of this journey here: http://www.formiculture.com/topic/3980- ... ed-020517/
This is the only Atta sexdens colony that survived and seems to be doing well, a lot of brood and collecting plant material every day. I'll start building their permanent formicarium soon.
Here is a video update of today(Also check the other videos of this colony in my channel to see their growth):
This is the only Atta sexdens colony that survived and seems to be doing well, a lot of brood and collecting plant material every day. I'll start building their permanent formicarium soon.
Here is a video update of today(Also check the other videos of this colony in my channel to see their growth):
-
- Larva
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:07 pm
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal(Updated 02-05-17)
Update 02-11-17
OBS: Just realized that I can't change the main post title, so if an admin could remove the date would be great.
A lot of changes.
Since I haven't updated the journal in almost a week some thinks changed. That brood chamber from the last video is now completely covered and I could spot 2 new small brood chambers on the top of the fungus.
The fungus is getting bigger as always and I'll have to move them soon before it gets too big. I plan taking first the queen and placing her in the new setup and then place a piece of paper under the whole fungus and take it to the new setup. A very risky move but they probably will not move completely by themselves.
They keep placing the corn flocks in the fungus, but they aren't taking some of the plants that I used to give them so I'm trying new ones.
OBS: Just realized that I can't change the main post title, so if an admin could remove the date would be great.
A lot of changes.
Since I haven't updated the journal in almost a week some thinks changed. That brood chamber from the last video is now completely covered and I could spot 2 new small brood chambers on the top of the fungus.
The fungus is getting bigger as always and I'll have to move them soon before it gets too big. I plan taking first the queen and placing her in the new setup and then place a piece of paper under the whole fungus and take it to the new setup. A very risky move but they probably will not move completely by themselves.
They keep placing the corn flocks in the fungus, but they aren't taking some of the plants that I used to give them so I'm trying new ones.
-
- Worker
- Posts: 437
- Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:30 am
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal(Updated 02-05-17)
Looks great.. queens are quite something aren't they!!
- Acromyrmexbob
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2199
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
Thats what you call up close and personal!!
- Andyj
- Site Admin
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 7:26 pm
- Location: Sunny Devon
- Contact:
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
I took the lid off for you
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Larva
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:07 pm
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
Thanks for the answers! Andyj, the lid was already off hahaha but thanks, looks awesome with those vivid colors.
Here's another update.
Here's another update.
- Acromyrmexbob
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2199
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
Your colony has the size of almost a year old colony in the wild. Looks amazing. I would think you would be able to fill that container within 6 months. What are your long term plans for expansion? Once they get over a certain level, probably in around 6 months or so, their expansion is exponential. They will double numbers every couple of months. Then the fun begins!
-
- Larva
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:07 pm
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
I have a 1,5m bookcase with 5 shelves that I plan placing the 20x20x20 boxes that will be their chambers, it will be easy to connect new chambers as they grow, but I'll have to limit their grow somehow because I don't have that much time to spend in the hobby.
-
- Larva
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:07 pm
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
Update 02-24-17
They accepted the corn flocks.
I don't know how it impacts the fungus but they don't seem to use too much of it. They keep growing and started to consume again a larger quantity.
I think I managed to record what seems to be a larger harvester or a small major(check 3:05 in the video the worker is trying to hide it), I can be wrong because it's hard to tell just looking at the pupae but it's head looks very big.
They accepted the corn flocks.
I don't know how it impacts the fungus but they don't seem to use too much of it. They keep growing and started to consume again a larger quantity.
I think I managed to record what seems to be a larger harvester or a small major(check 3:05 in the video the worker is trying to hide it), I can be wrong because it's hard to tell just looking at the pupae but it's head looks very big.
-
- Larva
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:07 pm
Re: JPSMedeiros's Atta sexdens journal
Update 02-27-17
New caste eclosed!
The new harvesters eclosed in the last days, some of them still have their soft exoskeleton.
I think I could see in the video a really big pupae, probably a major. I hope to see majors in the next week or a little bit later. It takes about 1 week to the pupae turn into worker, but since it's a major I imagine that It takes a little bit longer. They keep consuming a lot and seem to be doing great.
New caste eclosed!
The new harvesters eclosed in the last days, some of them still have their soft exoskeleton.
I think I could see in the video a really big pupae, probably a major. I hope to see majors in the next week or a little bit later. It takes about 1 week to the pupae turn into worker, but since it's a major I imagine that It takes a little bit longer. They keep consuming a lot and seem to be doing great.