Jackie62 photos/videos of our A. octospinosus colony

[Andyj]

How old is your set up now Jackie and how long was it when you saw queens for the first time ? oh and how do you prepare your sprouts ? as i am yet to try them and fear buying produce from super markets? One other thing are your heat mats controlled via a pulse stat rather than a normal mat stat ? Like mine, yours look like they are directly underneath the glass, a normal stat would make this hot. Mine is only under the foraging tank, but yours has fungus in... Looking good.

[Deansie26]

Great update Jackie, I enjoy your posts and pictures. I've never had a colony reach a stage that it produces alates, hopefully will in the future if I keep a set up long enough
How much fungus do you think your colony has peaked at over the years if you where to talk about filling 4 pint milk cartons?

[Jackie62]

How old is your set up now Jackie and how long was it when you saw queens for the first time ? oh and how do you prepare your sprouts ? as i am yet to try them and fear buying produce from super markets? One other thing are your heat mats controlled via a pulse stat rather than a normal mat stat ? Like mine, yours look like they are directly underneath the glass, a normal stat would make this hot. Mine is only under the foraging tank, but yours has fungus in... Looking good.

Hi Andy, Well.....The set up/colony is 14 years old and has not changed in that time, apart from me adding another glass tank, due to expansion and on Andrew's advice. Queens have been seen for a few years I think. I'll need to check with my colleague at work, who is on holiday at the moment....

I don't give them sprouts, but I'm giving them cabbage soon...try to buy organic if you can...I must admit though, I normally give the ants fresh leaves and if I give fruit, it's always washed thoroughly first.

The only heat mat that is switched on is the one under the large, main glass tank, which houses the main fungus and dump tank. All other heat mats that you can see are always switched off. None of the mats are regulated.

What works for the ants after all this time is what I stick to. I did try heating up one of the tanks once that had a fungus appearing in it and they quickly dismantled the fungus! You learn an awful lot from these fantastic animals!!

[Jackie62]

Great update Jackie, I enjoy your posts and pictures. I've never had a colony reach a stage that it produces alates, hopefully will in the future if I keep a set up long enough
How much fungus do you think your colony has peaked at over the years if you where to talk about filling 4 pint milk cartons?

Hi Jamie, I really don't know! I'll ask my colleague when she's back from holiday, as she has known the colony from the beginning. If I were to estimate though, I would say that at the moment, the current number of fungus would fill about 8-9, 1 pint cartons. It is a new behaviour I think for this colony, hence me wondering if they are trying to start up a new, inbred colony.

[Andyj]

Thanks for the reply Jackie, looks like iv'e mistaken Grapes for Sprouts. Not a mistake my wife would like to make

[Jackie62]

Hi All, my colleague has returned from holiday and can confirm that the colony haven't done anything like this before! No extra fungus gardens that didn't get dismantled, and one of the new ones is getting huge now. I cleaned out the dump tank today and found lots of dead males and young queens...I have no idea what is going on! The main fungus continues to diminish, but the colony are still carting bits of fungus back and forth between the gardens.

On a food note, they are now loving privet, which I know they do seem to like from other posts, and they really like red grapes too....so now, I am just monitoring the colony for whatever comes next. Cheers.

[Andyj]

I hope mine start enjoying Privet soon. Today i have started freezing Ash and Bramble just in case. Interesting what you say about the fungus, perhaps they just wanted to move ?

[Jackie62]

You can actually find privet all year round as some species are evergreen. I get mine from a hedge along the road from our Uni (it's always overgrown!). Today the colony want apple and are all over it....tomorrow, more privet.

[Jackie62]

I have no idea Andy what the colony are up to....I see ants maintaining the original fungus, while others maintain the other 3....they bring bits of fungus back and forth between them....some ants take leaves to the new fungus, while others take leaves to the original fungus...are they separating? Or are they all moving between all 4 gardens? I have live males and young queens walking about around all the gardens....it is so interesting.

[Acromyrmexbob]

Jackie, I would say all is well here. I have seen Acros build fungus gardens 30 feet away from their nest and still maintain a connection between them. Your observations are fascinating. And its good to talk with you again.