Lmst

Nothing like a mild day to bring out the #termites Noticed them starting to swarm on the foundation while taking down the x-mas lights. Sprayed liberally and will be calling the exterminator later. (I’m waiting for the #carpenterants to wake up next.) Very #discouraging #homeownership is a drag. #insect #adulting

Photo shows a number of small winged insects on a white foundation

Photo a Day 16: Fallen Beasts

Shop: https://mike-smale.pixels.com/featured/fallen-beasts-mike-smale.html

#Photography #Stump #Trees #Rot #Termites #CarpenterAnts #Abstract #Art #Artwork #GiftShop

A tree stump exhibits signs of decay, with moss growing in the crevices and small holes scattered across its surface. Leaves and twigs surround the base. Evidence of carpenter ants or termites abound from the holes chewed into the remains of the stump.

@futurebird , this one reminded me of you: A NY carpenter ant going about their business, at the Cranberry Flats Conservancy, south of Saskatoon.

#ants #carpenterants #insects #yxe

A large ant, with black head and abdomen, and narrow red thorax, is walking downwards on rough tree bark next to bright yellow patch of lichen.

My carpenter ants have a small pile of "winter brood" as soon as it gets warm they are ready to increase in numbers. I can't wait to give them more places to explore #ants #CamponotusPennsylvanicus #carpenterAnts #antkeeping

A wooden ant nest shaped like an upright log cut in half. Through plexiglass you can see the nest chambers. Most are full of ants, but a few have silk cocoons, or eggs.

Two ants annoyed by the light on my camera hustle the brood away

Tulip, the carpenter ant is having a chill Saturday hanging out with her 700+ sisters. She wants to know when I will name the rest of them... I'll get to it... eventually. (I will not.) Though I don't think there are enough colors and dots to tag them all. #namedAnts #tuliptheant #carpenterAnts #ants

A black carpenter ant rests on a bit of driftwood. There are a lot of her sister around her in the background.

I just refilled the sugar feeder. Guess who showed first? #namedAnts #tuliptheant #ants #carpenterAnts #camponotus

Ants mob a plastic feeder filled with yellow sugar water. Some are already drinking. An ant with pink markings on her gaster is next in line.

🐜 Carpenter Ants Perform Life-Saving Amputations 🩺 A new study shows carpenter ants amputate injured legs of nestmates, the first evidence of non-human animals performing amputations on others to improve survival odds. 🔬🐜🦵 #CarpenterAnts #Amputations #AnimalBehavior #SurvivalSkills #NewStudy #SmithsonianMag

🔗https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/carpenter-ants-perform-life-saving-amputations-to-treat-leg-injuries-180984653/

Florida #CarpenterAnts (#CamponotusFloridanus) selectively treat the wounded limbs of their fellow ants. Depending on the location of the injury, the ants either lick the wounds to clean them or chew off the affected limb to keep #infection from spreading.

The treatment is surprisingly effective, with survival rates of around 90–95 percent for amputee ants.

Call the #ant doctor: #Amputation gives injured ants a leg up on #infections
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/call-the-ant-doctor-amputation-gives-injured-ants-a-leg-up-on-infections/

I’m doing an assembly with the girls today and the ones being left home have just discovered I’ve separated them from their queen and they are NOT happy. Please forgive me little ants, this is for education and will mean so much to the future of ant-human relationships! #namedAnts #tulip #tuliptheant #carpenterAnts

Ants attack a cotton plug that used to be the main nest entrance. One ant named Tulip has pink spots on her gaster.

Tulip, the ant says hi! #namedAnts #tuliptheant #carpenterAnts #petAnts

Tulip escaped again! She’s too smart! I caught her but she almost got taken by the house spider. She is home safe. I’m so glad she’s ok. This ant will be the death of me. Why do I have such bad sneaky little ants?? #namedAnts #tuliptheant #carpenterAnts #petAnts

A big black ant with pink dots on her gaster on my hand.

This is Tulip, the median carpenter ant worker. Today she enjoyed some wet cat food. I can’t seem to find Pepper, the ant with the green spot, I think she might have cleaned the paint off (she was very dusty) — stay tuned for more important Tulip updates. #tulip #ant #namedAnts #tuliptheant #carpenterAnts #petAnts

Tulip is about two years old. It's been nearly two years since I marked her. The queen of this colony is 4.

A black ant with pink paint on her gaster.

The same ant near the water feeder and crashed sugar train enrichment/training area

Tulip peeks around the corner of the food dish.

My carpenter ant colony takes up two bookshelves. They have two "outworlds" or places to find food and do ant stuff. They have three nesting spaces. (More about the setup in the alt text. )

Glass on antkeeping enclosures often has a hazy look. We use "fluon" to keep the ants from climbing out. It basically makes a powdery slippery layer near the top of the glass that ants struggle to climb. I wish I could find a solution that didn't look so messy.

#ants #antkeeping #carpenterAnts #camponotus

The full set up. On the top shelf a log cut in half with plexiglass cover to show the nest chambers. Large black ants are packed into the nest. A glass terrarium connects to the log, the to a small annex nest: a round wood circle filled with more ants.

A long curving plastic tube connects to the lower shelf. There is a larger enclosure with a branch to climb on and sugar feeder. Then, their newest log home. it’s not as full as they are still moving in.

Closer view of their new nest. It’s about one third full mostly older ants using it for now. They have not moved and brood down to this nest. The brown cable provides heat, which they seem to like on cold days.

The mini annex nest is a round of wood with five chambers like flower petals. It’s packed with ants.

The two shelves again but with the purple, green and ochre magnetic felt covers on the three nests to block out the light. The annex nest has a cover with a felt flower petal design that mirrors the chambers.

@alexhaist

In the past when I've marked ants I've discovered it *is* the same ant that likes to escape (and then wants back in)

That's why Tulip has a pink dot, although she's been more interested in hangin out on the branch recently. #namedAnts #tuliptheant #carpenterAnts #petAnts

https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/112191708583328729

Exactly one year ago I used "bee safe" paint to mark three ants. I marked one with a white dot, another with yellow and the third with pink (Dottie, Daffodil and Pinky/Tulip)

Dottie and Daffodil died in the fall... but Tulip lives! I just saw her.

Tulip is a little cryptic it seems. I have not seen her for months! She's well over a year old now, possibly as old as two. I will keep an eye out for her.

#daffodil #namedAnts #tuliptheant #carpenterAnts #petAnts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgdP8nPB0EU

My carpenter ants are always stepping on each other with their cute fuzzy feet. I think the sensation of nest mates touching each other is calming to them, they seem to go out of their way to walk on top of each other. #video #antvideo #ants #carpenterAnts

Aren't their feet cute?

Stills from the video of fuzzy ant feet.

Fuzzy ant feet resting on the back of a sleeping ant.

Look at this big beautiful carpenter ant major from my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony! I picked her up with the paint brush and just let her wander around on my hand for a bit. She's so gentle and curious.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tMaD2fNfz0E

#CamponotusPennsylvanicus #ants #carpenterAnts #antkeeping #petAnts #antVideo

Quick update on #daffodil the eastern black carpenter ant minor worker. I see her most days, though I think she’s slowing down a little. She mostly hangs out at “The Burl” which seems to be a pretty popular place for the older workers. #carpenterAnts #camponotus #ants

#CarpenterAnts

A closeup of a carpenter ant on a redwood deck

Got some wonderful video of a carpenter ant major (Camponotus pennslyvanicus) eclosing from her cocoon. Ants can't free themselves without help. Their first moments of adult life are spent being fussed over, cleaned and fed by as many as 8 excited siblings.

The first thing they see is a world full of others who just want to help them. The first place they experience is warm, safe and made just for ants.

#antvideos #ants #carpenterants #camponotus #withnarration

https://youtu.be/ar4QlGaJCI0

#carpenterants

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