This is my first year of ant keeping (2015) and I'd like to share my findings so far. I hope you enjoy!
Camponotus Noveboracensis
The first queen I found was scuttling across my driveway. Although I had a test tube in my pocket, she was very fast and smart; she wouldn't willingly climb into my possession. I used to pick up ants when I was smaller by putting my hands together and making a corral with my thumbs and forefingers, like this. Then ant would eventually walk up on my hand.
I would've done that, but this was an ant species I've never seen before, she was slightly red, and she was huge (15mm) in comparison to the other ants that lived nearby. I wasn't about to test her weaponry. My brother brought me a bucket that we somehow managed to get her in and she calmed down enough for us to lead into the test tube setup I made. She was caught on the 16th of June. She now has 16 brood. She as had pupae for a couple of weeks now.
Here are some pictures of her today.
Guarding the entrance.
I think she is well on her way to a fruitful colony!
Camponotus Pennslyvanicus
One day my brothers and I were at the park. One of my brothers yelled "Will, I think I found a queen", and I rushed over to him. Sure enough, here is this huge (17mm) Camp. Penn. queen lumbering through the woodchips. She was slower, and easier to scoop up. Even though we caught her almost a week after the first, she now has 18 brood. She has shown to be quite a vicious and valiant guard, protecting he babies from a dead fly I tried to feed her. She simply attacked it and made sure it was dead before returning to her clutch. I wont try to feed her again for a few weeks.
Check her out!
I hope you guys enjoy my little camponotus blog, but don't be too impatient for more; they are quite slow growing ants. Hopefully having two will keep up a good show! Ant love forever!
. Woke ants January 10th
.
). Nova's workers seemed hungry and were pulling at the cotton, but it was going to be hard to feed them without escapees. I decided to move them into the outworld this morning, so I could easily feed them. I blocked off the entrance to the nest, as that's a forbidden place until they have more workers. I fed them a drop of honey and some fish flakes, which they gorged themselves on. They were clearly full by the time I removed the honey 
. I'm working through it. They now seem very happy with their full gasters and newfound territory. Enough of my blabbing, here are some pictures!
Great photos, too! We'll be following these colonies along with you.