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Take 2, Day 70 – Repletes and more nanitics

by NJ Ant FanPosted on September 20, 2020September 20, 2020
Queen ant with repelete
One of Scar Smile’s replete workers. It is a replete because it has a larger than normal gaster.
Queen ant with nanitics, including repletes
Here is the whole colony today. There are other replete workers, but they’re hard to see.

Scar Smile has multiple replete workers. Repletes are a caste within the colony that serve as living fridges full of food, water, or sugar water. Whenever food and water are scarce, the colony feeds on the replete’s contents. The way they feed from the repletes is called trophalaxis. Scar Smile’s gaster has also re-expanded with food, eggs, or both.

Queen ant with nanitics
Onetenna with her nanitics and small brood pile. Onetenna also has at least one replete

Onetenna also has a replete. The Replete is the nanitic directly to Onetenna’s right with the larger gaster. Now that Onetenna has repletes, her colony is becoming more interesting. She also has more nanitics, obviously. Onetenna’s gaster is also re-expanding with food, eggs, or both.

Posted in Colony, Nanitics, Repletes

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Take 4, Day 39 – Larger larvae
Take 3, Day 56 – Maybe pupae

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