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Novomessor Cockerelli Questions


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5 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Solenoqueen - Posted August 10 2019 - 3:02 PM

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Two days ago, I caught 3 queens under the same rock and decided it would be a fun idea to throw them into the same test tube. They're already laying eggs and they haven't fought yet. I have some questions though:

When should I start feeding them? I heard sunflower seeds and crickets are best for them for their picky taste buds.

They need sugar? If so, what is the optimal sugar to water ratio?

Do they need a foraging area as of now? When will they need one if not?

Would they do well in a Fortress? If not now, when?

Do they need to be heated? If so, what do you use to heat up your ants?

This may be a bit impulsive, but I'm just really curious to see how it all unfolds. Thanks!


:>


#2 Offline Solenoqueen - Posted August 12 2019 - 8:02 PM

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Bump.


Edited by Solenoqueen, August 12 2019 - 8:03 PM.

:>


#3 Offline nurbs - Posted August 12 2019 - 9:28 PM

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Start feeding when they get their first worker.

 

What location did you find three of them together?

 

Yes, they love crushed unsalted unflavored sunflower seeds. They also love wingless fruit flies as well as grapes and fruits. You can freeze the fruit flies and feed them if it's only a few workers in a test tube. What is interesting about young colonies is they won't drink sweets from a drop on a tinfoil or bottle cap, but they will drink from a feeder, like from byFormica. Not sure why. 

 

They do not need foraging area til you get the first workers. They are also huge water drinkers. One of my biggest mistakes in my first year of rearing them was not providing enough water for them to drink. Always keep a sweets liquid feeder along with a water feeder.

 

They do excellent in a THA Fortress. Start with that, don't use a mini hearth. That's too small.

 

Best of luck! :)

 

Two days ago, I caught 3 queens under the same rock and decided it would be a fun idea to throw them into the same test tube. They're already laying eggs and they haven't fought yet. I have some questions though:

When should I start feeding them? I heard sunflower seeds and crickets are best for them for their picky taste buds.

They need sugar? If so, what is the optimal sugar to water ratio?

Do they need a foraging area as of now? When will they need one if not?

Would they do well in a Fortress? If not now, when?

Do they need to be heated? If so, what do you use to heat up your ants?

This may be a bit impulsive, but I'm just really curious to see how it all unfolds. Thanks!

 


  • Solenoqueen, miwu and a5150guy like this

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Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
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#4 Offline Solenoqueen - Posted August 12 2019 - 9:54 PM

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Start feeding when they get their first worker.

 

What location did you find three of them together?

 

Yes, they love crushed unsalted unflavored sunflower seeds. They also love wingless fruit flies as well as grapes and fruits. You can freeze the fruit flies and feed them if it's only a few workers in a test tube. What is interesting about young colonies is they won't drink sweets from a drop on a tinfoil or bottle cap, but they will drink from a feeder, like from byFormica. Not sure why. 

 

They do not need foraging area til you get the first workers. They are also huge water drinkers. One of my biggest mistakes in my first year of rearing them was not providing enough water for them to drink. Always keep a sweets liquid feeder along with a water feeder.

 

They do excellent in a THA Fortress. Start with that, don't use a mini hearth. That's too small.

 

Best of luck! :)

 

Two days ago, I caught 3 queens under the same rock and decided it would be a fun idea to throw them into the same test tube. They're already laying eggs and they haven't fought yet. I have some questions though:

When should I start feeding them? I heard sunflower seeds and crickets are best for them for their picky taste buds.

They need sugar? If so, what is the optimal sugar to water ratio?

Do they need a foraging area as of now? When will they need one if not?

Would they do well in a Fortress? If not now, when?

Do they need to be heated? If so, what do you use to heat up your ants?

This may be a bit impulsive, but I'm just really curious to see how it all unfolds. Thanks!

 

OK, once I get that Fortress over here I'll move them in and by then hopefully they'll have a nanitic. I'm pretty sure it takes more than 2 and a half weeks for them to grow egg to adult, however.

I'm assuming that from your response, any sweet is viable? Like raw honey will do? I think there's ant nectar and hummingbird nectar but I'm not sure how I can make it work for ants. I will, however, make sure that sweets are available for them once they get their first nanitic. Thanks for that!

I also wasn't sure about frozen fruit flies but sounds like I'll be giving them a shot! Once it grows bigger, if it does, I'll start feeding fruit.

Should I just get all of my feeders(sweets, feeder machines, etc.) from byFormica? They're very reputable and I just want to be clear so I know I can just get my supplies from one store.

Thanks for your help, even though I'm literally asking for more  :D 

EDIT:

Just realized polygyny maybe wasn't a thing for them, however, pleometrosis(temporary cooperation to build a nest) was. They'll eventually kill each other, and I'm not sure if I want to let the dominant and strongest rule and kill or just send off the other two. If I do decided to let them go, I'm not sure when to separate them, I really only want one colony. Some experimenters conducted a test with 8 pairs of N. Cockerelli and 7 of the 8 would eventually have a dominant queen kill off the other. I'll keep this in mind, however, just for curiosity's sake, I find it best that I should keep them together and let the magic happen. 

DOCUMENT: http://psyche.entclu.../96/96-131.html

 


Edited by Solenoqueen, August 12 2019 - 10:18 PM.

:>


#5 Offline nurbs - Posted August 13 2019 - 7:13 AM

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Byformica feeders are great. You can get Sunburst, but I've always used Perky Pet hummingbird nectar, diluted with bottled water 1/5th nectar. Both are on Amazon.

 

OK, once I get that Fortress over here I'll move them in and by then hopefully they'll have a nanitic. I'm pretty sure it takes more than 2 and a half weeks for them to grow egg to adult, however.

I'm assuming that from your response, any sweet is viable? Like raw honey will do? I think there's ant nectar and hummingbird nectar but I'm not sure how I can make it work for ants. I will, however, make sure that sweets are available for them once they get their first nanitic. Thanks for that!

I also wasn't sure about frozen fruit flies but sounds like I'll be giving them a shot! Once it grows bigger, if it does, I'll start feeding fruit.

Should I just get all of my feeders(sweets, feeder machines, etc.) from byFormica? They're very reputable and I just want to be clear so I know I can just get my supplies from one store.

Thanks for your help, even though I'm literally asking for more  :D 

EDIT:

Just realized polygyny maybe wasn't a thing for them, however, pleometrosis(temporary cooperation to build a nest) was. They'll eventually kill each other, and I'm not sure if I want to let the dominant and strongest rule and kill or just send off the other two. If I do decided to let them go, I'm not sure when to separate them, I really only want one colony. Some experimenters conducted a test with 8 pairs of N. Cockerelli and 7 of the 8 would eventually have a dominant queen kill off the other. I'll keep this in mind, however, just for curiosity's sake, I find it best that I should keep them together and let the magic happen. 

DOCUMENT: http://psyche.entclu.../96/96-131.html

 

 

 

 


  • Solenoqueen likes this

Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#6 Offline a5150guy - Posted August 14 2019 - 5:08 PM

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You are where I was 4 months ago, but I got a starter colony from Nurbs. My colony is thriving thanks to Nurbs. Seems like new workers every day! They seem to love my cooked chicken I eat for lunch more than anything. That doesn't last 2 minutes before they drag it onto the larva. Also they love cantaloupe over any other fruit. I have tried the recommended dried bloodworms and they will slurp up a bit but nothing like chicken. Mine will eat the occasional crushed sunflower seed. Get the feeders. They love the mixture of 50% honey and 50% water with sugar water and a pinch of salt (Nurbs recipe if I remember). Mine love the fortress and it makes it easy to clean as well although I must admit, they keep their room cleaner than I do! I ended up using a tiny heating pad from Amazon. It is USB powered and has three heating settings. The lowest keeps half the outworld and half the nest a comfy 80 floor temp for them, They seem to regulate and move around according to their needs. 

 
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Work Cockerelli

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