133 replies to this topic

[Nathant2131]

What camera do you use for these beautiful pics? 

[dspdrew]

What camera do you use for these beautiful pics? 

 

Thanks. It's just an old point-and-shoot.

[Nathant2131]

 

What camera do you use for these beautiful pics? 

 

Thanks. It's just an old point-and-shoot.

 

Oh that's it? Those are great pics.

[dspdrew]

Yeah, I love that little camera.

[ant fan]

Nice set up... I tried many types of set ups and always go back to my favorite, soil in a fish tank - have the best luck with them and the populations explode so much faster - I found the "keep it simple" rule works for me and the ants

[Shareallicu]

I've got Pogonomyrmex barbatus!

 

I was wondering what kind of seeds they like.  Mine love sugar water and shrimp!  i gave them seeds, but they don't seem interested as long as there is other kinds of foods.

[Leo]

UUUUUPPPPPDDDDDAAAATTTTEEEEEE

[AntPhycho]

Just caught one of these queens, just layed her first eggs, they are scattered so they may be infertile, but I'm praying they are fertile, and if they are, I can't wait for the ride I'm in for!

[Zegorzalek]

Just caught some of these gals... from what it looks like they did not hibernate? What kind of temp did you keep them at please?

[dspdrew]

I keep them around 85 degrees.

[UberDuber]

Those are some massive holes they have dug. Are you just using a sand/dirt mixture in that 10 gallon formicarium? I'm wondering how those tunnels don't collapse. Do you pack down the dirt at all or just pour it in as mud and let it dry?

[dspdrew]

Yes it's clay dirt and sand from the desert where the ants come from. It doesn't collapse because it's stuck to panes of plastic and glass on each side and only about 3/4 inch thick.

[FeedTheAnts]

Update?

[AntsCalifornia]

Can you please update about the 10 gallon tank, that setup is interesting and I want to see the tunnels they have dug.

[dspdrew]

The "tunnels" don't look like much. This tank is kind of destroyed, or at least it doesn't look that great anymore. The colony is still going like crazy though. I saw two female alates a few weeks ago.

[dspdrew]

Update 2-18-2018

 

Can't believe it's been over a year and a half since I updated this journal. Not much has changed really, which is kind of a good thing. They are still doing great, and still living in that same formicarium.

 

I actually just saw the queen today for the first time in years. She was laying a bunch of eggs of course. There were about five workers holding her, while she pumped out about 15 eggs. One of the workers actually held the clump of eggs up to her gaster while she laid them right onto it. Once she was done they all let her go and went on their way. The amount of brood has gone up in the last month it looks like. They also have about 10 female alates running around in the nest too now. It seems the colony is mature enough now that they should start producing a bunch of alates. i guess we'll see. They normally start flying around July.

[YsTheAnt]

You should get a 50 gallon dirt box and decorate it with some desert shrubs, which will produce seeds for them...

[sirjordanncurtis]

Update?

[Rstheant]

Have you ever been stung by a P.rugosus? I have been stung by a californicus, and it was so bad..
I’m like 10 so the pain was a lot worse. I’m not sure.Do adults have a higher pain intolerance?

[neoponera]

update please