20 replies to this topic

[ohhhhh]

1. Location of collection: on or beside sidewalk, or parking lot. houses and woods around area. 
2. Date of collection: 7-13 7-15 2015
3. Habitat of collection: grass areas near sidewalk or lots.
4. Length (from head to gaster): 5/16ths
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: amber to black almost banded, shiny, smooth with few hairs.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: 2 petiole.
7. Anything else distinctive: 
8. Nest description: near red rough dome shaped ant beds.

 

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[Ants4fun]

Where did you find them? What city?
They look like Solenopsis invicta to me.

Edited by Ants4fun, July 15 2015 - 1:58 PM.

[Alza]

Solenopsis invicta.

[ohhhhh]

Where did you find them? What city?
They look like Solenopsis invicta to me.

Athens Ga. U.S.

[Myrmicinae]

I agree with the S. invicta ID.  This species is very easy to raise in captivity, although you should be prepared for the colonies becoming massive quite quickly.

[ohhhhh]

I agree with the S. invicta ID.  This species is very easy to raise in captivity, although you should be prepared for the colonies becoming massive quite quickly.

thank you.

Edited by larynix, July 15 2015 - 2:17 PM.

[drtrmiller]

Keep them in a warm place, around 85 F, and you will have workers in 25-30 days.

 

Here is my journal I recently started for this species.

[ohhhhh]

Keep them in a warm place, around 85 F, and you will have workers in 25-30 days.

 

Here is my journal I recently started for this species.

sorry to say but, if you are in Ga as well, I'm going to be siphoning as much info from you as i can. lol

very cool start to journal. I'm going to be constructing my own setups for the colonies, very similar to the ones you have.

i am currently keeping them in a test tube setup with one lil drop of honey in each. on my back screened in porch. its been anywhere from 80 to 98 degrees here lately. do you think that is suitable? 

Edited by larynix, July 15 2015 - 3:08 PM.

[Myrmicinae]

 

Keep them in a warm place, around 85 F, and you will have workers in 25-30 days.

 

Here is my journal I recently started for this species.

sorry to say but, if you are in Ga as well, I'm going to be siphoning as much info from you as i can. lol

very cool start to journal. I'm going to be constructing my own setups for the colonies, very similar to the ones you have.

i am currently keeping them in a test tube setup with one lil drop of honey in each. on my back screened in porch. its been anywhere from 80 to 98 degrees here lately. do you think that is suitable? 

 

 

98 F is definitely too high.  To be safe, I would bring them inside whenever outdoor temps climb above 90 F.  Also, make sure that the tubes stay out of direct sunlight.  A drop of honey will not be necessary for founding queens and could prove hazardous if they step in it.  If you do want to feed them (again, not necessary), I would only offer them as much as they can completely consume in a few minutes.

Edited by Myrmicinae, July 15 2015 - 5:41 PM.

[drtrmiller]

I gave you all the instructions you need, beyond what you have already done with your test tubes.

 

If you do anything beyond what I told you (temperature, time, test tube), you're probably doing something wrong and will likely fail to rear workers.

[ohhhhh]

Myrmicinae

thank you.

drtrmiller

sorry to bother you. won't happen again.

[drtrmiller]

I think you may have misread the directness of my reply as something else.  I'm not saying don't ask questions.  I'm simply saying that you must not think for yourself until you have sufficient knowledge to make informed choices.  Lots of members experiment before they know what they're doing, and end up unintentionally massacring perfectly capable ants in the process.

 

Solenopsis invicta is considered fully claustral.  This means that the queens find shelter after mating, generally digging a hole in the ground, and rear their first brood entirely from their own fat reserves, never leaving the nest to forage for food.  You are more likely to disturb and hinder the queen's progress by introducing food, not to mention the possible risk that member Myrmicinae observed.

 

As far as temperature, again, these ants usually dig a hole in the ground.  Even when it is 100+ degrees outside, it is much cooler several inches below the soil.  90 F would be a maximum temperature for the speediest development—much higher and you risk stalling.  I recommended 85F as a guideline—any lower than 80, and again, development will stall.  An unairconditioned room that hovers around the mid 80s to low 90s max should be sufficient.

 

I looked again at the test tubes, and they are a lot larger in diameter than I would recommend, and with that also comes the fact that a lot of water probably seeped completely through the cotton.  Did that happen, or is it dryish on the side where the ants are hugging?  Larger test tubes can be tricky to seal properly, because the cotton must be packed tightly before stuffing into the test tube, which is where many users will fail.

 

Again, do ask questions.  Nobody here will tell you off just for not knowing what you think you know, but they will always tell you when your ideas are likely to harm, rather than help, your objective of keeping ants.

Edited by drtrmiller, July 15 2015 - 6:50 PM.

[ohhhhh]

ok. cool. thank you. 

1) the cotton is moist on the side with her. should i pack it tighter, so it is dry to the touch on her side? (most of the queens are sitting right on the cotton, the others are about 1/8th in away from theirs).  

2) i moved them to the top of my kitchen cabinet, that stays in the low to mid 80s.

3) they all seem to be pretty comfy, as they aren't running around stressed. all just chilling, cleaning them selves and so on. does that sound ok?

 

again thank you.

[drtrmiller]

If the queens have started to lay eggs, it would be best not to disturb them.  If not, then maybe.  Cotton that is not packed tightly enough and is visibly moist on the side opposite the water reservoir will either or both of mold or dry out very quickly.

 

Yes, the behaviour you describe sounds typical.  There is little activity until the first workers arrive.

Edited by drtrmiller, July 15 2015 - 8:07 PM.

[Myrmicinae]

ok. cool. thank you. 

1) the cotton is moist on the side with her. should i pack it tighter, so it is dry to the touch on her side? (most of the queens are sitting right on the cotton, the others are about 1/8th in away from theirs).  

2) i moved them to the top of my kitchen cabinet, that stays in the low to mid 80s.

3) they all seem to be pretty comfy, as they aren't running around stressed. all just chilling, cleaning them selves and so on. does that sound ok?

 

again thank you.

 

That sounds perfect, actually.  Just make sure that the tubes are darkened and try to limit disturbance for a time.

 

As for the cotton, it shouldn't be much of a problem if temperature fluctuations are kept to a minimum.  It does look as if your water reservoirs are too small to last for very long, so you will probably need to move your ants into new nests soon after the first workers eclose.

Edited by Myrmicinae, July 15 2015 - 8:13 PM.

[ohhhhh]

 

ok. cool. thank you. 

1) the cotton is moist on the side with her. should i pack it tighter, so it is dry to the touch on her side? (most of the queens are sitting right on the cotton, the others are about 1/8th in away from theirs).  

2) i moved them to the top of my kitchen cabinet, that stays in the low to mid 80s.

3) they all seem to be pretty comfy, as they aren't running around stressed. all just chilling, cleaning them selves and so on. does that sound ok?

 

again thank you.

 

That sounds perfect, actually.  Just make sure that the tubes are darkened and try to limit disturbance for a time.

 

As for the cotton, it shouldn't be much of a problem if temperature fluctuations are kept to a minimum.  It does look as if your water reservoirs are too small to last for very long, so you will need to move your ants into new nests soon after the first workers eclose.

 

-yes sir. the tubes are all in a cigar box with the lid barely cracked (so dark). 

-water too low,check. next ones will be proper.

-if the water runs low, and there are eggs, will they move them to a proper tube when connected at end?

-sorry for so much q and a, I'm just new to ants. I've had a lot of experience with other insect and reptile husbandry, just not ants. ill catch on quick, i promise.

[ohhhhh]

If the queens have started to lay eggs, it would be best not to disturb them.  If not, then maybe.  Cotton that is not packed tightly enough and is visibly moist on the side opposite the water reservoir will either or both of mold or dry out very quickly.

 

Yes, the behaviour you describe sounds typical.  There is little activity until the first workers arrive.

-no eggs yet. the cotton isn't very wet on their side, but when touched with a skewer it gets the skewer wet. 

[Myrmicinae]

 

 

ok. cool. thank you. 

1) the cotton is moist on the side with her. should i pack it tighter, so it is dry to the touch on her side? (most of the queens are sitting right on the cotton, the others are about 1/8th in away from theirs).  

2) i moved them to the top of my kitchen cabinet, that stays in the low to mid 80s.

3) they all seem to be pretty comfy, as they aren't running around stressed. all just chilling, cleaning them selves and so on. does that sound ok?

 

again thank you.

 

That sounds perfect, actually.  Just make sure that the tubes are darkened and try to limit disturbance for a time.

 

As for the cotton, it shouldn't be much of a problem if temperature fluctuations are kept to a minimum.  It does look as if your water reservoirs are too small to last for very long, so you will need to move your ants into new nests soon after the first workers eclose.

 

-yes sir. the tubes are all in a cigar box with the lid barely cracked (so dark). 

-water too low,check. next ones will be proper.

-if the water runs low, and there are eggs, will they move them to a proper tube when connected at end?

-sorry for so much q and a, I'm just new to ants. I've had a lot of experience with other insect and reptile husbandry, just not ants. ill catch on quick, i promise.

 

 

No problem at all.  As with any complicated field, it is crucial to ask questions; ant keeping can be particularly difficult to navigate otherwise.  

 

I have rarely had success with coaxing solitary queens into moving on their own.  However, once there are a few workers, they should be able to relocate their brood with no issues, especially considering the species you are working with.  It will take patience, regardless.  Shine a light on the old tube and keep the new one dark.

 

Another note - I have found that using organic cotton in test tube setups lowers queen/colony mortality rates significantly.  Probably not cause to move them, but something to consider in the future.

Edited by Myrmicinae, July 15 2015 - 8:47 PM.

[ohhhhh]

i didn't even think about organic cotton.... would 100% natural cotton be the same?

[dspdrew]

i didnt even think about organic cotton.... would 100% natural cotton be the same?

 

I don't think so. Organic is a very specific term in commercial products. Here in the States, if something qualifies as organic, they would definitely use that term.