306 replies to this topic

[sgheaton]

Now....when the ants eat whatever luminescent...will their gasters potentially have the same glowing characteristic?  

[Jamie_Garrison]

By far my favorite read to date... thanks for posting def going to follow this one

[T.C.]

Crazylegs,your designs and builds are just pure genius. I can honestly say yours are up there with some of the better builds I have seen since i have been on this forum. Alot of time and thought put into each one and it shows.  I find it most suprising that these are your first builds, yet they look ten times better than my best. Overall well done and keep up the excellent work.

Edited by T.C., February 24 2017 - 8:55 AM.

[CrazyLegs]

Now....when the ants eat whatever luminescent...will their gasters potentially have the same glowing characteristic?  

Glow powders are actually just tiny crystals with light trapping properties. The cost of a small bag of these fine crystals is up there but I simply had to have a glow in the dark formicarium. Unfortunately no amount of licking will make your tongue glow.  

 

Thanks Jamie, many ideas have come from reading through posts on this sight, some I like to claim as originals. Hopefully you can get some good ideas for your upcoming build. Knowledge is power and all that.

 

Cheers T.C. I am definitely a self confessed over thinker, sometimes it helps, sometimes it's a hindrance. I have kept a great many animals over my lifetime and have a wealth of experience with a lot of Australia's more exotic pets. Designing and making formicariums is a great hobby for my overactive imagination.

[sgheaton]

Expanding on the luminescents idea.

 

I've seen ants eat red/blue/green/yellow liquid foods and end up with an engorged gaster with red/blue/green/yellow colors. Theoretically speaking.... with the right fluorescent dye added to liquid foods, under a black light, ants could have faintly "glowing" gasters?? 

[CrazyLegs]

I suppose if you could get it in liquid form. My powder is considered coarse grain and feels like sand. There is a finer grain used to put into spray paints and things, I didn't see a liquid version though. It was mentioned that moisture is the enemy of glow crystals but this particular company waterproofs their granules which was handy.

Edited by CrazyLegs, February 24 2017 - 1:17 PM.

[sgheaton]

Not YOUR powder...Just some...luminescent liquid additive. All speculation and just theory.

[CrazyLegs]

Now you have me researching ingredients in luminescent liquids.

Here are some straight off the bat.

 

The main Luminesce Serum Ingredients includes

Advanced Polypeptide Technology, Purified Water, Glycerin, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, DL-Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Superoxide Dismutase, Sodium Hydroxide.

 

I think we need a chemist.

Edited by CrazyLegs, February 24 2017 - 1:39 PM.

[Alabama Anter]

Now you have me researching ingredients in luminescent liquids.
Here are some straight off the bat.

The main Luminesce Serum Ingredients includes
Advanced Polypeptide Technology, Purified Water, Glycerin, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, DL-Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Superoxide Dismutase, Sodium Hydroxide.

I think we need a chemist.

Oh Drewwwww come and help us

[benjiwuf]

you'd be surprised what many of those things are in their common names, and many on your list are found in the food we all eat lol.

[CrazyLegs]

I made an error,    that is actually the ingredients for a serum called "Luminesce" It's an anti aging serum. Damn you internet saturation. Only use this if you want your ants to maintain their youthful glow hahahah. 

 

The liquid inside a glow stick is a reaction between Phenyl oxalate with Hydrogen peroxide and a certain dye. Once the reaction has complete, the glow disappears. Phenol is created in the reaction and is most likely harmful to ants.

 

Then there's Luminol which has a blue glow. Often used in forensics to detect blood under a black light. Also only a short glow duration.

Edited by CrazyLegs, February 24 2017 - 3:49 PM.

[antgenius123]

Anti aging serum

Edited by antgenius123, February 24 2017 - 9:01 PM.

[CrazyLegs]

Hahaha, How I wish it was April 1st.

 

Anyways, I wanted to test out the "Gecko Prototype II" with my Anonychomyrma sp. She was easy to move with her aggressiveness working against her. She grabbed the end of a toothpick and in she went. The brood was simply tapped out onto a peice of paper which was then curled into a spout and poured in.

She went to the top to see what all the glowing was about.

I could've waited until she went down and found the brood herself but to make it easy I just rolled them up onto the top level by slowly turning the whole thing upside down.

All she had to do was follow the glow.

Reunited.

 

 

 

Edited by CrazyLegs, February 24 2017 - 11:53 PM.

[Antking117]

Update on  Myrmecia Brevinoda's nest?

[antgenius123]

Looks great! Something like this would be awesome with some trap jaws.

[CrazyLegs]

Looks great! Something like this would be awesome with some trap jaws.

I would love to get my hands on some of those.

 

As for the M.brevinoda, I'm convinced the adults of this species are liquid feeders only.

This meal worm even with its brains exposed still gets rejected.

Put some sweet liquid in there though and it's party time!

 

 

[CrazyLegs]

I'm trying to simulate the weather outside to get these girls excited about mating. When there's a light shower I will replicate this inside with a light sprinkle over the nest and a lot of the time an alate or two will come out for a sticky beak.

This is the first male that I've seen leave the nest since the last male died.

The queens are having a girls night in tonight though.

 

Edited by CrazyLegs, February 25 2017 - 3:12 AM.

[Antking117]

Those ants are so sweet! I want them, but don't have anything similar whatsoever here in Nebraska.

[CrazyLegs]

Those ants are so sweet! I want them, but don't have anything similar whatsoever here in Nebraska.

If there is any chance at all of getting one I would suggest looking at Gamergate. I don't know all the details but apparently they're now shipping them overseas. You may well need some sort of permit. They're not cheap though, more valuable than a gold nugget of equal weight.

[Antking117]

 

Those ants are so sweet! I want them, but don't have anything similar whatsoever here in Nebraska.

If there is any chance at all of getting one I would suggest looking at Gamergate. I don't know all the details but apparently they're now shipping them overseas. You may well need some sort of permit. They're not cheap though, more valuable than a gold nugget of equal weight.

 

no one would give me permit -_- lol maybe one day! thanks for the information though.