54 replies to this topic

[dermy]

Big update I have decided to add another foraging tank to the colony [looks even cooler than I thought it would] and I have to say what a job and a half that was to do! I had to cut a hole small enough but also big enough to fit the tubing in and ants where pouring out of there like water! So I but them in the freezer for about 4 minutes [I kept careful eye on them] and they went to sleep so I could cut the hole and add the second foraging tank. It only took 2 minutes but within that amount of time they where already awake and swarming [they seem to like to do that] I also noticed the queens went into the older foraging tank, which I didn't mind [they moved back in the nest after I did what I had to do.] Here is the before pic:

and Here it is now:

Foraging tank#1-

[That's where all the queens ran to, they where still a bit sleepy in that picture]
Foraging Tank#2-

Few pics of the nest:[I added more paper towel as it seemed to work well before.


I know it's not the best setup but these ants have adapted quite well to Captivity, I think anyway.

[Crystals]

Nice.

Myrmica were my first colony.  Very easy going and easy to contain.  They accept almost any nest and will move readily if the new nest looks better.

Mine loved fruit flies and spiders.  They also went bonkers for hummingbird nectar.

 

Mine always liked additional heat, but the rooms were pretty cool.

[dermy]

Mine don't seem to mind my room [which is too hot for most people] it must be at least 22-25C in there!

 

Thanks I have begun feeding them in preparation for winter. They will take almost anything from me, which is why I like them, they don't need nothing special, just some variety, I've never really given them a solo insect diet, ie. just flies or just spiders. I always go for variety, such as a fly today a spider tomorrow a harvestmen spider the next and so on.

[dermy]

Colony in hibernation now! I will not wake them up till spring.

[dermy]

So I have them in hibernation in a new "Formicarium" because I'm sick of dealing with, mould, ant loses and everything else you could think of. It's a miracle these ants are still alive. I guess that's why they do so well in my yard.

 

Here is a not so great picture of how they are hibernating.

 

[dermy]

I don't know if anyone remembers this colony, or cares haha. But I have since taken them out on around Febuary 2015 now [July 16/2015] I have thrown them back into Hibernation. The Colony went from the measly little 15 workers to around 60+ and I got a good feeling that they will be doing just fine in Hibernation and eventually back up and running in Late Fall/Early winter!

[LC3]

I'll never forget about Myrmica. XD haha. Wish I could get a decent colony going.

[dermy]

It can take a bit of work that's for sure. I got most of my "Successful Colonies" from just taking huge ones from Birch Trees that are used for fire-wood.

[Crystals]

I'll never forget about Myrmica. XD haha. Wish I could get a decent colony going.

Every part of BC I ever visited usually had Aphaenogaster instead of Myrmica, but they are out there.

Unlike Dermy, I find most of my colonies under rocks/objects in sandy locations.

[LC3]

 

I'll never forget about Myrmica. XD haha. Wish I could get a decent colony going.

Every part of BC I ever visited usually had Aphaenogaster instead of Myrmica, but they are out there.

Unlike Dermy, I find most of my colonies under rocks/objects in sandy locations.

 

Myrmica are pretty common here, maybe more common than Tetramorium, but they don't forage openly, usually amon grass or hiding underground. I find them in soil and rotten logs however you need to provoke their home in order to get them out of the ground.  (Then they swarm and bite between your fingers )

[dermy]

Yes they love to bite inbetween the fingers hurts a lot!

[dermy]

I had to break the Hibernation for about 2 hrs whilst I cleaned out their jar, it was nasty! Slimy and disgusting! I did get a nice queen count, 21 queens. There is about 50 workers in the colony and no brood.

[LC3]

I once put a queen in the freezer of 4min + and she was still A ok. My Camponotus couldn't even last for 2min+ before curling up and going to sleep (not dead). I heard that larvae act like a colony gut for polygynous colonies or something, giving the workers motivation to find food and encouraging queens to lay more eggs or something.I dunno.XP 

[dermy]

My queens will start laying eggs probably almost immediately after I take them out in about 3-5 m

[LC3]

Ok

[Myrmicinae]

I heard that larvae act like a colony gut for polygynous colonies or something, giving the workers motivation to find food and encouraging queens to lay more eggs or something.I dunno.XP 

 

This is actually the case with most ant species, both polygynous and monogynous.

[dermy]

Cool, so does it work like with wasps? I have heard the wasps will go out and catch prey, chew it up and then give it to the larvae. Then the larvae secrete a special saliva mix that gives the workers more energy to go out and do more hunting.

[Crystals]

Cool, so does it work like with wasps? I have heard the wasps will go out and catch prey, chew it up and then give it to the larvae. Then the larvae secrete a special saliva mix that gives the workers more energy to go out and do more hunting.

I believe the larvae somehow produce sugar for the adult wasps.  That is why the wasps get so slow and dopey in fall and search for sweets relentlessly, the larvae aren't growing much and aren't producing much sugar.

[Crystals]

 

 

I'll never forget about Myrmica. XD haha. Wish I could get a decent colony going.

Every part of BC I ever visited usually had Aphaenogaster instead of Myrmica, but they are out there.

Unlike Dermy, I find most of my colonies under rocks/objects in sandy locations.

 

Myrmica are pretty common here, maybe more common than Tetramorium, but they don't forage openly, usually amon grass or hiding underground. I find them in soil and rotten logs however you need to provoke their home in order to get them out of the ground.  (Then they swarm and bite between your fingers )

 

If you are in BC, you should not have Tetramorium.  It has not been found there yet.  Probably one of the other 2-noded species.  https://www.antweb.o...nts&images=true

[LC3]

Nah pretty sure it's Tetramorium all right, Just because it hasn't been found doesn't mean it can't exist.
I have encountered a bunch of Tetras (in different colours too) everywhere even have a colony of them but who knows maybe we don't have Tetras