14 replies to this topic

[drtrmiller]

I spent a couple hours making a formicarium from scratch this morning for a Monomorium species I collected from under tree bark a few weeks ago.

 

The formicarium was fabricated with laser machining, and I used wenge hardwood for the surface floor in the nest.  Sometimes I prefer dark floors so the brood stand out.  To keep the wood from warping or distorting, it is fastened with screws at various locations, which also anchor the completely integrated foraging area to the base.

 

 

I went for minimalist decor of labstone, with dyed labstone sputtered throughout, and small sticks that look like logs, along with some larger stones.

 

 

Here, they are collecting some fruit fly pieces (D. melanogaster) and drinking Sunburst Ant Nectar from a Galileo Liquid Feeder (see links in signature below).

 

Edited by drtrmiller, April 10 2017 - 12:41 PM.

[Cindy]

I spent a couple hours making a formicarium from scratch this morning for a Monomorium species I collected from under tree bark a few weeks ago.

 

The formicarium was fabricated with laser machining, and I used wenge hardwood for the surface floor in the nest.  Sometimes I prefer dark floors so the brood stand out.  To keep the wood from warping or distorting, it is fastened with screws at various locations, which also anchor the completely integrated foraging area to the base.

 

 

I went for minimalist decor of labstone, with dyed labstone sputtered throughout, and small sticks that look like logs, along with some larger stones.

 

 

Here, they are collecting some fruit fly pieces (D. melanogaster) and drinking Sunburst Ant Nectar from a Galileo Liquid Feeder (see links in signature below).

 

It's very pretty.

[T.C.]

It's quite nice actually. Is that wood rather absorbant?

Edited by T.C., April 10 2017 - 12:33 PM.

[drtrmiller]

It's quite nice actually. Is that wood rather absorbent?

 

The sponge is positioned over some plastic film to keep it from coming into direct contact with the wood.  Unfortunately, the sponge expanded a bit more than I expected, causing outward pressure of the water, and leakage into the acrylic layers and wood surface.

 

I don't know whether absorbent is the correct term, but the surface does disperse water with a nice wetting quality that doesn't appear to cause any wet spots or drowning.  There is absolutely no panic or drowning behavior when the wood is wetted like this, and it actually mimics very nicely their natural habitat of nesting underneath moist tree bark.

 

 

Notice the wetter and drier areas, as moisture has permeated across the surface.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 10 2017 - 7:42 PM.

[Grant H.]

I love the wood design it looks great

[T.C.]

Nice, I think my brother might have some wenge hardwood. I might try to make something, out of it for a camponotous species.

Edited by T.C., April 23 2017 - 7:24 PM.

[drtrmiller]

They seem to really be loving this new nest.  Here is a photo of their food pile and a separate brood pile they created in a drier area of the nest:

 

 

Here they are, enjoying a fly:

 

Edited by drtrmiller, April 11 2017 - 10:32 PM.

[scottc]

I love it. It looks so clean and Industrial.

[Alabama Anter]

What species of Monomorium do you think it is?

[drtrmiller]

Added new photo:

 

Notice all the blue larvae.  I think the volume of larvae has also increased quite a bit the last two weeks.  They really seem to be loving this little custom nest I made.

 

[brian]

Very cool little nest world.

[AntswerMe]

This is a very neat little formicarium.

Edited by AntswerMe, April 26 2017 - 11:03 AM.

[zlez93]

What did you add for all the blue larvae? Just food coloring ?

[TennesseeAnts]

Are you still making these?

[Rstheant]

What did you add for all the blue larvae? Just food coloring ?

Byformica Formula Blue 100, or WIPE. It’s discontinued though.