24 replies to this topic

[AntPhycho]

Ok, so my 4 queens are laying brood, they have been in the dark of my drawer for about a week. I just checked on them and 3 of them have egg clutches and one just has them scattered across the test tube, is it normal for them to be scattered like that? Also now that I know they are laying brood what do I do??? Do I keep them in my drawer? When do I move them into the home I picked for them?

[Lukas2021]

If the queens are fully-claustual, meaning they don't need food until their first workers, just let them be until they have workers.
If they are semi-claustual then you should be feeding the queen small drops of honey and insect parts every week or every time you see them wanting to forage.

Before anything you should find out if your queens are fully or semi claustral, via a google search of your species

Egg scattering is a sign of infertility, but not always. Keep caring for her like any other queen.

Usually you would wait until 5-20 workers, depending on the size of the ants, before moving them into a formicarium, but it depends on the size of the formicarium.

Feel free to ask any more questions

Edited by Lukas2021, August 12 2017 - 9:43 AM.

[AntPhycho]

Well, I know what species the egg scattering one is (p. Rugosus) and all my queens are fully claustral, I just really hope the P. Rugosus is fertilized, she is my favorite and she is the only bigger species of ant I caught. She has no wings, but again the eggs are very small compared to her size and she scattered them. Also I don't have a formicarium, I didn't really care for those big terrarium looking things, instead I just bought a regular ant farm, like the ones you would get as a kid, I hope that is not a problem. I thought I would be able to see true tunnels that way, not just the fake ones like the Ytong nests.

Edited by AntPhycho, August 12 2017 - 10:04 AM.

[Shaye]

It isn't a gel nest, is it?

[AntPhycho]

No, I HATE GEL NESTS!

[FeedTheAnts]

No, I HATE GEL NESTS!

Whoa! Okay then.

[AntPhycho]

Lol sorry xD but srsly can you help me?

[Shaye]

I think that the second post on here was pretty informative. What other questions are you looking for an answer to?

Edited by Shaye, August 12 2017 - 10:13 PM.

[AntPhycho]

Is it a problem I'm using a small regular ant farm instead of a professional formicarium. Read my 3rd post.

Edited by AntPhycho, August 12 2017 - 10:47 PM.

[Leo]

no keep them in testtubes

[dermy]

Hi, usually most people use Testtubes to start up their queens. Or some other small vials, even pill bottles work if done properly. Usually queens in the founding stage don't like wide open spaces, that's why Testtube setups work so well, much easier to control humidity and such in a small setup as well.

 

Also another quick note, most people will take you more seriously and help you more if you follow Rule 7 of the forum:

 

 

 

7. Post in legible, coherent English, without excessive use of emoticons, slang, chat acronyms, or instant messenger shorthand.

[Shaye]

Is it a problem I'm using a small regular ant farm instead of a professional formicarium. Read my 3rd post.

The third post wasn't exactly in question form, but I understand what you mean. I don't see an issue with a thin ant farm as long as you figure out how to properly hydrate it beforehand as to prevent collapse of tunnels and flooding. The second post gives a good worker estimate for when you should move them from a test tube into your ant farm. They also will easily outgrow it though.. P. rugosus colonies are very large as well as each worker being a fair size. That is one of the reasons for either larger, or more efficiently designed formicaria.

[Shaye]

Unless you specifically get a species that caps at a relatively low number..
Pseudomyrmex gracilis grow to a perfect colony size in my opinion.

[Lukas2021]

I suppose I don't know what other questions you need answered.

We strongly recommend keeping colonies in test tube setups until at least 5 workers. This makes sure your nest is stable.

But other than that you're doing fine, just wait till your first workers until feeding.

Just a suggestion also: keep your topics short and sweet and keep questions simple if they can be😀

[AntPhycho]

Ok, thanks for the tips guys, I don't think I said it clearly, they are currently in test tubes, just layed their first clutches of eggs. I meant once my P. Rugosus queen had enough workers, would a simple ant farm like http://www.studica.c...JIaAl8bEALw_wcBwork as a good formicarium and I would later connect an outer world.

[FeedTheAnts]

I don't think there would be an issue with that, I know drew keeps his Pogonomyrmex's in dirt. 

[AntPhycho]

Ok thank you, that was just the answer I have been looking for!

[Lukas2021]

So I see 2 potential concerns

1. Ants will run out of room in the dirt
2. Hydration- you must keep the nest hydradated so it doesn't cave in. It may be good to add clay to retain more moisture,

Personally I wouldn't use this, especially long term, but I see how you can make it work.

Edited by Lukas2021, August 13 2017 - 3:58 PM.

[Shaye]

This topic is a disorganized mess..

Edited by Shaye, August 13 2017 - 4:41 PM.

[AntPhycho]

Is it a problem I'm using a small regular ant farm instead of a professional formicarium. Read my 3rd post.

The third post wasn't exactly in question form, but I understand what you mean. I don't see an issue with a thin ant farm as long as you figure out how to properly hydrate it beforehand as to prevent collapse of tunnels and flooding. The second post gives a good worker estimate for when you should move them from a test tube into your ant farm. They also will easily outgrow it though.. P. rugosus colonies are very large as well as each worker being a fair size. That is one of the reasons for either larger, or more efficiently designed formicaria.

Could I connect two and farms using tubing, to make one big formicarium?