20 replies to this topic

[Mettcollsuss]

I'm planning on starting a C. pennsylvanicus colony when their flights roll around this year, but I have a question about founding them. The standard test tubes seem a little small; whenever I put a C. pennsylvanicus queen in, I can see her struggling to turn around. Is this bad? Because I've seen many experienced antkeepers house them in standard test tubes, but I've seen mine struggling. Thanks!

Edited by Mettcollsuss, October 25 2017 - 2:50 AM.

[Mettcollsuss]

Either way I'm still planing on using a THA Devolve Chamber ( https://tarheelants....devolve-chamber).

[Mettcollsuss]

I've ended up releasing several C. pennsylvanicus queens because they looked too cramped in the test tube.

[Hunter]

hey bud go on this web site and get the 16x125mm test tubes, there super keep its like 2 $ for 25 and 3 for shipping.http://www.lcmlab.co...tm?1=1&CartID=0

[Hunter]

hey bud go on this web site and get the 16x125mm test tubes, there super keep its like 2 $ for 25 and 3 for shipping.http://www.lcmlab.co...tm?1=1&CartID=0

cheep not keep

[Hunter]

also bud if you want a founding chamber send kevin a messege

[jdsaunders1390]

I also use the 16x125mm tubes for Camponotus floridanus. (https://www.amazon.c...p?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
I had two queens in tubes and one queen in a THA Atom C. The two tubed colonies have grown quicker than the Atom C colony.
The queens seem to have issues turning when I first add them to a tube, but after they get situated, I don’t see them move often.

Edit: formatting

Edited by jdsaunders1390, October 25 2017 - 2:05 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

 The two tubed colonies have grown quicker than the Atom C colony.

Really? Because on the website it said that the colonies kept in the Devolve Chamber grew faster. I guess I'll have to test it myself.

[MegaMyrmex]

The small test tube size reminiscizes a small groove or hole inside of a log. I used the small 13 mm diameter ones for one of my C. Chromaiodes qieens, and she did fine, bit much to my surprise she was infertile(and the firste ver queen ant I caught, too...) If you observe some wild queens in logs, you can see that, especially with the larger(pennsylvanicus, chromaoides) queens seem to act as a literal plug for their nest.

Edited by MegaMyrmex, October 26 2017 - 3:41 AM.

[Connectimyrmex]

Try using a plastic tube. The glass in a test tube stays cold and slows down brood growth. Plastics, plasters, and concretes stay warm and encourage quicker brood growth, which is further boosted by a heating cable.

[Mettcollsuss]

Try using a plastic tube. The glass in a test tube stays cold and slows down brood growth. Plastics, plasters, and concretes stay warm and encourage quicker brood growth, which is further boosted by a heating cable.

I don't use glass test tubes. All mine are plastic, because they're cheaper.

[Serafine]

Just use bigger tubes, 30x200mm is perfect.

 

 

At this time they've been in the tube for around 6 months, the water supply still lasted for another 2 months before it ran so low that the cotton collapsed, the tube sort of flooded and the moved to the new nest (no ants or brood were harmed).

[VoidElecent]

Just use bigger tubes, 30x200mm is perfect.

 

 

At this time they've been in the tube for around 6 months, the water supply still lasted for another 2 months before it ran so low that the cotton collapsed, the tube sort of flooded and the moved to the new nest (no ants or brood were harmed).

 

Wow, it looks like they've kept it pretty clean in there. Mine are actually against the whole "hygiene" thing...

[Serafine]

Actually my Solenopsis fugax are just as clean (they've been in their tube for a year now and still have water for probably another 6 months).

The only ants that are kinda messy are my Lasius niger - they think it's a great idea to stick their garbage onto the wet cotton.

[VoidElecent]

Actually my Solenopsis fugax are just as clean (they've been in their tube for a year now and still have water for probably another 6 months).

The only ants that are kinda messy are my Lasius niger - they think it's a great idea to stick their garbage onto the wet cotton.

 

Ah, that makes sense. Somehow, my colonies manage to smudge the interior of their tubes with (what looks like) dirty white water. This could be a factor of the methylparaben I've added to the water.

[Mettcollsuss]

Actually my Solenopsis fugax are just as clean (they've been in their tube for a year now and still have water for probably another 6 months).

The only ants that are kinda messy are my Lasius niger - they think it's a great idea to stick their garbage onto the wet cotton.

Yeah, I've noticed some ants are messier than others. My 1 worker C. nearcticus colony's tube is super moldy (yet they continue to refuse to move), while my 20-30 worker Tetramorium colony has barely a spot on the cotton, and a small, contained, trash heap/bathroom area.

[Mettcollsuss]

Just use bigger tubes, 30x200mm is perfect.

 

 

At this time they've been in the tube for around 6 months, the water supply still lasted for another 2 months before it ran so low that the cotton collapsed, the tube sort of flooded and the moved to the new nest (no ants or brood were harmed).

What species is that? Looks like C. nearcticus.

[Connectimyrmex]

That's either C. chromaiodes or another partial red thorax species. C. nearcticus either has a full red thorax or full black thorax. The queens have an elongated abdomen, and they are TINY. Trust me, I've encountered both variants.

C.nearcticus also has shorter legs.

Edited by Connectimyrmex, October 26 2017 - 4:36 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

That's either C. chromaiodes or another partial red thorax species. C. nearcticus either has a full red thorax or full black thorax. The queens have an elongated abdomen, and they are TINY. Trust me, I've encountered both variants.

C.nearcticus also has shorter legs.

ah. I currently have a small red-and-black C. nearcticus colony, so I tend to think all small red-and-black camponotus are C. nearcticus. Also, I thought C. chromaiodes was a lot larger than that.

[Russell]

I use 16x 150 for most species, but Camponotus I only use 25 x 150mm. The queens can stand much better and water last longer.