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Starter Ant Help

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5 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Doonasaur - Posted December 10 2017 - 8:25 PM

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Hey, when I was younger I used to be into the worker ant only farms the ones where you could watch them dig through the gel and such. Now that I'm older I want to get into keeping ant colonies with queens, but I'm on a budget. Can anyone recommend some cheapish formicariums and a good starting speices that could be found in Florida. I already have a few test tubes and would like to catch my own queen, and start from there.

 


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#2 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted December 10 2017 - 8:39 PM

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I would recommend that you start with a standard test tube setup (It takes years to obtain a formicarium-sized colony). For a company, I'd recommend Tar Heel Ants.

 

Camponotus and Pogonomyrmex are common and hardy species found in Florida. You can also keep Pseudomyrmex, Odontomachus, Trachymyrmex, and other species when you get some more experience. Believe it or not, my first ant ever was Pseudomyrmex gracilis, and I managed to rear it successfully (the point being that you can start with whatever you want with proper research and setups).


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Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#3 Offline Hunter - Posted December 11 2017 - 7:54 AM

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testtube works well or you could try https://antkit.uk/pr.../antkit-anthomeor https://tarheelants....cts/mini-hearth



#4 Offline FeedTheAnts - Posted December 11 2017 - 8:40 AM

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A good starter species is Pheidole. A test tube setup would house a colony for quite a while and you can find really cheap ones online.


I accidentally froze all my ants 


#5 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted December 11 2017 - 9:01 AM

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Since you live un florida you have a very wide range of species to try from. THE beginner specis is in mynopinion tetramorium immigrans or caespitum, but pheidole, pogonomyrmex, lasius, camponotus, non- parasite formica, and some others make good beginner species

Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 


#6 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted December 11 2017 - 9:21 AM

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@the above members, Couldn't have said it better  (y)


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps




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