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Camponotus pennsylvanicus in Mini Hearth?


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#1 Offline to_be_announced - Posted April 5 2021 - 2:01 PM

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I have a small colony of Camponotus pennsylvanicus currently in a test tube setup.  Queen with 9 workers.  I have an empty mini hearth currently.  Wondering if it's worth it to move them into there or if it holds such a small number of such a large species that it would be better to hold off and then go from tube to something bigger?  How many of this species do you think a mini hearth could hold?


Currently keeping Tetramorium Immigrans and Camponotus Pennsylvanicus in THA mini hearths.  I also have a couple Prenolepis Imparus queens in test tubes.


#2 Offline ZTYguy - Posted April 5 2021 - 2:05 PM

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You could put them in there if you want. A mini hearth can hold more than you think.


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#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 5 2021 - 3:20 PM

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A mini-hearth would be ideal for them. Tape the test tube to the mini-hearth or stick it on with mounting putty. Use bright sunlight to move them onto the nest and detach the tube as soon as they vacate.
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#4 Offline gs5248 - Posted April 5 2021 - 3:24 PM

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I agree. And anyways, if you need an expansion, you could always just get another mini hearth and connect it up to the original one, since they are modular.


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#5 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted April 6 2021 - 3:33 AM

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Honestly a Mini Hearth would be a bit too big for them in my opinion. I would keep them in a test tubes until they get a few more workers.
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#6 Offline to_be_announced - Posted April 6 2021 - 6:24 AM

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Thanks for the replies everyone.  I've decided I'm going to go ahead and put them in there.  I know MinigunL5 said he/she thought it was too big, but there are about 5 more workers about to eclose, so I'll be up to 14-15 workers soon.  It'll just be so much easier feeding in the mini hearth.


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Currently keeping Tetramorium Immigrans and Camponotus Pennsylvanicus in THA mini hearths.  I also have a couple Prenolepis Imparus queens in test tubes.


#7 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 6 2021 - 3:37 PM

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That’s a perfect size colony for a mini-hearth.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#8 Offline Skwiggledork - Posted April 6 2021 - 4:37 PM

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How many C.pennsylvanicus workers could a mini-hearth hold? Hopefully I will have a mini and an xl mini soon and I got a decent number of workers in my one colony.



#9 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 6 2021 - 4:51 PM

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Maybe 50 or more. They can just hang on the ceiling.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#10 Offline JoeByron - Posted April 6 2021 - 8:21 PM

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Thanks for the replies everyone.  I've decided I'm going to go ahead and put them in there.  I know MinigunL5 said he/she thought it was too big, but there are about 5 more workers about to eclose, so I'll be up to 14-15 workers soon.  It'll just be so much easier feeding in the mini hearth.

 

I know some people said bright sunlight. But I wouldn't use sunlight at all if you don't want to hurt them. Any light would do. I would do one that doesnt get too hot as to not hurt any of the delicate larva or eggs you might have. the greenhouse affect is super easy to create inside a test tube thanks to the curved class. BE CAREFUL!


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#11 Offline to_be_announced - Posted April 7 2021 - 8:00 AM

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Thanks JoeByron.  I've got their test tube hooked up to the mini hearth as of this morning.  No light on them now as I had to head to work and didn't want that on them without me being there in case of too much heat or something.  I put some sunburst nectar in the mini hearth outworld and hoping they just find that and realize on their way that the nest is much better than their tube.  Also, their tube is pretty much out of water, so once the cotton dries up, hopefully that helps too, though it's my understanding that Camponotus pennsylvanicus's aren't a species that requires it to be too moist.


Currently keeping Tetramorium Immigrans and Camponotus Pennsylvanicus in THA mini hearths.  I also have a couple Prenolepis Imparus queens in test tubes.


#12 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted April 7 2021 - 8:13 PM

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Thanks JoeByron.  I've got their test tube hooked up to the mini hearth as of this morning.  No light on them now as I had to head to work and didn't want that on them without me being there in case of too much heat or something.  I put some sunburst nectar in the mini hearth outworld and hoping they just find that and realize on their way that the nest is much better than their tube.  Also, their tube is pretty much out of water, so once the cotton dries up, hopefully that helps too, though it's my understanding that Camponotus pennsylvanicus's aren't a species that requires it to be too moist.


If they don't move in quickly I suggest that you just dump them in. It's the quickest to move ants and works well.

#13 Offline to_be_announced - Posted April 8 2021 - 6:19 AM

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If they don't move in quickly I suggest that you just dump them in. It's the quickest to move ants and works well.

 

 

 

I'm certainly considering that option, though I'd like to let them move on their own if possible.  I have the test tube connected directly to the mini hearth through a short piece of tubing.  So if they want some food or sugar, they'll have to go through the hearth to the outworld.  Hopefully that does the trick.  May be a bit until they get hungry though as they had a cricket the day before I hooked them up to the mini hearth.


Currently keeping Tetramorium Immigrans and Camponotus Pennsylvanicus in THA mini hearths.  I also have a couple Prenolepis Imparus queens in test tubes.


#14 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted April 9 2021 - 10:14 AM

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Thanks for the replies everyone. I've decided I'm going to go ahead and put them in there. I know MinigunL5 said he/she thought it was too big, but there are about 5 more workers about to eclose, so I'll be up to 14-15 workers soon. It'll just be so much easier feeding in the mini hearth.


I know some people said bright sunlight. But I wouldn't use sunlight at all if you don't want to hurt them. Any light would do. I would do one that doesnt get too hot as to not hurt any of the delicate larva or eggs you might have. the greenhouse affect is super easy to create inside a test tube thanks to the curved class. BE CAREFUL!
Sunlight was suggested because it creates conditions that are intolerable for the ants, which prompts them to move. People started using it instead of other light because in captivity ants can get used to light being shined on them. In my own experience, normal light doesn’t seem to bother any of the species I have tried to move.

#15 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 9 2021 - 10:49 AM

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I’ve used sunlight many times to move colonies. It’s the only thing that will get some of them going. Just do it on a cooler morning and be there to supervise to make sure nothing goes wrong. Hook the nest you want to move them into up a few days beforehand, so the ants have an idea of where to go.

Edited by ANTdrew, April 9 2021 - 10:50 AM.

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.




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