387 replies to this topic

[AntsDakota]

I've never kept Solenopsis molesta before. Should I?

YES!!!

What's it like to keep them? What should I keep in mind? Are they best raised from queens or caught as colonies?

They are fast growing, and queens love to hang out in large groups, but they do well alone, too. They grow super fast and eat a lot. If you provide lot so of food and resources, they won’t even try to escape. But they can if they set their mind to it. So it’s best to have a secure setup. It doesn’t really matter whether you catch queens or colonies, it’s all the same. Workers will also accept new queens, and people have had them breed in the nest.

[Antkid12]

I plan on trying if I find some good queens. I like me some tiny ants.

Same, I caught a queen before but it turned out to be infertile. 

Edited by Antkid12, June 26 2020 - 10:22 AM.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I just found a Temnothorax colony in my yard! I think they are T. ambiguus. I'd actually like to try a naturalistic terrarium for them, since I didn't break the nut they are in.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I don't know how I missed it; I've never even seen Temnothorax in my yard.

[Thunder_Birds]

Congrats! And cool, please send pics of the terrarium. Eventually I might like to make one myself for my colonies.

[ANTdrew]

I found my first one this year, too. They’re really easy to miss!

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Congrats! And cool, please send pics of the terrarium. Eventually I might like to make one myself for my colonies.

I don't know that I will be able to make one anytime soon. When I do, I think I'll keep all my Temnothorax, Ponera, etc. in there; as long as there's enough space, most cryptic or small-colony ant species will simply avoid or ignore each other.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Camponotus nearcticus are flying in Wisconsin right now; I caught two queens. If Pumpkin_Loves_Ants does not want them and you do, you can DM me. One of my Temnothorax workers (the colony I caught a week ago in Kenosha) has earned the title of escapiest ant for somehow managing to break out of an AC test tube portal setup. I wrapped modeling clay around the lid, which will hopefully help contain them. I also found a Crematogaster queen with eggs and larvae inside a hollow stick in my backyard! I have no idea how I missed her before, as my yard is small and the stick she was in was right where I usually look for ants.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The T. ambiguus colony from Kenosha (Temnothorax Colony 2) has finally moved into the test tube in their setup. I have not seen any more escapes yet. They have five workers currently, but several of their pupae are beginning to turn orange. The Temnothorax ambiguus colony I caught yesterday (Colony 3) is still inside the walnut, and seems to be bigger than Colony 2. They are in a petri dish outworld connected to the Aecus formicarium that my Myrmica never moved into. Temnothorax Colony 3 consists of one queen (which I believe is curvispinosus) and a pile of eggs.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The Lasius colony seems to have about 4 workers, but it looks like there might be some dead ants in the tube. They don't seem interested in food currently, even though they have never eaten before and have plenty of brood. I'm still not sure how to feed or move the Brachymyrmex colony, but I placed some honey into their test tube just in case they would find it.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The Crematogaster are doing quite well, including the queen I caught yesterday (Queen 5). She has gathered her eggs and larvae into a neat pile and has not eaten any of them yet. I believe she may have flown earlier this month. Crematogaster seem to have a gradual, rather than explosive, growth, at least after the first 10 workers eclose. Every few days I notice one or two more ants.

Edited by Antennal_Scrobe, June 28 2020 - 1:22 PM.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

I caught a Tetramorium queen the other day; she now has several eggs. My Lasius are doing OK, and I think there are at least 5 or 6 workers by now. The Temnothorax have been doing well. Colony 2 (from Kenosha) has doubled today and are now at 10 or 11 ants. They still have quite a few pupae to go, including a queen pupa. The queen seems to have laid some eggs since I caught her, which is a good sign. I actually think the Temnothorax colony from my yard (Colony 3) is the same one I kept and released a year ago. After getting them out of their walnut, I noticed that they had four queens, just like the ones I had last year. Interestingly, two of the queens are smaller and lighter than the others. I noticed this last year as well, but I'm not sure of the significance if any.

[ANTdrew]

Kind suggestion here, take it or leave it:
Use bold headings and subsections for each species to make it easier to follow your journal.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Kind suggestion here, take it or leave it:
Use bold headings and subsections for each species to make it easier to follow your journal.

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll try to do that, since it honestly annoys me too, the way my journals look.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Lasius brevicornis:

I traded this colony to Pumpkin_Loves_Ants today. They had five queens, nine workers, and a large pile of eggs.

 

Brachymyrmex depilis:

The last queen in the colony died recently. They have four workers and some brood.

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis:

I finally managed to unblock the water tower in their Mini Hearth, so I can now water them normally. They have a queen, one brood boost worker, one of the queen's own workers, a pupa, and some large larvae.

 

Tetramorium immigrans (Colony 1):

The terrarium colony. They have grown quite large, and probably have about a thousand workers. They don't nest against the glass anymore, so I can't see their brood.

 

Tetramorium immigrans (Queens 2-4):

Recently caught queens with varying amounts of eggs. Will probably sell them.

 

Formica pallidefulva: 

They are doing very well: they have two queens, a lot of brood, and close to twenty workers in their Mini Hearth. They have unfortunately become highly sensitive to vibrations, and go crazy whenever I bump or move the nest, even just to feed or water them.

 

Formica sp.:

I caught a Formica queen today. I believe she is in either the pallidefulva or neogagates group. I will probably sell her.

 

Prenolepis imparis (Queen 1):

Queen with several large larvae. Will probably sell.

 

Prenolepis imparis (Colonies 2-3): 

Two colonies I just received from Pumpkin_Loves_Ants. Colony 2 has three queens and nine workers. Colony 3 has only two queens, but the same amount of workers. Both colonies have brood.

 

Myrmica punctiventris:

Four queens, thirty to forty workers, and a lot of young brood in an XL Mini Hearth. Doing well despite a rough hibernation. Currently my favorite colony.

 

Crematogaster cerasi (Colony 2):

I traded this colony to Pumpkin_Loves_Ants today. They had about twenty workers and a healthy brood pile.

 

Crematogaster cerasi (Colonies 1 and 3):

About twenty workers each with healthy brood piles.

 

Crematogaster cerasi (Queen 4):

Presumably infertile queen who recently died.

 

Crematogaster cerasi (Queen 5):

Found in a hollow stick in my backyard a few weeks ago. Has a modest brood pile including pupae. Will probably sell.

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus:

Four worker colony in a  Mini Hearth. They have a few larvae that aren't really developing.

 

Camponotus nearcticus (Queens 1-2):

Queen 2 has three eggs, while Queen 1 has nothing. Will probably sell.

 

Temnothorax cf. ambiguus (Queen 1):

A queen in a test tube with some eggs. Will probably sell.

 

Temnothorax ambiguus (Colony 2):

One queen, about twenty workers, and some brood. They have one female alate in addition to the colony's queen.

 

Temnothorax ambiguus (Colony 3):

Four queens, about ten workers, and some brood.

[ANTdrew]

I found a bright red F. pallidefulva queen yesterday, bro!
Good work with the Cremas; feed the heck out of them or else the colony will implode.

Edited by ANTdrew, July 11 2020 - 1:44 PM.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Prenolepis imparis (Colonies 2-3):

The test tubes I got them in were out of water, so I taped them to fresh ones (they fit perfectly). The ants have started moving in and will probably be done in a couple days. Colony three (two queens) actually has ten workers, one of which is freshly eclosed. There is a lot of brood in both colonies, and overall I am very happy to finally have this species.

[Antkid12]

Nice!

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Formica sp.:

This queen laid a couple of eggs overnight.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

Tetramorium immigrans (Queen 5):

I caught another Tetramorium queen today, which I will probably sell.