11 replies to this topic

[TheMicroPlanet]

I've searched and searched and I can't find any information on keeping Myrmica (spp. native to New York) and no website I can find has any either (and there aren't any care sheets I can find here). I know AntKeeping.wiki would have some, but the website is down right now and it's probably not the most reliable source anyway. If any of you have anything to offer or a website you know of concerning the species listed below, i'm open to suggestions.

 

Myrmica spp. native to New York (According to antmaps.org) https://antmaps.org/...y&genus=Myrmica

 

• Myrmica americana
• Myrmica brevispinosa
• Myrmica detritinodis
• Myrmica fracticornis
• Myrmica incompleta
• Myrmica latifrons
• Myrmica lobifrons
• Myrmica pinetorum
• Myrmica punctiventris
• Myrmica sculptilis
• Myrmica semiparasitica
• Myrmica smithana
• Myrmica spatulata

Edited by TheMicroPlanet, December 23 2019 - 5:33 PM.

[Serafine]

You need a small foraging box with a test tube setup (use cotton and a plastic straw as entrance to keep the tube more humid) and some soft-skinned insects like fruit flies (feed a few every other day).

They're pretty easy to raise actually, no special things needed.

[Manitobant]

Myrmica are extremely easy to keep, although in my experience they don't do that well in formicariums as they are very high humidity. Test tubes however are perfect for myrmica colonies of any size.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

My Myrmica punctiventris are in a simple AntsCanada test tube/test tube portal setup. What species are you keeping? I highly recommend the genus in general; they are wonderful, diverse, active, fast growing ants that almost nobody keeps. Look through "Antennal_Scrobe's Ant Journal" and "Becky's Myrmica rubra" on this forum to get an idea of how they are.

[Serafine]

This is my Myrmica setup:

 

 

 

 

 

And this is my girlfiend's Myrmica setup, you can find her journal here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're made from 4€ airtight plastic fridge boxes (basically we just drilled in a hole into it and cut out a piece of the lid to insert a fine mesh), overall cost is around 10€ per box.

[ANTdrew]

There are some gaps in the care sheets on here. Someone should make Myrmica, Pogonomyrmex, Pheidole sheets for example.

[TheMicroPlanet]

My Myrmica punctiventris are in a simple AntsCanada test tube/test tube portal setup. What species are you keeping? I highly recommend the genus in general; they are wonderful, diverse, active, fast growing ants that almost nobody keeps. Look through "Antennal_Scrobe's Ant Journal" and "Becky's Myrmica rubra" on this forum to get an idea of how they are.

Oh I don't have any colonies of anything yet, but since it's winter here in the US right now, I have a LOT of time to prepare for this spring/summer. Also, do all temperate Myrmica spp. require the same basic stuff (as in, could I keep something like Myrmica americana or incompleta the same way one would keep Myrmica rubra)?

This is my Myrmica setup:

 

 

 

 

 

And this is my girlfiend's Myrmica setup, you can find her journal here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're made from 4€ airtight plastic fridge boxes (basically we just drilled in a hole into it and cut out a piece of the lid to insert a fine mesh), overall cost is around 10€ per box.

Thank you very much. Myrmica queens are semi-claustral, right?

[DDD101DDD]

 

My Myrmica punctiventris are in a simple AntsCanada test tube/test tube portal setup. What species are you keeping? I highly recommend the genus in general; they are wonderful, diverse, active, fast growing ants that almost nobody keeps. Look through "Antennal_Scrobe's Ant Journal" and "Becky's Myrmica rubra" on this forum to get an idea of how they are.

Oh I don't have any colonies of anything yet, but since it's winter here in the US right now, I have a LOT of time to prepare for this spring/summer. Also, do all temperate Myrmica spp. require the same basic stuff (as in, could I keep something like Myrmica americana or incompleta the same way one would keep Myrmica rubra)?

This is my Myrmica setup:

 

 

 

 

 

And this is my girlfiend's Myrmica setup, you can find her journal here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're made from 4€ airtight plastic fridge boxes (basically we just drilled in a hole into it and cut out a piece of the lid to insert a fine mesh), overall cost is around 10€ per box.

Thank you very much. Myrmica queens are semi-claustral, right?

 

Yes.

[Serafine]

Yes, they are semi-claustral. Fruit flies work well.

[ponerinecat]

The care depends on colony to be honest. They all need the same stuff with very basic care, but different species and different colonies of the same species prefer different things. You'll have to experiment. There are also parasite myrmica, so be aware of that.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The care depends on colony to be honest. They all need the same stuff with very basic care, but different species and different colonies of the same species prefer different things. You'll have to experiment. There are also parasite myrmica, so be aware of that.

There is only one parasitic Myrmica in the US, M. semiparasitica, and from what I understand it's quite rare. 

[ponerinecat]

 

The care depends on colony to be honest. They all need the same stuff with very basic care, but different species and different colonies of the same species prefer different things. You'll have to experiment. There are also parasite myrmica, so be aware of that.

There is only one parasitic Myrmica in the US, M. semiparasitica, and from what I understand it's quite rare. 

 

Oh ok, didn't know that