25 replies to this topic

[Tanks]

So I am thinking about purchasing a small colony of Myrmecocystus melliger, so I am wondering how to care for them. What kind of tempeture, food and other things do I need to have and know about to care for these ants? I have seen a lot of people keep them in mini hearths, when should I move them into one? One more thing, how do I pronounce their genus name I've always wanted to know.

[AntsCali098]

-Temp: 90+ F

 

-They are fragile and sometimes die for no reason, so I would not check on them every day, maybe every other day.

 

-A mini hearth is fine right away, even if it looks too big.

 

-Merme-co-sis-tus https://www.pronouncekiwi.com/Myrmecocystus%20mexicanus

[ReignofRage]

90 degrees F. plus is a bit high from my experience of nearly 30 species of the genus, mid-80s seems to be the sweet spot. I found all queens and heat all test tube colonies with 85 degrees; after moving into a formicarium I use a heat cable. Food-wise they consume proteins and sugars. Usually, they aren't picky about the protein, but can be. I usually move colonies once they reach their second generation, around 30 workers.

[Tanks]

Can they survive days that get up to the 90's and 100's?

90 degrees F. plus is a bit high from my experience of nearly 30 species of the genus, mid-80s seems to be the sweet spot. I found all queens and heat all test tube colonies with 85 degrees; after moving into a formicarium I use a heat cable. Food-wise they consume proteins and sugars. Usually, they aren't picky about the protein, but can be. I usually move colonies once they reach their second generation, around 30 workers.

[ReignofRage]

They can, but I usually experience more deaths when they go through extended periods of temps that high.

[Tanks]

Okay, thank you guys for your help!

[Tanks]

90 degrees F. plus is a bit high from my experience of nearly 30 species of the genus, mid-80s seems to be the sweet spot. I found all queens and heat all test tube colonies with 85 degrees; after moving into a formicarium I use a heat cable. Food-wise they consume proteins and sugars. Usually, they aren't picky about the protein, but can be. I usually move colonies once they reach their second generation, around 30 workers.

Have you kept Myrmecocystus koso? If so do you think their fun to keep? Or are they boring?

Edited by Tanks, July 4 2023 - 10:47 AM.

[ReignofRage]

I have not, though I have kept two other romainei-group species and they aren't particularly fun or boring for that matter. I have observed M. koso on a few occasions and they aren't as aggressive as other species that are more available. The species California people sell as M. "romainei" and "cf romainei" is an undescribed kennedyi-romainei transition species that is very similar to M. koso, but with more color differences between minors and majors. Most of the Endiodioctes species that have 4-5mm workers are Xerox copies of each other behavior-wise with slightly different color and shape, but not in any notable ways.

[Tanks]

Ok

[Tanks]

Do they need sand to spin their cocoons?

[ReignofRage]

Yes.

[Locness]

Do they need sand to spin their cocoons?

Yessir, absolutely necessary for them. Tar Heel formicaria come with it. It's entertaining watching workers carry sand and dump it on the larvae.

[Tanks]

 

Do they need sand to spin their cocoons?

Yessir, absolutely necessary for them. Tar Heel formicaria come with it. It's entertaining watching workers carry sand and dump it on the larvae.

 

One more thing to observe while keeping them    

[Tanks]

90 degrees F. plus is a bit high from my experience of nearly 30 species of the genus, mid-80s seems to be the sweet spot. I found all queens and heat all test tube colonies with 85 degrees; after moving into a formicarium I use a heat cable. Food-wise they consume proteins and sugars. Usually, they aren't picky about the protein, but can be. I usually move colonies once they reach their second generation, around 30 workers.

Do I need to heat them through winter? Also, what temp do they need during winter?

[B_rad0806]

 

90 degrees F. plus is a bit high from my experience of nearly 30 species of the genus, mid-80s seems to be the sweet spot. I found all queens and heat all test tube colonies with 85 degrees; after moving into a formicarium I use a heat cable. Food-wise they consume proteins and sugars. Usually, they aren't picky about the protein, but can be. I usually move colonies once they reach their second generation, around 30 workers.

Do I need to heat them through winter? Also, what temp do they need during winter?

 

Same heating year round 

[100lols]

I’ve heard this species can be stubborn during moves. What would be the most effective way to move Myrmecocystus species queens into a minihearth?

I saw mention of waiting until 30 workers move, but I’ve also seen people use minihearth formicarium as founding chambers. Which method works best with this species?

Also, when moving from a test tube, would it be better to move after the first generation or wait for the second generation of workers?

Edited by 100lols, August 5 2023 - 5:04 PM.

[kiedeerk]

They will be difficult to move because the repletes can not move themselves once you get them.

Moving from test tube to nest I usually dump all my colonies
Have done it hundreds of time and it’s by far the easiest way to move a colony

[Jonathan5608]

They will be difficult to move because the repletes can not move themselves once you get them.

Moving from test tube to nest I usually dump all my colonies
Have done it hundreds of time and it’s by far the easiest way to move a colony

I usually do this thought with smaller species like nylanderia or smaller pheidole and I think smaller species of honey pots 25% of the brood usually sticks to the side of the test tube when I try to dump them. I sometimes try to leave the tea tubes in the formicarium but they don’t fit.

[100lols]

They will be difficult to move because the repletes can not move themselves once you get them.

Moving from test tube to nest I usually dump all my colonies
Have done it hundreds of time and it’s by far the easiest way to move a colony

I’ve dumped smaller ant species no problem. Solenopsis definitely has no problems being dumped, lol.

I think the talk of random death and how neurotic/scared my honeypot queen seems is where the hesitation inside me comes from.

During founding, I fed my M. mimicus queen a slice of superworm dipped in honey and she ate half her brood.

For my situation, I’ve decided to tact the test tube to the side of a minihearth. The queen has four workers, 2 pupae that should enclose soon, about 8 or so different sized larvae, and a clutch of fresh eggs. We’ll see how this goes!!

Edited by 100lols, August 6 2023 - 8:39 AM.

[kiedeerk]

What I found works best is the dumping method

But I try to keep my colonies in test tube set up for as long as possible. I highly recommend Ants Canada test tube portal to bridge from test tube to formicarium.

I have raised countless successful colonies this way.