221 replies to this topic

[ANTdrew]

How’s this colony doing? Also love the set up. I have a few dirt box’s form Drew and they are incredible!

The colony is doing great, but the queen is done laying for the year. I keep feeding them a lot, though. Sadly, I found no new Formica all summer, despite putting in hours of effort searching.

[TennesseeAnts]

 

How’s this colony doing? Also love the set up. I have a few dirt box’s form Drew and they are incredible!

The colony is doing great, but the queen is done laying for the year. I keep feeding them a lot, though. Sadly, I found no new Formica all summer, despite putting in hours of effort searching.

 

Weird, I found tons. They're also still flying in large enough numbers here.

[futurebird]

Are your formica subsericea ants really sensitive to vibrations and movement? Mine go into a full out "boiling ants" style panic when I open their outworld to feel them... and I'm so careful when doing it. But they still all panic. 

 

They are doing OK ... I think they might need a bigger outworld, but I dread messing with them because I always feel like I'm scaring them to death. 

[TennesseeAnts]

Have you taken them out of diapause yet? Mine have been out for 3 weeks or so and have gotten their first few cocoons.

[ANTdrew]

Something went wrong with this colony. I can't see any workers in the tunnels anymore. The queen is still there, but I think the colony is in a bad way. I'm not going to mess around with dirt setups anymore.

[TennesseeAnts]

Something went wrong with this colony. I can't see any workers in the tunnels anymore. The queen is still there, but I think the colony is in a bad way. I'm not going to mess around with dirt setups anymore.

Are they still in diapause? These gals love to pile onto each other and condense to as small as they possibly can during the winter. Maybe they're just hiding?

Worst case, it is spring time and colonies will be keeping their queens and brood fairly shallow. You could always place a flat stone over a mound, wait a week and flip it to collect a queen and a few dozen to a hundred workers. Not an ideal situation, but it'll do til flights arrive in July.

Edited by TennesseeAnts, March 22 2022 - 6:19 AM.

[ANTdrew]

They all disappeared before diapause, so I just left them at room temp all winter. I think they’re done for.

[TennesseeAnts]

Ah, man. That sucks! You could try a polygyne setting this season if you catch multiple queens.

[ANTdrew]

Ah, man. That sucks! You could try a polygyne setting this season if you catch multiple queens.

You know my track record finding these F’ng things right? Zero chance of finding multiple.

[AntBoi3030]

Maybe you could try to keep Formica pallidefulva   . I find them to be fun, energetic, and kind of strange/interesting ants to keep. Also they usually fly sooner than Formica sub.

[ANTdrew]

Maybe you could try to keep Formica pallidefulva . I find them to be fun, energetic, and kind of strange/interesting ants to keep. Also they usually fly sooner than Formica sub.

Read the earlier posts in this journal. I had some.

[RushmoreAnts]

 

Ah, man. That sucks! You could try a polygyne setting this season if you catch multiple queens.

You know my track record finding these F’ng things right? Zero chance of finding multiple.

 

How about about buying some from AnthonyP?

https://www.statesid...mica-subsericea

[ANTdrew]

I’ll consider that.

[ANTdrew]

Update 7-11-2025
A miracle happened today. I actually found a new Formica subsericea queen after so many years trying! I promptly set her up in a glass test tube with a bit of sand and a drop of nectar. Formica queens truly are the most beautiful of all ants. Here’s hoping I can bring this journal out of the pit of obscurity and back to its better days.

Edited by ANTdrew, July 11 2025 - 9:44 AM.

[TheGamblingAnt]

Very nice! Just as you were saying the other day how you never can find them you caught one! Question though, why add the sand? Is it just to help her larvae wrap into a cocoon? Just wondering cause I've never done that before. Do they need the sand to wrap into a cocoon or is it fine if they are naked pupae?;

[ANTdrew]

Update 7-30-2025

I’ve been very good about not checking my new subby queen, but I have great news! After checking her today, I was delighted to see at least five fat larvae. The punishing heat wave we’ve been suffering through must have helped her growth. I’m feeling very optimistic at this point. Here’s a photo of the nascent colony:

[ANTdrew]

Update 8-13-2025

I’m happy to report that the queen I found in July just got her first two nanitics. There are three pupae left to eclose as well. I snapped a quick photo of them and set up their test tube in an old Hobby Lobby display case outworld I had available. Hopefully this will be the start to a successful colony.


I also have a backup queen I found while hiking in the Shenandoah mountains last weekend. Things are finally looking up for me in Formicaville.

[bmb1bee]

Good luck! My only advice would be to offer them a bit of extra heating, since they grow faster and become more active. Without heating they can be very sluggish and will eventually do worse in captivity.

Edited by bmb1bee, August 13 2025 - 8:43 PM.

[bmb1bee]

Very nice! Just as you were saying the other day how you never can find them you caught one! Question though, why add the sand? Is it just to help her larvae wrap into a cocoon? Just wondering cause I've never done that before. Do they need the sand to wrap into a cocoon or is it fine if they are naked pupae?;

Formica often use dirt and sand to help the larvae spin cocoons. It's not really necessary, but it provides them an alternative other than the cotton in bare tubes, which they will tear up to surround the larvae during pupation. Without a proper substrate they will make naked pupae, but those eclose perfectly fine anyway. I've never had an issue with naked pupae in my Formica colonies.

Edited by bmb1bee, August 13 2025 - 8:45 PM.

[ANTdrew]

This colony, along with all my ants, is kept in my hot kitchen. The temperature ranges from 82-92+, depending on how much we’re cooking.