Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Breeding In Captivity


  • Please log in to reply
14 replies to this topic

#1 Offline AntLover101 - Posted April 10 2015 - 8:17 AM

AntLover101

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 87 posts
  • LocationPennsylvania,USA
Does anyone know how to breed ants in captivity?
I wanna get my hands on some Campontus Pennsylvanicus or Ponera Pennsylvanica Queens!:D

#2 Offline Crystals - Posted April 10 2015 - 8:23 AM

Crystals

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,048 posts
  • LocationAthabasca, AB (Canada)

For most species, it isn't easy as they need certain triggers for heat, humidity, and even air pressure in some cases.

 

Some species have been documented breeding in a setup.  I know of one speies of Aphaenogaster that did, I think someone managed to get Pogonomyrex to breed, and I know a few who let alates loose in a sunlit room in their house and managed to get a few fertile queens.

 

Some species are known to breed in the nest, like Tapinoma (who also flies sometimes) and Linepithema humile.

 

Which species were you looking at in particular?


"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens

 

List of Handy Links   (pinned in the General section)

My Colonies


#3 Offline AntLover101 - Posted April 10 2015 - 8:28 AM

AntLover101

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 87 posts
  • LocationPennsylvania,USA
I do not have a colony at the moment but I was just wondering how to. Is it possible to breed Camponotus in captivity since that is what I will most likely catch?
I wanna get my hands on some Campontus Pennsylvanicus or Ponera Pennsylvanica Queens!:D

#4 Offline dean_k - Posted April 10 2015 - 8:41 AM

dean_k

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 845 posts
  • LocationWaterown, Ontario, Canada

As far as I know, it takes years before the workers & their queen decide to produce reproducible. The colony needs to be big enough at which point the workers will pick some larvae and feed them more than they need which will turn them into males & females. Though for males to be born, the queen must not inject sperm into eggs. How the process exactly works is rather unknown.

 

And then you need specific conditions to trigger males and females to fly to mate.

 

Each species in different regions has different conditions. In other words, you need to study for some years to reach a solid conclusion on how to trigger the mating flight while caring for colonies for years to mature them.

 

Short version : It's easier to be said than done. And it's going to be hard. You will need to stay dedicated for years. Even then your chance is probably half and half. A single mistake will set you back to square one.


Edited by dean_k, April 10 2015 - 8:43 AM.


#5 Offline AntLover101 - Posted April 10 2015 - 8:43 AM

AntLover101

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 87 posts
  • LocationPennsylvania,USA
Okay. I guess I will try, it will most likely not work but I will still try. Thanks for the advice
I wanna get my hands on some Campontus Pennsylvanicus or Ponera Pennsylvanica Queens!:D

#6 Offline Crystals - Posted April 10 2015 - 8:54 AM

Crystals

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,048 posts
  • LocationAthabasca, AB (Canada)

Best luck is to catch a queen after her flight.  Or to buy one from another local ant keeper if there are any in your area.


"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens

 

List of Handy Links   (pinned in the General section)

My Colonies


#7 Offline Pulliamj - Posted April 10 2015 - 8:56 AM

Pulliamj

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 217 posts
Where do you live Antlover?

#8 Offline AntLover101 - Posted April 10 2015 - 9:32 AM

AntLover101

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 87 posts
  • LocationPennsylvania,USA
Pennsylvania
I wanna get my hands on some Campontus Pennsylvanicus or Ponera Pennsylvanica Queens!:D

#9 Offline cpman - Posted April 10 2015 - 1:41 PM

cpman

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 317 posts
  • LocationAustin, TX

Inducing flights seems too hard. Artificial insemination is probably easier if you are trying to breed them in captivity.

Artificial insemination has been successfully preformed on both Atta and Solenopsis invicta.

Theoretically, if you have a sterile hood, micropippetes, tiny forceps, and a microscope you can sterilize, it should not be overly difficult.

It is, presumably, a very similar process to that done on queen bees.



#10 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted April 10 2015 - 6:28 PM

Myrmicinae

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 274 posts
  • LocationFort Collins, CO

Only a few species will breed readily in captivity and, unfortunately, North American Camponotus are not among them.  Even if you found a way to trigger a mating flight, there are further difficulties.  For example, most ant species can experience severe inbreeding depression, largely as a result of their single-locus complementary sex determination system, so alates must be introduced from multiple unrelated colonies.


Edited by Myrmicinae, April 10 2015 - 6:49 PM.

Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#11 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted April 10 2015 - 6:58 PM

Myrmicinae

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 274 posts
  • LocationFort Collins, CO

Here is a list of Pennsylvanian ant species that are known to mate intranidally (i.e., within the nest) and thus likely to breed successfully in captivity.

 

(NV) means that it has been suggested but not fully verified.

  • Aphaenogaster tennesseensis (NV)
  • Myrmica americana (NV)
  • Myrmica fracticornis (NV)
  • Tapinoma melanocephalum - found only in heated buildings (e.g., greenhouses)
  • Tapinoma sessile - at least some variants
  • Monomorium pharaonis - found only in heated buildings
  • Lasius speculiventris (NV)

I hope that helps.  Good luck!


Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#12 Offline AntLover101 - Posted April 10 2015 - 7:04 PM

AntLover101

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 87 posts
  • LocationPennsylvania,USA
Thank You :D that does help
I wanna get my hands on some Campontus Pennsylvanicus or Ponera Pennsylvanica Queens!:D

#13 Offline Mikezee - Posted October 29 2022 - 8:03 PM

Mikezee

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 9 posts

Inducing flights seems too hard. Artificial insemination is probably easier if you are trying to breed them in captivity.

Artificial insemination has been successfully preformed on both Atta and Solenopsis invicta.

Theoretically, if you have a sterile hood, micropippetes, tiny forceps, and a microscope you can sterilize, it should not be overly difficult.

It is, presumably, a very similar process to that done on queen bees.

So if I have to inject the queens with sperm, how do i get ant sperm and sp specific?



#14 Offline T.C. - Posted October 30 2022 - 10:54 AM

T.C.

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,059 posts

Inducing flights seems too hard. Artificial insemination is probably easier if you are trying to breed them in captivity.
Artificial insemination has been successfully preformed on both Atta and Solenopsis invicta.
Theoretically, if you have a sterile hood, micropippetes, tiny forceps, and a microscope you can sterilize, it should not be overly difficult.
It is, presumably, a very similar process to that done on queen bees.

So if I have to inject the queens with sperm, how do i get ant sperm and sp specific?

I think you have the wrong idea based off your question.
“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#15 Offline MarzieMalfoy - Posted November 16 2022 - 12:47 PM

MarzieMalfoy

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 1 posts

Okay. I guess I will try, it will most likely not work but I will still try. Thanks for the advice


I know it's been a while but did it work? Because I'm currently trying




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users