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Formicarium All‑in‑one versus modular


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3 replies to this topic

#1 Offline JLawson - Posted October 19 2020 - 7:47 AM

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I'm sure there are pros and cons to both.  I have an all-in-one with a decent outworld that I was considering using for honey pot ants.  Is there any serious drawback to this course that anyone can illuminate?

 

Thanks all!



#2 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted October 19 2020 - 8:29 AM

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depends on if you want to create your own personalized outworld. some people do, and some don't.


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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#3 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted October 19 2020 - 11:42 AM

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Just consider that ant colonies outgrow smaller formicaria repeatedly. Over the course of two years, my larger ants with larger colonies have gone from

 

test tube -> mini-hearth -> Fortress or equivalent -> Nucleus or Labyrinth (and the Labyrinth is now too small for them)

 

I'd say bigger factors are the ease of moving them out of their old chambers, ease of cleaning, etc. I have an all-in-one printed plastic formicarium that is fine ... EXCEPT ... I can't clean the interior nest. I can't force them to move out. And their outworld lid has a bad habit of allowing small inhabitants to escape if not pressed down absolutely 100% completely.

 

Also, if you don't have too many ant colonies (like I do) you should make sure whatever you have can easily be hooked up to an extra outworld. I've used a mini-hearth with an extra outworld and that was very useful until I moved them to a Fortress.

 

For smaller, younger colonies, all in one (like a mini-hearth) is much easier to handle, move around, etc. Actually larger ones probably this is true as well.... Just that a Nucleus III is freaking heavy.


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Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus, vicinus, quercicola

Liometopum occidentale;  Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and previously californicus

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

 

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.


#4 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted October 20 2020 - 8:32 AM

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if the colony grows fast and does not need any special care(ie. tetramorium, pogonomyrmex, etc.) than use the modular.


  • JLawson likes this

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)





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