22 replies to this topic

[M_Ants]

I (hopefully) have an extra Hypo colony that I'd really like to house in a small terrarium. I currently have no naturalistic setups for my ants so I want to give one a shot. What size glass bowl or glass container should I use that will hold a mature colony. I don't want to ever move them once I put them in. Also what plants do you guys recommend? I definitely want moss but I'm trash at growing moss so we'll see. I plan on having a drainage layer and having them live under a rock(thanks ANTdrew). Let me know what other suggestions you have. I want to get everything established before I move them in.

[NickAnter]

The colonies don't exceed 100 workers very often, so something fairly small should do. I imagine a cereal bowl sized thing could be nice.
Also, put some rotting wood near the side, as they will nest in and around that.

[Ants_Dakota]

i want to keep a species of this really bad right now! then i can create a natural habitat for them!

[M_Ants]

Anyone have plant suggestions? 

[Ants_Dakota]

Anyone have plant suggestions? 

ANTdrew will!

[ANTdrew]

Ferns, mosses, polka dot plant, wild violets, violet wood sorrel, or Salvia lyrata.

[KitsAntVa]

Ferns and mosses are a must, if you're growing ferns then you know your setup is humid and basically perfect. mosses retain humidity and for hypoponera this is a needed thing.

[ponerinecat]

I would actually avoid thick mosses, as you won't see the ants and they might as well not be there. Go for nice looking plants that either stick to the ground or grow in thin clumps, like liverworts or very small ferns. Would also suggest to make the substrate a very thin layer (like less than 7 mm thin, another reason to go for small plants) so the ants will actually come out. I've had mature 100 worker hypo colonies in normal terrariums, I didn't even realize they had survived and grown so much until I disassembled the tank. Never saw a worker, all the nest galleries were stuck to the very bottom of the tank.

[M_Ants]

Darn. Why can't anything be simple? 

[M_Ants]

Nothing seems small enough to grow in super shallow soil... 

[ponerinecat]

Nothing seems small enough to grow in super shallow soil... 

Liverworts and mosses that don't grow in clumps. Look alongside bodies of water and underneath rock ledges for those, anywhere that is protected from sunlight really.

[M_Ants]

All I have near me is lakes. Never seen liverwort by them. Also would having a drainage layer actually be bad since they might go in it?

 

I just found this site: https://miniaturegar...ies/plants.html

Would anything from there work? 

Edited by M_Ants, November 23 2020 - 9:22 PM.

[ANTdrew]

This is why I have zero interest in keeping Cryptic species. Hiding away is in their nature.

[KitsAntVa]

I find that my stenamma queen is pretty cool I mean ill probably sell her once she gets workers or something but still having a species that forages while in founding is a fun experience.

[M_Ants]

Any opinions on the plants in the link though?

[ponerinecat]

Any opinions on the plants in the link though?

Not really. Just take a look around your area, tiny plants are everywhere. I can find them basically everywhere I look, including urban areas.

[M_Ants]

I mean I have weeds but that's about it. Nothing worth putting in a terrarium. 

[M_Ants]

They aren't that tiny either. 

[ponerinecat]

Tiny plants live in tiny places, you arent gonna see em growing out in the open. Look in between the grass and sidewalk if you live in urban area, or go to a park and check out any secluded niches under bushes, rock overhangs, or among wood.

[M_Ants]

I'll look but I really doubt I'll find anything.