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Looking For Small Ants?

Started By cap_backfire , Jan 21 2021 8:00 AM

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24 replies to this topic

#1 Offline cap_backfire - Posted January 21 2021 - 8:00 AM

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Looking for a small species of ant that I could put into a small formicarium (one of those jobs with the 'outworld' attached and the 'nest' as a vertical wall along one side).   Pavement ants maybe?   Nothing TINY as I can expand this nest if needed but what species might be good in one of these setups?   All acrylic, put together with the rubber bands and tiny screws with tinier nuts (so annoying).   Setup has a hydration chamber in the nest and two spots for water tubes or whatever I want to attach.  

Anyway... advice?   Still new to this, I have three Camponotus species-two in test tubes and one in a 3D printed nest with a tube system to explore and 'hunt' for treat items.   


#2 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted January 21 2021 - 8:03 AM

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Looking for a small species of ant that I could put into a small formicarium (one of those jobs with the 'outworld' attached and the 'nest' as a vertical wall along one side).   Pavement ants maybe?   Nothing TINY as I can expand this nest if needed but what species might be good in one of these setups?   All acrylic, put together with the rubber bands and tiny screws with tinier nuts (so annoying).   Setup has a hydration chamber in the nest and two spots for water tubes or whatever I want to attach.  

Anyway... advice?   Still new to this, I have three Camponotus species-two in test tubes and one in a 3D printed nest with a tube system to explore and 'hunt' for treat items.   

i would send you like 20 tetramorium queens but they arent deregulated and are an invasive


1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

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#3 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted January 21 2021 - 8:03 AM

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I had my tetras in a setup like that and half of them escaped and made a nest in my room. This obviously depends on the exact nest, but imo I would go for a slightly bigger species because tetras are escape artists, and they honestly do best in a tubs and tubes setup.


 My YouTube channel :)

 

 

#4 Offline AntsDakota - Posted January 21 2021 - 8:04 AM

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Pavement ants maybe? 

Yes, I would say that Tetramorium would be your best bet. They are fast growing, hardy, and seem to fit your size range.


  • TennesseeAnts likes this

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

#5 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 21 2021 - 8:33 AM

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Tetramorium, Nylanderia, Crematogaster, Monomorium, Solenopsis (native species) would all be good options. Black lights are a good way to find queens of many smaller species.


  • TennesseeAnts likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#6 Offline gs5248 - Posted January 21 2021 - 9:35 PM

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I am not so sure tetrmorium would be the best choice. I have heard that formicarium like the one you have are prone to having gaps. And tetramorium are VERY good at escaping .Maybe crematogaster?


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#7 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 22 2021 - 7:16 AM

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Crematogaster are even better at escaping, believe me!


  • Antkeeper01 likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#8 Offline AntsDakota - Posted January 22 2021 - 7:21 AM

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I am not so sure tetrmorium would be the best choice. I have heard that formicarium like the one you have are prone to having gaps. And tetramorium are VERY good at escaping .Maybe crematogaster?

Tetramorium are not the best escape artists. They are mediocre at best, I'd trust them in a nest more than Lasius. Nylanderia, Crematogaster, and especially Solenopsis are all better at escaping than Tetramorium.


  • Antkeeper01 likes this

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

#9 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted January 22 2021 - 7:21 AM

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Looking for a small species of ant that I could put into a small formicarium (one of those jobs with the 'outworld' attached and the 'nest' as a vertical wall along one side).   Pavement ants maybe?   Nothing TINY as I can expand this nest if needed but what species might be good in one of these setups?   All acrylic, put together with the rubber bands and tiny screws with tinier nuts (so annoying).   Setup has a hydration chamber in the nest and two spots for water tubes or whatever I want to attach.  

Anyway... advice?   Still new to this, I have three Camponotus species-two in test tubes and one in a 3D printed nest with a tube system to explore and 'hunt' for treat items.   

You could catch some thief ants( Solenopsis spp.) and keep them in the same set-up for a long time because of how small they are. Or Temnothroax are good too but they grow pretty slow. Monomorium would work if you can find some. Tetramorium can grow really big really fast so maybe not them.


#10 Offline AntsDakota - Posted January 22 2021 - 7:25 AM

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Looking for a small species of ant that I could put into a small formicarium (one of those jobs with the 'outworld' attached and the 'nest' as a vertical wall along one side).   Pavement ants maybe?   Nothing TINY as I can expand this nest if needed but what species might be good in one of these setups?   All acrylic, put together with the rubber bands and tiny screws with tinier nuts (so annoying).   Setup has a hydration chamber in the nest and two spots for water tubes or whatever I want to attach.  

Anyway... advice?   Still new to this, I have three Camponotus species-two in test tubes and one in a 3D printed nest with a tube system to explore and 'hunt' for treat items.   

You could catch some thief ants( Solenopsis spp.) and keep them in the same set-up for a long time because of how small they are. Or Temnothroax are good too but they grow pretty slow. Monomorium would work if you can find some. Tetramorium can grow really big really fast so maybe not them.

 

Thief Ants are Solenopsis, and I'm pretty sure that's what ANTdrew meant.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

#11 Offline Spazmops - Posted January 22 2021 - 7:31 AM

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Unpopular opinion: Lasius could work. The queens are a bit large, but the workers aren't. They're also easy to care for. 


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Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server. 

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#12 Offline AntsDakota - Posted January 22 2021 - 7:35 AM

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Unpopular opinion: Lasius could work. The queens are a bit large, but the workers aren't. They're also easy to care for. 

Colonies can also get quite large, and queens can get physogastric. I especially like neoniger's coloration.


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

#13 Offline gs5248 - Posted January 22 2021 - 8:26 AM

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I always forget about lasius. Probably because I never see them in my neighborhood.


#14 Offline cap_backfire - Posted January 23 2021 - 9:58 AM

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All good info!  I was just using Tetramorium as an example, not sold on any species.  Lasius might just be the way to go.  Thanks a lot!  Not in a hurry as  I may have a move in my near future.   I'll test the formicarium for leaks when I get home.    You guys are so great! (using 'guys" as a gender-neutral term to include the non-dude-guys)  


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#15 Offline Spazmops - Posted January 23 2021 - 10:07 AM

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All good info!  I was just using Tetramorium as an example, not sold on any species.  Lasius might just be the way to go.  Thanks a lot!  Not in a hurry as  I may have a move in my near future.   I'll test the formicarium for leaks when I get home.    You guys are so great! (using 'guys" as a gender-neutral term to include the non-dude-guys)  

Glad we could help!


Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server. 

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#16 Offline NickAnter - Posted January 24 2021 - 9:50 AM

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Temnothorax are great, very resistant(in my experience anyway) to desiccation, and starvation.


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#17 Offline AntaholicAnonymous - Posted February 4 2021 - 9:56 AM

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I'd definitely pick lasius.

Especially for beginners it's a great species.
You wouldn't believe the conditions my lasius niger used to thrive in they are very forgiving to mistakes.

They didn't even attempt an escape until they were in the hundreds.
By the time they hit the thousands I had to seal the setup with plastic foil and release them. In year 2 or 3 they explode in numbers if you feed them well and then it becomes a little more challenging.

#18 Offline AntaholicAnonymous - Posted February 4 2021 - 10:01 AM

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By the way once they have some numbers I'd give them eggs, tuna and raw chicken.

Don't even need feeder insects at that point they tare apart your foods scraps if you let em.
Don't serve the eggs raw tho.
They like it but I have lost at least 40 ants in a single egg yolk cause I served it in the shell. lol

#19 Offline ANTdrew - Posted February 4 2021 - 2:02 PM

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I'd definitely pick lasius.

Especially for beginners it's a great species.
You wouldn't believe the conditions my lasius niger used to thrive in they are very forgiving to mistakes.

They didn't even attempt an escape until they were in the hundreds.
By the time they hit the thousands I had to seal the setup with plastic foil and release them. In year 2 or 3 they explode in numbers if you feed them well and then it becomes a little more challenging.

North American Lasius aren’t even half as vigorous. Folks are doing great if their colony gets to fifty workers.
  • AntaholicAnonymous likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#20 Offline antsandmore - Posted February 4 2021 - 2:19 PM

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I'd definitely pick lasius.

Especially for beginners it's a great species.
You wouldn't believe the conditions my lasius niger used to thrive in they are very forgiving to mistakes.

They didn't even attempt an escape until they were in the hundreds.
By the time they hit the thousands I had to seal the setup with plastic foil and release them. In year 2 or 3 they explode in numbers if you feed them well and then it becomes a little more challenging.

North American Lasius aren’t even half as vigorous. Folks are doing great if their colony gets to fifty workers.

 

very true


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Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

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