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TB's Messor Barbarus


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11 replies to this topic

#1 Offline TBsupra33 - Posted May 31 2021 - 1:43 PM

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Welcome   :D

I'm writing this journal to help keep track of my colony's progress, and to hopefully help anybody that may come across it. This one may get me in trouble, so a bit of backstory first. When i learned of antkeeping i was super eager to purchase a queen ant, since i was having terrible luck finding one. A friend connected me with someone on FB who could sell me a queen ant, and since i didn't know of the gan project yet, i ended up buying harvester ants that he said have really cool bright red heads. i received them on 5\13\21 after a week of waiting (and was surprised they were still alive when they got here). After some research, revealing not only what species i now had, but also the big no-no i just committed, i have now oathed myself to keep these no matter what, and do my best to keep them contained and not get out into the wild (even though they probably won't survive since i live in the frozen north lol). But i have to say these little ants are a riot! When they got here the queen had about 5 nanitics (as shown in the picture) and she now has about 8-9 workers total, with a brood pile twice the size of what it looks like in the picture! (i don't have a newer photo as I'm trying to leave them alone) The test tube is connected to an ac test tube portal to make feeding easier since they love to munch on seeds. i have also been giving tiny dabs of honey and a few dead fruit flies every now and then. They love exploring, are super clumsy, and watching the queen chewing on a seed is pretty awesome! had i done more research first i wouldn't have bought this starting colony, but now that its here I'm grateful to have it. thanks for reading, ill update about every two weeks so there's something fresh to report

Attached Images

  • Messor-Barbarus-1.jpg

Ponera Pennsylvanica

Lasius Speculiventris

Lasius Americanus

Camponotus Novaeborcensis

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Tetramorium Immigrans

Temnothorax Curvispinosus

Formica Subsericea

Formica Pallidefulva

and several other Invertebrates! (tarantulas, shrimp, crayfish, isopods, springtails)


#2 Offline TBsupra33 - Posted June 8 2021 - 3:20 PM

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MINI UPDATE: switched from fruit flies to mealworms last week as the main protein source, and their numbers have now reached 15!


  • Antkeeper01 likes this

Ponera Pennsylvanica

Lasius Speculiventris

Lasius Americanus

Camponotus Novaeborcensis

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Tetramorium Immigrans

Temnothorax Curvispinosus

Formica Subsericea

Formica Pallidefulva

and several other Invertebrates! (tarantulas, shrimp, crayfish, isopods, springtails)


#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 8 2021 - 3:23 PM

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Beware of grain mites with fruitflies!
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#4 Offline TBsupra33 - Posted June 10 2021 - 7:34 PM

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Beware of grain mites with fruitflies!

yea they all died on me within a week, so i didn't want to keep spending that kind of money, i now just cut up mealworms for everyone


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Ponera Pennsylvanica

Lasius Speculiventris

Lasius Americanus

Camponotus Novaeborcensis

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Tetramorium Immigrans

Temnothorax Curvispinosus

Formica Subsericea

Formica Pallidefulva

and several other Invertebrates! (tarantulas, shrimp, crayfish, isopods, springtails)


#5 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 11 2021 - 2:28 AM

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Crickets from Josh’s Frogs are cheap, too. You can freeze the whole bunch to use later.
"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 TBsupra33 - Posted June 11 2021 - 8:14 PM

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Update: They are really taking off in population, i estimate roughly 20 workers now, but its hard with so much activity in the tube lol. i have seen major-sized brood, and they took down their first live prey yesterday, a whole mealworm! i can't wait for the THA mini hearth to get here next week so i can move them in!


Ponera Pennsylvanica

Lasius Speculiventris

Lasius Americanus

Camponotus Novaeborcensis

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Tetramorium Immigrans

Temnothorax Curvispinosus

Formica Subsericea

Formica Pallidefulva

and several other Invertebrates! (tarantulas, shrimp, crayfish, isopods, springtails)


#7 Offline TBsupra33 - Posted June 21 2021 - 1:31 PM

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Update: Things are really starting to take off! Its hard to count how many there are now and the brood pile is ginormous! Since the last update i have moved them into a THA mini heart, they moved in right away with no problems. 

Attached Images

  • 20210621_162409.jpg

  • TacticalHandleGaming likes this

Ponera Pennsylvanica

Lasius Speculiventris

Lasius Americanus

Camponotus Novaeborcensis

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Tetramorium Immigrans

Temnothorax Curvispinosus

Formica Subsericea

Formica Pallidefulva

and several other Invertebrates! (tarantulas, shrimp, crayfish, isopods, springtails)


#8 Offline NPLT - Posted June 21 2021 - 1:45 PM

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I hope you chose type 3 otherwise they'll chew right through it.


Um, uh, Ants!

 

link to journal: https://www.formicul...lt-ant-journal/


#9 Offline TacticalHandleGaming - Posted June 21 2021 - 1:50 PM

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I hope you chose type 3 otherwise they'll chew right through it.

Looks like a type 3. 


Currently kept species

L. neoniger, P. occidentalis, C. modoc, C. novaeboracensis, C. vicinus, T. immigrans, A. occidentalis, S. molesta, P. imparis, M. kennedyi.

 

Previously kept species

T. rugatulus, B. depilis.

 

Looking for

Myrmecocystus pyramicus, Myrmecocystus semirufus, Myrmecocystus testaceus

Pheidole californica, Pheidole creightoni, Pheidole inquilina, Crematogaster coarctata, Crematogaster mutans

My youtube channel. 


#10 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted June 21 2021 - 2:10 PM

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I hope you chose type 3 otherwise they'll chew right through it.

Type 1 looks nothing like this.

#11 Offline Idontexist - Posted June 22 2021 - 10:16 AM

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Update: They are really taking off in population, i estimate roughly 20 workers now, but its hard with so much activity in the tube lol. i have seen major-sized brood, and they took down their first live prey yesterday, a whole mealworm! i can't wait for the THA mini hearth to get here next week so i can move them in!

I'm starting to think I'm a freak for not having a mini hearth

#12 Offline TBsupra33 - Posted June 23 2021 - 5:11 PM

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I hope you chose type 3 otherwise they'll chew right through it.

it is a type 3, they don't offer type 1's ready to ship anymore

 

 

Update: They are really taking off in population, i estimate roughly 20 workers now, but its hard with so much activity in the tube lol. i have seen major-sized brood, and they took down their first live prey yesterday, a whole mealworm! i can't wait for the THA mini hearth to get here next week so i can move them in!

I'm starting to think I'm a freak for not having a mini hearth

 

they are pretty great! I'm glad i went with them instead of the AC stuff, THA is cheaper too


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Ponera Pennsylvanica

Lasius Speculiventris

Lasius Americanus

Camponotus Novaeborcensis

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Tetramorium Immigrans

Temnothorax Curvispinosus

Formica Subsericea

Formica Pallidefulva

and several other Invertebrates! (tarantulas, shrimp, crayfish, isopods, springtails)





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