Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • 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

What’s something you wish you new when you first started antkeeping

Started By KadinB , Aug 12 2021 4:52 PM

  • Please log in to reply
21 replies to this topic

#1 Offline KadinB - Posted August 12 2021 - 4:52 PM

KadinB

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 779 posts
  • LocationNorthern California
I wish I knew about formiculture and ant keeping discord servers. Before I was an ants Canada kid and that’s all I knew. When I found ender ants discord server from his YouTube someone told me to join ake so I did and I learned a lot about ants and now don’t buy AC equipment which is super expensive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • futurebird likes this

#2 Offline zA-Z0-9 - Posted August 12 2021 - 5:10 PM

zA-Z0-9

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 159 posts
  • Locationraymondville mo

i wish i knew queens died so much and that buying trapjaw queens was illegal  before i got one (which i now get smoked for by antkeepers all the time


Edited by zA-Z0-9, August 12 2021 - 5:10 PM.

  • Antkeeper01, KadinB and futurebird like this

I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#3 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted August 12 2021 - 5:29 PM

Kaelwizard

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,852 posts
  • LocationPoway, California

i wish i knew queens died so much and that buying trapjaw queens was illegal before i got one (which i now get smoked for by antkeepers all the time

I know at least one person who bought Messor without knowing it was illegal, so you aren’t the only one who has made that mistake.

As for me, I wish I knew everything I did now lol. If I did then maybe I would have had a huge colony by now.
  • Antkeeper01, KadinB and zA-Z0-9 like this

#4 Offline TestSubjectOne - Posted August 12 2021 - 5:32 PM

TestSubjectOne

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 195 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California

I wish I'd known the danger of leaving ants in the sun. Enclosed containers like formicaria and test tubes can heat to dangerous temperatures if left in direct sunlight for an extended period of time regardless of the ambient temperature. I lost my first colony this way and have been careful ever since, but I would've preferred to learn it in a less painful way.


  • Antkeeper01, KadinB and zA-Z0-9 like this

TestSubjectOne's Experiences in Antkeeping General Journal

 

Currently Keeping:

- Veromessor pergandei (1 queen, 600 workers)

- Novomessor cockerelli (1 queen, 200 workers)

- Myrmecocystus mexicanus (1 queen, 100 workers)

- Brachymyrmex patagonicus (3 queens?, 2,000 workers? & alates)

- Crematogaster sp. (1 queen, 600 workers)

- Liometopum occidentale (1 queen, 800 workers)

- Camponotus absqualator (1 queen, 130 workers)

#5 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 12 2021 - 6:14 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
-I wish I’d known all I do now about containing Crematogaster, such as the fact that curing silicone will not harm ants.
-I wish I’d known how easy it is to make your own formicariums.
-I wish I’d known how easy it is to find your own queens.
  • Antkeeper014, KadinB and zA-Z0-9 like 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 zA-Z0-9 - Posted August 12 2021 - 6:44 PM

zA-Z0-9

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 159 posts
  • Locationraymondville mo

-I wish I’d known all I do now about containing Crematogaster, such as the fact that curing silicone will not harm ants.
-I wish I’d known how easy it is to make your own formicariums.
-I wish I’d known how easy it is to find your own queens.

yeah no crap i literally found 200 queens this year


  • KadinB likes this

I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#7 Offline SYUTEO - Posted August 12 2021 - 7:04 PM

SYUTEO

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 628 posts
  • LocationMalaysia

I wish I knew I'm not supposed to check my queen everyday.

 

I wish I knew I'm not supposed to feed my queen during the founding stage.

 

I wish I knew Tetramorium queens are semi-claustral (All Tetramorium that live in Malaysia are semi-claustral)

 

I wish I knew about Formiculture much earlier. (Before I started using Formiculture, I used the ACAF (I still use it but not as much).).


  • KadinB and zA-Z0-9 like this

Began antkeeping in 2018  :)

 

All ant journal: https://www.formicul...os-ant-journal/

#8 Offline KadinB - Posted August 12 2021 - 7:07 PM

KadinB

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 779 posts
  • LocationNorthern California

i wish i knew queens died so much and that buying trapjaw queens was illegal before i got one (which i now get smoked for by antkeepers all the time

been there I got invicta illegally by accident. In my own state though. The usda came and took her and gave me a warning.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Antkeeper01 likes this

#9 Offline Max_Connor - Posted August 12 2021 - 9:37 PM

Max_Connor

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts

This thread looks like confessions of criminals who traded illegally...


  • Derpy, Manitobant and KadinB like this

#10 Offline Domagoj - Posted August 12 2021 - 10:01 PM

Domagoj

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 86 posts
  • LocationCroatia, Zagreb
I wish I knew how easy it is to cause a flood in test tubes.

Edited by Domagoj, August 12 2021 - 10:01 PM.

  • KadinB and zA-Z0-9 like this

#11 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted August 13 2021 - 6:54 AM

Antkeeper01

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,392 posts
  • LocationA random state in the US

i wish i knew that ac products were crap i also wish i knew that it was illegal to buy ants from out of state without a permit,( i bought a L. neoniger queen from canada ant colony it never arrived)


  • KadinB and zA-Z0-9 like this

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

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489

#12 Offline zA-Z0-9 - Posted August 13 2021 - 7:26 AM

zA-Z0-9

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 159 posts
  • Locationraymondville mo

This thread looks like confessions of criminals who traded illegally...

we are criminals who traded illegally at atleast one point in our lives


Edited by zA-Z0-9, August 13 2021 - 7:27 AM.

  • Antkeeper01 and KadinB like this

I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#13 Offline ExponentMars - Posted August 13 2021 - 12:38 PM

ExponentMars

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 107 posts
  • LocationLos Angeles

I wish I knew about formiculture and ant keeping discord servers. Before I was an ants Canada kid and that’s all I knew. When I found ender ants discord server from his YouTube someone told me to join ake so I did and I learned a lot about ants and now don’t buy AC equipment which is super expensive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bruh lol that's exactly what I wish I knew before I started! I got into the hobby after bingeing antscanada videos lol 


  • Antkeeper01 and KadinB like this
Ants, gaming
Currently Keeping: 
Crematogaster sp., Camponotus Ca02, Tetramorium Immigrans
Wishlist: 
Acromyrmex, novos, Pogonomyrmex, Formica, and Lasius

#14 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted August 13 2021 - 2:18 PM

AntBoi3030

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 716 posts
  • LocationMaryland
I wish I new not to ask for a freaking ants Canada setup for Christmas. Now my relatives ask me if I have ants in that massive nest yet.
  • Antkeeper01, KadinB and zA-Z0-9 like this

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 

#15 Offline KadinB - Posted August 13 2021 - 2:48 PM

KadinB

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 779 posts
  • LocationNorthern California

This thread looks like confessions of criminals who traded illegally...

I'm clean haha usda already dealt with me.


  • Antkeeper01 and zA-Z0-9 like this

#16 Offline zA-Z0-9 - Posted August 13 2021 - 2:48 PM

zA-Z0-9

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 159 posts
  • Locationraymondville mo

I wish I new not to ask for a freaking ants Canada setup for Christmas. Now my relatives ask me if I have ants in that massive nest yet.

yeah my dad madew me an ant farm that's litterally 4ft by 2ft and i don't think ill ever be able to fill it


  • Antkeeper01, KadinB and voyager156 like this

I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#17 Offline Max_Connor - Posted August 13 2021 - 6:23 PM

Max_Connor

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 121 posts

I wish I new not to ask for a freaking ants Canada setup for Christmas. Now my relatives ask me if I have ants in that massive nest yet.

 

I'm not in a region where I can afford AC products, but why is everyone saying they are bad for ants? Purely acrylic formicariums?


  • Antkeeper01 likes this

#18 Offline SYUTEO - Posted August 13 2021 - 6:42 PM

SYUTEO

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 628 posts
  • LocationMalaysia

 

I wish I new not to ask for a freaking ants Canada setup for Christmas. Now my relatives ask me if I have ants in that massive nest yet.

 

I'm not in a region where I can afford AC products, but why is everyone saying they are bad for ants? Purely acrylic formicariums?

 

I don't buy AC products but I do have some theories why everyone doesn't like them. 1. They're expensive  2. They're flimsy  3. They're not worth buying.

 

These are just theories ok? These may not be entirely true.


  • Antkeeper01 and KadinB like this

Began antkeeping in 2018  :)

 

All ant journal: https://www.formicul...os-ant-journal/

#19 Offline KadinB - Posted August 13 2021 - 6:44 PM

KadinB

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 779 posts
  • LocationNorthern California

I wish I new not to ask for a freaking ants Canada setup for Christmas. Now my relatives ask me if I have ants in that massive nest yet.

That is so true. I got a AC hybrid nest and my mom thinks I wasted her money but I haven't been able to get a colony that big yet.

Edited by KadinB, August 14 2021 - 8:14 AM.

  • Antkeeper01, eea, zA-Z0-9 and 1 other like this

#20 Offline futurebird - Posted August 14 2021 - 8:20 AM

futurebird

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 825 posts
  • LocationNew York City, NY

It's good to be paranoid about wild caught ant food. Freezing isn't enough. I can't CERTIFY that the frozen spiders gave my Camponotus mites... but it's perfectly reasonable to think some eggs survived. 

 

I will now be a "freeze and boil" girl bit of a shame since I think variety is very important for ants. 

 

Freeze AND boil wild caught food. Probably the cultures stuff too if I'm honest. 

 

https://www.formicul...es/#entry197440


  • Antkeeper01 likes this

Starting this July I'm posting videos of my ants every week on youTube.

I like to make relaxing videos that capture the joy of watching ants.

If that sounds like your kind of thing... follow me >here<. 

Back to General Ant Keeping · Next Unread Topic →


0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users