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Keeping ants in petri dish?

Started By Connectimyrmex , Dec 25 2016 11:09 PM
petri dish ant pet

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13 replies to this topic

Poll: Keeping ants in petri dish? (36 member(s) have cast votes)

Can ants be kept in Petri Dishes

  1. Voted Yes, they can be kept in petri dishes. (24 votes [66.67%])

    Percentage of vote: 66.67%

  2. No, they will DIE. (0 votes [0.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 0.00%

  3. I'm Hawaiiant (12 votes [33.33%])

    Percentage of vote: 33.33%

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#1 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted December 25 2016 - 11:09 PM

Connectimyrmex

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Hi!
I was wondering if it is possible to keep ants in a petri dish. Vote yes or no in the poll and comment how in the comments if you can! Thanks!


Edited by Hawaiiant, December 25 2016 - 11:24 PM.

Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#2 Offline FSTP - Posted December 25 2016 - 11:27 PM

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Of course you can. What makes you think you wouldn't be able to ?


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#3 Offline Batspiderfish - Posted December 26 2016 - 6:37 AM

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Laboratory colonies are frequently kept in petri dishes (or similar), placed face-down on hydrated plaster surfaces.


If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.

 

Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.

 

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Black lives still matter.

#4 Offline Serafine - Posted December 26 2016 - 6:49 AM

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I'd say that depends entirely on the species. For smaller species yes of course why not, but good luck keeping Atta or any larger Camponotus in a petri dish.


We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull.

Welcome to Lazy Tube - My Camponotus Journal

#5 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted December 26 2016 - 11:54 AM

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Awesome, thanks! I was thinking of keeping my Solenopsis and Ochetellus in vented petri dishes.


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#6 Offline Diesel - Posted December 28 2016 - 7:01 PM

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My setup is slightly larger than petri dishes and is working out great

Ant Species kept

 

Temnothorax Longispinosus.-Journal(discontinued)-(formerly)

Camponotus Noveboracensis (formerly)

Camponotus Nearticus-formerly

Tetramorium sp.-formerly

​Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Queen & brood.-formerly

Tapinoma Sessile-Journal (3 queen colony)-formerly

​Tapinoma  Sessile #2 (2 queen colony)-formerly

Aphaenogaster Picea-Journal-active

Crematogaster sp.(Cerasi or Lineolata) Queen with 3 workers and brood-formerly

​Crematogaster sp. #2 (Cerasi or Lineolata) Queen with brood-formerly

Formica sp. polygenus-active 300+ workers-active

Formica Subsericea-active 25+ workers-active

Myrmica Rubra 400+ workers 3 queens-active

#7 Offline Californian Anter - Posted December 28 2016 - 7:30 PM

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I'm Hawaiiant


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Keeper of:

 

Camponotus Vicinus

Prenolepis Imparis

Tetramorium Sp. E x2

#8 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted December 28 2016 - 7:37 PM

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:P


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#9 Offline antgenius123 - Posted January 4 2017 - 10:01 AM

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It's very possible as long as you can prevent escapes and your ants  have enough space to move freely


 
Currently own:
(1x) Camponotus Sp.
(1x) Pheidole aurivillii (?)
(1x) Monomorium Sp. (?)

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#10 Offline Serafine - Posted January 4 2017 - 10:44 AM

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Awesome, thanks! I was thinking of keeping my Solenopsis and Ochetellus in vented petri dishes.

You gonna need A LOT of petri dishes for those Solenopsis. They multiply VERY rapidly and unless they're super tiny like Solenpsis fugax (1-3mm workers) they gonna need much more space very soon.

We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull.

Welcome to Lazy Tube - My Camponotus Journal

#11 Offline Alabama Anter - Posted January 4 2017 - 11:20 AM

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#12 Offline sgheaton - Posted January 4 2017 - 1:11 PM

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Laboratory colonies are frequently kept in petri dishes (or similar), placed face-down on hydrated plaster surfaces.

How come I haven't seen more of this being replicated? It sounds like a functional set up, but in a new..style or way from what I would consider "the norm." 


"I'm the search bar! Type questions into me and I'll search within the forums for an answer!"

#13 Offline Diesel - Posted January 4 2017 - 5:27 PM

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This is my setup similar to petri dishes
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Ant Species kept

 

Temnothorax Longispinosus.-Journal(discontinued)-(formerly)

Camponotus Noveboracensis (formerly)

Camponotus Nearticus-formerly

Tetramorium sp.-formerly

​Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Queen & brood.-formerly

Tapinoma Sessile-Journal (3 queen colony)-formerly

​Tapinoma  Sessile #2 (2 queen colony)-formerly

Aphaenogaster Picea-Journal-active

Crematogaster sp.(Cerasi or Lineolata) Queen with 3 workers and brood-formerly

​Crematogaster sp. #2 (Cerasi or Lineolata) Queen with brood-formerly

Formica sp. polygenus-active 300+ workers-active

Formica Subsericea-active 25+ workers-active

Myrmica Rubra 400+ workers 3 queens-active

#14 Offline CoolColJ - Posted June 14 2018 - 4:13 AM

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This is my setup similar to petri dishes

 

What's the hydration setup like?

 

Having been frustrated with test tube setups for founding queens, and looking for something cheap but effective

I will be trying out some small vented petri dish, 55x15mm, for founding queens.

 

Just a matter of figuring out the hydration method, that can match a test tube for longevity.

 

Perhaps a double stacked Petri dishes that are joined together, the bottom one slightly offset for a syringe hole to be drilled into.

And then a hole to connect both dishes, with a wick/cotton placed inside a small section of vinyl tubing.

 

The offset overhang area of the top dish can be used to drill a hole through it's floor and a small vinyl tubing inserted for the entrance

Will probably just Blu tack the two dishes together so I can pull them apart when needed, but the vinyl tubing inserted in the hole between the two dishes should hold both together pretty well.

 

If the hydration cotton ever gets moldy, I can just pull the bottom half of the lower Petri dish off and replace it quickly.

Getting the ants out is just as easy as pulling the top petri dish lid off

 

Red dirt to be placed into the top petri dish as substrate


Edited by CoolColJ, June 14 2018 - 2:04 PM.

Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/

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