5 replies to this topic

[Leo]

i caught a new queen foraging probably pachycondyla of some sort any suggestions of a setup for her?

[Californian Anter]

Test tube in an outworld with substrate. Put red cellophane on the tube to make it seem dark for ants. Then feed small prey items to the queen.

[Leo]

[Antsinmycloset]

I had issues with using too large of an outworld (I think?). My queens rarely found anything I gave them, struggled hunting prey, and spent tons of time huddled next to their test tube instead of inside it. I ended up dividing some 20 mm x 150mm test tubes into two sections, using a short piece of airline tube wrapped in cotton as the divider. The back section is wrapped in foil, to block out the light, and obviously way more humid. The queens quickly adapted, foraging and bringing food back for storage.

It's far from ideal, but I'd recommend it if you have trouble. It's also nice and compact for diapause, though your colony will hopefully be too large to attempt this come fall.

[Alabama Anter]

Tupperware container, and fruit flies make a great combo for my Myrmica sp colony.

[Leo]

no flies