26 replies to this topic

[Dnail]

well so far, after 5 month ant keeping, i killed 2 wild caught colony and dozen of queen.

[Deluga]

Don't quit yet. You're just started in the hobby. 

I started 5 years ago, and last year was the first I managed to actually keep a colony alive. 
I caugt serval queens last year, and lost every single one of them, but 2, unfortunately none of my Camponotus queens survived the hibernation, so right now I only have Lasius niger colonies. 

 

I have a total of 3 colonies, one of them was bought february last year, and all colonies are doing well for once. 

You just have to keep trying, and then you shall succeed.

[antnest8]

man I had a queen who had a colony of about 12 workers and then they slowly died of. It was heart breaking especially because they were camponotus and take forever to mature. my queen is still alive but has failed 5 times at restarting. i still have not given up an her. I wouldn't give up on ant keeping. If it is to expensive catch wild queens and make homemade setups.

[sgheaton]

Do you think you'll have children someday?

[Chicken_eater100]

Do you think you'll have children someday?

best post ever.  10 out of 10.

[Connectimyrmex]

I haven't read like 90% of the above comments, but I'm just saying this:

I had 23 (YES, 23) queens die without larvae, and four die with larvae and pupae. After a year of experimentation and research, one of my ants had their first worker. Ever since, it has gotten easier. Keep at this hobby and you will succeed eventually.

Plus, buying colonies isn't really a good idea. You never know how or in what conditions they were raised. They could have been dug out of the ground a day before being sent to you. Also, bought colonies often are treated like decorations, while captive-reared or self-collected colonies give you an emotional attachment to them, thus giving them a place in your heart just like any other pet.

[Connectimyrmex]

Do you think you'll have children someday?

LOL!