51 replies to this topic

[Ferox_Formicae]

While I was at the zoo earlier today, my girlfriend sent me a picture of a large ant, as she knows I love ants, saying, "This thing is huge!" I instantly recognized it as a Camponotus castaneus queen! I told her to catch it, and she did. I guided her on what to do with it until I'm able to retrieve her. So I guess I'm gonna get a Camponotus castaneus queen soon! 

[TennesseeAnts]

Not ok man . Now every southenrer except me has one!?

[Ferox_Formicae]

Not ok man . Now every southenrer except me has one!?

They're pretty common here in Irmo. I often find their colonies under rocks. They're less common inland, however. The only place where they really exist in abundance is in the Coastal Atlantic states.

[Acutus]

Congrats on the new Queen!    All I seem to find are colonies. Waiting for a formicaium now to put my new castaneus colony in. I actually received an AC Hybrid 2.0 mini that looks awesome and is nice and small not like their other nests which are 8x8. This would fit them perfect I think but I'm waiting on another formicarium that is All in one and the nest area can be restricted and expanded as the colony grows. 

I do agree castaneus are quite common here as well.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Congrats on the new Queen!    All I seem to find are colonies. Waiting for a formicaium now to put my new castaneus colony in. I actually received an AC Hybrid 2.0 mini that looks awesome and is nice and small not like their other nests which are 8x8. This would fit them perfect I think but I'm waiting on another formicarium that is All in one and the nest area can be restricted and expanded as the colony grows. 

I do agree castaneus are quite common here as well.

Well I hope you can get the nest soon. And yeah, Camponotus castaneus seem to be much more common in some places than others. I've also seen them in Atlanta, Georgia, but nowhere else.

[ANTdrew]

Holy Crap! Cloud for the win!

[TennesseeAnts]

[ANTdrew]

Sounds like a good girl, too.

[ANTdrew]

Team Castaneus, I need your input: I made a really cool woodland terrarium yesterday with clay from my yard. I intended to put my Tetramorium in there, but I found it full of Monomorium minimum I accidentally dug up. They have brood, and I think there’s at least a decent chance I got a queen if they’re polygynous. My question is, what species could coexist better Tetramorium or my small C castaneus colony?

[TennesseeAnts]

I wouldn't risk it with either one. Especially the castaneus. I would freeze the Monomorium, or dump the dirt out and get new dirt that has no ants in it.

Edit: I would put the castaneus in a naturalistic nest (like from THA) so you can observe them, and help if any die offs occur, or fungi, mites, ect. since they are such a small colony.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, May 12 2019 - 7:15 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

Or you could attempt to get the Monomorium into a test tube or something and keep them.

[Acutus]

I wouldn't risk it with either one. Especially the castaneus. I would freeze the Monomorium, or dump the dirt out and get new dirt that has no ants in it.

Edit: I would put the castaneus in a naturalistic nest (like from THA) so you can observe them, and help if any die offs occur, or fungi, mites, ect. since they are such a small colony.

 

Yep! I'm with him.

[ANTdrew]

Ok, I definitely won’t risk it with the castaneus. My Tetramorium colony is massive; do you really think the Monomorium could harm them? Part of me would like to try this out as an experiment to see what would happen.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Ok, I definitely won’t risk it with the castaneus. My Tetramorium colony is massive; do you really think the Monomorium could harm them? Part of me would like to try this out as an experiment to see what would happen.

Monomorium seem to be really slow moving and are pretty much harmless. I doubt they could do anything to a very large colony of Tetramorium, but better safe than sorry.

[TennesseeAnts]

Ok, I definitely won’t risk it with the castaneus. My Tetramorium colony is massive; do you really think the Monomorium could harm them? Part of me would like to try this out as an experiment to see what would happen.

If the Monomorium colony is many times bigger than your Tetramorium, they could potentially be dangerous. The Tetramorium should have no problem though.

[ANTdrew]

There’s no way there even close to the population size of my Tetras. The colony is probably over 1200 ants now.

[TennesseeAnts]

Wow.

[ANTdrew]

I hooked up the Tetras. We’ll see what happens - journal forthcoming!

[Ferox_Formicae]

I was walking into my screenroom while the porch lights were on at night, and I looked down to make sure I didn't step on anything, and there was a winged Camponotus castaneus queen sitting inbetween two boards of my porch! She ran under the boards when I tried to grab her, so I had to climb under my porch to get her, but I did! So now I got this queen, plus the one that my girlfriend is going to give to me!

[ANTdrew]

Wow! You find queens like I find troubles.