11 replies to this topic

[Leo]

Hey guys! so I need a way to get a sustainable amount of isopods quickly, to feed my leptogenys colony. (not many just a few isopods a day) How do you guys culture your isopods?

[Hightlyze]

I know this is not an answer but what's a cultured isopod?

[Leo]

A culture: Kind of like a farm. Produces one type of organism.

Isopod: search it up, also known as pill bugs, rolly-pollies and sow bugs

[Hightlyze]

A culture: Kind of like a farm. Produces one type of organism.
Isopod: search it up, also known as pill bugs, rolly-pollies and sow bugs

Why will you feed isopods to ants ?

Edited by Hightlyze, March 15 2019 - 5:51 PM.

[Skwiggledork]

According to antwiki, "Specialized predation seems to dominate in this genus, with observations throughout its range corroborating oniscoid isopods as the prey of choice for most species (Dejean & Evraerts 1997; Dejean 1997)"

 

http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Leptogenys

[Leo]

According to antwiki, "Specialized predation seems to dominate in this genus, with observations throughout its range corroborating oniscoid isopods as the prey of choice for most species (Dejean & Evraerts 1997; Dejean 1997)"

 

http://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Leptogenys

that's why I need them XD

[mallonje]

Big tote with lid - cut a large hole in the lid and glue on some fine mesh. The more space, the bigger your culture will eventually get.

Sterilized "wild" dirt, coco fiber, sterilized punky wood. Cork bark.

Spray bottle/ mister - always keep it moist not wet.

60% humidity 70-80°f at all times.

Meat based dog kibble and some vegetable scraps. Stay away from the grain stuff.

If you collect your starters in the wild...48 hours quarantine in a clean clear container with a moist paper towel. Your trying to remove the wild poo. So after the 48 hours only transfer the bugs.

Identification is easy thanks to the internet. Try and stick to one species. Watch for color changes. It indicates viral infection. If seen toss them all.

http://www.biokids.u...lidium_vulgare/

[mallonje]

They mate in the spring, give birth 2 to 3 times, 2 months to hatch, +1/2 weeks to leave mom, 1 year to enter adulthood.

If you have the habitat and follow quarantine you can add to it constantly.

By late July you should have enough for your 1-2 a day needs.

Edited by mallonje, March 16 2019 - 4:03 PM.

[Leo]

How can I catch them easily? are there any traps

[mallonje]

Supposedly wet newspaper. I tried it a few times it never works for me.

Cut a potato in half, scoop out the inside to make a bowl. Set it out bowl side down someplace dark and wet where you're likely to find isopods. After about 24 hours you'll find a couple there. But it's hit or miss.

I've had mild success with the following two methods.

1. Contractor bags (thick garbage bag) and claw hammer. With land owner permission, I grab a piece of Punky wood put it in the bag and go at it with a claw hammer. Don't hit it through the bag, hit it in the bag. I catch all the dirt and stuff in the bag. Do this for a bunch of logs. Then sort through the dirt.

2. Oral bug aspirator. Bulb aspirators don't seem to have enough suction. But I made my own, with a short wide gauge intake tube. I kinda scoop up the isopod and give a good solid suck to pull it into the collection chamber.

Hell I started a few years ago bare hands with just a 2 liter bottle and a funnel. A plastic spoon helps too.

[mallonje]

I forgot to mention another reason to quarantine for 48 hours is insecticide contamination. If you grab some that were recently exposed and your ants eat them your ants will die. Giving them 48 hours in quarantine let's nature take its course with just the isopods

Edited by mallonje, March 16 2019 - 7:21 PM.

[Wa.Va]

It is actually quite easy. Here they mate inside the setups whole year long. Even during winter. I even try to get rid of them because they start eating the young fresh plants in a balanced eco system.. When there are to many.

I keep them moist and covered in a rich hummus/bark environment