40 replies to this topic

[Trailandstreet]

A very interesting post. Some of these founding chambers are also new to me, so I linked this thread to ameisenportal.eu, to share it with my friends.

 

 

Where did you get these small, long plastic boxes fpr the testtubes? They look pretty cool.

[Crystals]

Where did you get these small, long plastic boxes fpr the testtubes? They look pretty cool.

I bought those from a store online, they were meant for holding fancy chocolates.  I do have some for sale in the Market Place.  They no longer make them, so once their stock is gone there is no more coming in, I got mine from http://www.maplecraftinc.com/ .

[Trailandstreet]

Thanks Cristals, choclate boxes are always a good idea for founding Areas, especially semiclaustral. I used a "Rocher-box" for my Myrmica rubra.

like this one

[Jonathan21700]

Thanks Cristals, choclate boxes are always a good idea for founding Areas, especially semiclaustral. I used a "Rocher-box" for my Myrmica rubra.

like this one

Was your queen in a test tube? How long did it take to get her first workers? Were there more than one queens?

Thanks!

[Trailandstreet]

It was only one queen, I incidentally found it under a Bridge. My journal is here, in a german forum, but the posts are all actual, either the sam or the following day.

If you have any questions, fell free to ask.

[Jonathan21700]

Thank you!

[antmaniac]

Chocolate boxes are the best. Durable, clear and have a easy open lid, very good for outworld.

[Jonathan21700]

Yeah, you can even use them as a formicarium.

[Foogoo]

I thought I had replied but looks like it got lost in the matrix or I didn't hit Submit...

 

3mL Syringe

 

Out of desperation, I ran out of test tubes when I returned with my cache of Dorymyrmex queens so I stuffed the needle end (sans needle) of a small syringe with a bit of cotton, wetted it, put the queen in and gently placed the plunger back in. Of the queens that didn't drown or otherwise had a preventable death, the one in the syringe is the only one that seemed comfortable. The others constantly tugged at the cotton, scattered eggs and died mysterious deaths. I moved another one into a syringe set up and these are the only two alive.

 

I just received my 10x75mm tubes from lcmlab.com and they are nearly the same size. I may move my only D. bicolor queen to it, as she's been a cotton tugging, egg eating brat. It seems that Dorymyrmex queens really prefer having a ceiling. All the OG queens dug a cavern out of the cotton (which inevitably leads to flooding).

[Subverted]

I have had really terrible luck with starting out Camponotus queens in test tubes...so this time I decided to try something different. What do you guys think about these setups for starting off queens? I stuck the Dorymyrmex in one just to see what happens. These are pretty simple and easy to make, the only materials needed are wood and 2 glass slides.

 

[Crystals]

Those look neat.  I assume you are watering the cotton to provide water and humidity?

[Pulliamj]

Did you use a router to make the chambers? What kind of wood is that? I like them

[Foogoo]

Looks awesome, I think they would appreciate having wood underneath. Did you find the Camponotus locally?

 

Did you use a router to make the chambers? What kind of wood is that? I like them

 

I was about to ask the same! 

[Jonathan21700]

Nice!

Edited by Jonathan21700, April 21 2015 - 11:23 AM.

[Subverted]

To answer (hopefully) everyones questions:

- Yes, the cotton is where I water them. The design still needs work...some of these dry out pretty quick but adding more water takes only a few seconds twice a day.

- I used a drill press (plus cross slide table) with a forstner bit. The paths between chambers I made with a chisel.

- The wood is sycamore.

- The Camponotus queens are all local. I was actually looking for Scolopendra polymorpha under rocks, but I have found queens in that spot before so these were not a total surprise.

 

Let me know if there are any other questions! I'm hoping these work out well, so far the queens pretty calm even when moving them around for adding water.

[Foogoo]

 

My founding setup for my Myrmecocystus testaceus queen. It seems successful, as she has a large ball of eggs.

 

What is that container? How did you keep the Hydrostone from cracking it? How do you hydrate it?

 

Tagging along, what container is that?

 

- The Camponotus queens are all local. I was actually looking for Scolopendra polymorpha under rocks, but I have found queens in that spot before so these were not a total surprise.
 

 

A bit off topic - mind sharing the exact spot you found them? Camponotus is high on my wanted list for the year!

[Gregory2455]

 

 

My founding setup for my Myrmecocystus testaceus queen. It seems successful, as she has a large ball of eggs.

 

What is that container? How did you keep the Hydrostone from cracking it? How do you hydrate it?

 

Tagging along, what container is that?

Just a plastic snap-cap vial. 

[PTAntFan]

I think I saw this style on Tarheel Ants, so I can't take credit for it.  I used CastinCraft molding putty and some herp sand I baked to sterilize.  I got it to adhere with watered down elmers glue.  I'd love a better suggestion though because it didn't work very well as you can see.

 

[Ants4fun]

Why dot ordinary silicone? Or maybe hot glue?

[Miles]

Wow. Love all the creativity in this thread!Love how natural the "Wood with glass on top" looks.
Think I'm gonna have to try that with my next queen.

This will only work for some species. Be aware that whatever queens you use that method with, they will have lower moisture within the chamber than a typical soil claustral chamber.