157 replies to this topic

[Josh.Antlover]

Alright thank you for all the response

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

you're welcome

[M_Ants]

I'm having no luck finding some camp. queens. Can someone post what weather conditions to look for and if u live near me where u look?

[Canadant]

Argh!

 

I love my beautiful big C.novaeboracensis. They're big and beautiful. I just love the majors the most. You can see in my journal i just modified their outworld to look more like a forest floor. I call it the forest moon of endor. They seem to like it. However, i want them to eat more. They really only eat crickets. They won't eat fruit flies which my other colonies love. don't like the blood worm soup too much either. Super worms they will eat... a little. The like apple slices and some hard boiled egg. They nibbled at some raw yolk the other day. But I can't find a food they go crazy over. The drink sugar water but not on the same level as other colonies. 

 

Any other food sources I'm not considering? They like wild grasshoppers in the summer. They never are interested in dead food either. it's got to be freshly dismembered live food. 

 

I mean I put frozen fruit flies down for my other colonies and they just pour out and collect them.it's clockwork. 

 

Any ideas appreciated.

 

I also think I'm going to dampen the outworld more. I got a fine mist spray bottle today. Hope that livens them up. 

[ANTdrew]

Are they warm enough? If you can get termites, they will go bananas for those. All my colonies adore dubia roaches, too.

[Canadant]

Are they warm enough? If you can get termites, they will go bananas for those. All my colonies adore dubia roaches, too.

They have a heat cable. Roaches hard to get in canada but yes they like roaches. Termites most likely banned as feeders here too. Hmmm..... thinking. thanks.

[ANTdrew]

Here's a question for CampoMasters: of C. chromaiodes, C. subbarbatus, and C. nearcticus, which would do best in a Dspdrew Dirt Box formicarium? Which would do better in a mini-hearth? I've heard that nearcticus are somewhat tricky to keep healthy is that true?

[TennesseeAnts]

Here's a question for CampoMasters: of C. chromaiodes, C. subbarbatus, and C. nearcticus, which would do best in a Dspdrew Dirt Box formicarium? Which would do better in a mini-hearth? I've heard that nearcticus are somewhat tricky to keep healthy is that true?

No. All three of those will do amazing in a Mini Hearth. C. nearcticus are no different from other Myrmentoma, and might do best with two gynes in the colony. Same with the C. subbarbatus. My colony has three gynes.

[ANTdrew]

Wow, that’s an interesting idea about combining them. I only have one nearcticus, though. Should I combine the subbarbatus now or later?
Downside of that would mean less queens for my business. Hmmmm.

[RushmoreAnts]

Wow, that’s an interesting idea about combining them. I only have one nearcticus, though. Should I combine the subbarbatus now or later?
Downside of that would mean less queens for my business. Hmmmm.

Oh, I meant nearcticus, sorry. I would combine them now, as most polygynous species do better together when they’ve been together from the very beginning.

Edited by AntsDakota, May 8 2020 - 10:37 AM.

[RushmoreAnts]

My colony has three gynes.

Ooh, I wish I applied for these..........

[TennesseeAnts]

Wow, that’s an interesting idea about combining them. I only have one nearcticus, though. Should I combine the subbarbatus now or later?
Downside of that would mean less queens for my business. Hmmmm.

Yes, Camponotus subbarbatus are polygynous.

[ANTdrew]

So how should I go about introducing the queens if I choose to do so? They’ve been in separate tubes for almost a week.

Also, back to my original question: seeing as I have no mini-hearths, but do have an empty dirt box, which would do best in a dirt nest: chromaiodes, nearcticus, of subbarbatus?

Edited by ANTdrew, May 9 2020 - 7:02 AM.

[RushmoreAnts]

So how should I go about introducing the queens if I choose to do so? They’ve been in separate tubes for almost a week.

If they don't have eggs, you could gently guide one of the queens into the other's tube with something soft, maybe a Q-tip.

[TennesseeAnts]

So how should I go about introducing the queens if I choose to do so? They’ve been in separate tubes for almost a week.
Also, back to my original question: seeing as I have no mini-hearths, but do have an empty dirt box, which would do best in a dirt nest: chromaiodes, nearcticus, of subbarbatus?

C. chromaiodes would do better in one.

[RushmoreAnts]

I wonder if it would help to put a few pieces of damp wood in, to make it seem more like an old stump.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I am currently interested in brainstorming a dream formicaria line...I'll PM Ant_Dude about it because he's Ant_Dude, and yea

[Canadant]

Was it in this thread that I read too much heat can cause deformities in camponotus pupae?

I think I've been over heating my ants. They're getting a chill break. Room temp for a while. I saw a worker carrying a pupae around the outworld today. It looked half open and sadly dead.