7 replies to this topic

[Boog]

Hello! The Tapinoma sessile colonies I collected back in July are doing well: http://www.formicult...pinoma-sessile/

 

I've been tending to them every other day with a few drops of Sunburst Ant Nectar (with the odd piece of fruit to change it up) and a mixture of fruit flies, mealworms and crickets for protein. The two test tube setups I did housed three queens initially, two in the most populous test tube but they killed one of the queens and the other test tube started with one queen only but I added two workers after a couple weeks because she needed the help. However, both colonies have been doing well, I've been heating them for a couple hours when I feed them with a reptile cable and am planning on not putting these ladies into diapause for now, unless they start to slow down but they've been chugging along.

 

 

The plate warns my significant other that my ladies are out Also, it helps with keeping the heating cable loose and allows lots of air around the test tube so I don't cook them.

 

 

Here you can see the population difference between the two colonies after feeding them some flightless fruit flies with a funnel into the test tube portal. I thought I'd compare a colony started with two queens (but they killed one), brood and a couple dozen workers to one with just a queen but I didn't like how she acted so added two workers. Both colonies are feeding well. I intend to also compare different style formicaria for them, if I decide to keep them further, with one having substrate/soil and the other will have little to no substrate.

 

 

I was afraid of keeping small ants because of how much I read about them escaping, but I've been housing them in Ants Canada gear and have no escapes so far. When I feed them by taking off the lid of the test tube portal, sometimes one gets loose but I plan for it by setting them on a large white foam board and have a small paintbrush on hand to pick them up because the wide white board makes it easy to spot an ant. Here are some close up of the ladies.

 

 

I've enjoyed observing them though, different than watching my Camponotus for sure. I like the subtleties in their colors, I assumed they were just black but they're warm toned. Also fun to see pupae without cocoons, I observed a callow worker eclosing which was a highlight this year. It was heartwarming watching the numerous sisters lick and revive the new worker as she got more limber. I didn't get pictures because I like observing them without worrying about documenting everything. I actually got into antkeeping to step away from social media and posting stuff on the internet. So I don't want to turn my antkeeping into something I need to document and share, I'd rather live and observe them and maybe write something up once in awhile, but I do like reading people's journals and formiculture in general, I just don't want to get sucked into internet sharing. I started writing about my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony but I'll need time before I share that journey, they're doing really well.

 

 

Look at this poor fruit fly, a meal for the larvae.

 

 

I didn't want to bother the colonies too much with the macro shooting, but here's a blurry pic of a queen.

 

 

So now I'm building the first colony an outworld because they're starting to outgrow their test tube soon and they'll need the space, which I got a small Ants Canada Hybrid Mini nest for them. I plan on using a lidded arena, I'll be making one out of an OXO Pop container because I like the airtight lip on the lid. I'll be breaking the air tightness for ventilation of course, but I thought the lip on the lid would help as one of the barriers for these tiny ants. I'll be using fluon on the walls and maybe some olive oil underneath the lid but I'm still debating what other barriers to use.

 

 

Now here's where I'm looking into pipe screens to use as ventilation. I've tested out a test tube with some fruit flies and a drop of water blocked with a pipe screen that the ants never got to. I don't know if they even tried to get into that test tube but it seems to be an effective screen barrier. I plan on drilling 1/2 inch holes which I'll cover up with two pipe screens, one glued on the inside and another glued on the outside, for the several ventilation holes of the arena. The pipe screens work fine with my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony, which I hope to journal about soon. Here's some pics of the 3/4 inch pipe screen with a smaller dead worker, to get a sense of the size.

 

 

I have different finer mesh, but I need proper ventilation for these smelly ants. I can't imagine startling a larger colony, I've read they're chemical defensive compounds can be strong! So I'll see how this outworld build goes and I'll update with pics as I progress. I thought I'd share about the pipe screens, they're a good size for ventilation. What do ya'll think? Has anyone else used these screens?

 

I got the 200 count, because I know I'll be making more outworlds and nests for my growing colonies: https://www.amazon.c...70512297&sr=8-2

Edited by Boog, October 7 2019 - 9:52 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Great images and write ups. You're having success with a rather difficult species to keep. Without even trying, this is better than 90% of the journals on here.

[Boog]

Great images and write ups. You're having success with a rather difficult species to keep. Without even trying, this is better than 90% of the journals on here.

 

Thanks! I've read some of your issues with this species, invading and what not, so I was apprehensive in keeping them but they're the first queens I caught myself so was curious. If this outworld/formicarium fails, then it'll probably be another story...

I like the journals with pictures, so I try to share that way. I do take time with editing in photoshop and also to keep the image file size in check for this forum.

[Roy3]

Thanks for this info and sharing. Great stuff to help others out with tiny ants that I'm sure we all have caught and are skeptical of what to do and use for successful rearing these tiny girls. I have many queens of small species and some had escapees. But they are still doing great and didn't invade other nearby colonies I have that don't have lids on their enclosures. Whew. My olive oil placement may have been the key to that. But I will look into that mesh, and I want to know what kind of macro lens camera do you use to get your pictures? I would like to invest in something like that too. Thanks again.

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[Boog]

Thanks for this info and sharing. Great stuff to help others out with tiny ants that I'm sure we all have caught and are skeptical of what to do and use for successful rearing these tiny girls. I have many queens of small species and some had escapees. But they are still doing great and didn't invade other nearby colonies I have that don't have lids on their enclosures. Whew. My olive oil placement may have been the key to that. But I will look into that mesh, and I want to know what kind of macro lens camera do you use to get your pictures?

 

I've been using my old iPhone with olloclip lens attachments: https://www.olloclip.com/

I found mine on sell at a local Best Buy, but then realized I bought a different version than my phone but it still works as it slips over the phone's camera, it's just a little loose and I have to make sure it's centered when I take pictures. The set came with a super-wide, fisheye, and macro 15x lens. I wanted this set for the macro lens, but the others work well too, you just need a LOT of light and patience with placing you phone's camera directly on your formicarium. The shallow field of depth and closeness to the subject make the macro lens difficult to work with though, on top of disturbing my colony with vibrations and bright light, so it's something I try to do as quick as possible so as to not stress out my colonies for long.

 

I'll continue to share my builds, I'll probably start a thread titled 'Boog's Builds: DIY Formicaria/Outworlds' soon to keep them in one spot.

[ANTdrew]

Definitely make that Boog’s builds thread.

[Roy3]

Thanks Boog. I have a Note 9, but I will look at Best Buy for something. Two days ago I ordered 2 kits from Wish. See if they work.

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[Boog]

I wanted to do another test of the mesh screen before I utilized them. I didn't feed my colony for several days, longer than my feedings to get them hungry. Then I attached this test tube with a tack of byFormica Ant Nectar just beyond the screen and observed ants trying to get to the liquid food over a day without success. So I trust these screens enough with my Tapinoma sessile colonies, here's hoping it keeps up! You can view my Boog's Bug Builds post to see the first finished out world I made for them here: https://www.formicul...aria-outworlds/

 

Edited by Boog, November 14 2019 - 10:19 PM.