2 replies to this topic

[Acshaw89]

Hi all

 

Complete noob here. I've got a Pogonomyrmex colony that I've just moved in to my THA Mini Hearth (see link below). I'm trying to figure out what the best way to heat this formicarium is.  Namely I'm trying to determine if I should use a heating mat or a heating cable.  Right now I have a heating cable with one loop around the foraging area and I've noticed that they are congregating in the water towers (the moved the brood there as well).  I feel like this might be unusual and am thinking it is either because they just moved in or because the heating cable is cooking the nest and they are moving everything toward the water towers to cool it off.

 

From what I've seen, people seem to prefer heating the forage area instead of from the bottom of the formicarium. 

 

 

Is heating a cable the best way to do this or could i use a reptile heating mat with a temperature controller and heat from the bottom?

 

Is the colony moving in to the water towers indicative of the environment being too hot?  

 

 

https://tarheelants....cts/mini-hearth

[Nare]

I also have a Pogonomyrmex colony in a mini-hearth, and I've noticed some interesting things relating to heating. When I remove the heat, they stack all their brood on the water tower. When I add heat (I run a heating cable right under the front of the formicarium, near the glass), they stack all of their brood as close to the heat as possible. I think they prioritize heat over moisture, but when there is no heat being provided, they'll move their brood as close to the water source as possible. I haven't heard of people heating the outworld, though I understand the reticence to heat the nest itself, as I've found if the cable isn't in the right spot or the water tower has too much water in it, lots of condensation will form against the glass.

 

I'd suggest never filling the water tower to more than about 2/3 of its capacity, and only running the heating cable along the front or directly under the front of the nest. If your ants move their brood against the glass / to the front of the nest, right above the heat, than you'll know that they like the heat, ie. no, it's not too hot for them.

 

I would stick with the cable. You want a heat gradient across the nest, which you can't really do with a mat if you're sitting the whole nest ontop of it.

[Acshaw89]

Great info thanks for sharing.