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Thoughts on Tarheel ants?

Started By Spazmops , Jul 23 2020 10:57 AM
formicarium tarheel ants

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18 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Spazmops - Posted July 23 2020 - 10:57 AM

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So I’m looking for a small, affordable formacarium that can be reused, and will last my small colonies a while. I think the Mini Hearth III from Tarheel ants checks all of those boxes, but I wanted to ask you all about your experiences. 


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Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#2 Offline DDD101DDD - Posted July 23 2020 - 11:00 AM

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I think it's a pretty good nest that will last a while(depending on species). I've experienced no problems with it, but it is a little hard to clean after the colony moves to a different nest.


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He travels, he seeks the p a r m e s a n.

#3 Offline M_Ants - Posted July 23 2020 - 11:01 AM

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Basically everyone on the forum is going to praise tarheel products endlessly so...


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Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about

#4 Offline Spazmops - Posted July 23 2020 - 11:03 AM

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Basically everyone on the forum is going to praise tarheel products endlessly so...

Well if they have that much praise it’s at least worth a try  :)


Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server. 

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#5 Offline TechAnt - Posted July 23 2020 - 11:13 AM

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Yes, basically every antkeeper here owns one or more (like many more) TarHeel formicaria. Personally, I own 2 Discus, 1 Mini Hearth, and I plan on getting a fortress in the future. All of mine work flawlessly and my ants love them.

People raise tons of different species and genus in these, and they often suceed more then in any other set-up.

Edited by TechAnt, July 23 2020 - 11:14 AM.

My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#6 Offline Antkid12 - Posted July 23 2020 - 11:14 AM

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I had a fortress the first time I tried antkeeping, It worked well until i accidentally broke the glass.  :(


Edited by Antkid12, July 23 2020 - 11:15 AM.

Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#7 Offline Hayashi - Posted July 23 2020 - 11:30 AM

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I just ordered a Mini Hearth yesterday. It’ll be my first so I don’t have experience with it yet but the praise on this site convinced me.

#8 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 23 2020 - 11:39 AM

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THA is an amazing company with excellent products. I have two critiques, though.
1) small ants can slip through the magnetically attached glass.
2) the foraging areas are WAY too small for colonies as they get larger. It becomes almost impossible to clean and feed without ants escaping when the lid is removed.
That said, there’s really no better formicariums out there.

Edited by ANTdrew, July 23 2020 - 12:17 PM.

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#9 Offline Nogbert - Posted July 23 2020 - 12:10 PM

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i rarely see them mentioned but I'm a big fan of their genesis tube inserts. All the ants that i have used them on have thrived well so far (knocking on wood) my extremely skittish Camponotus was noticeably calmer with some firm footing compared to glass. additionally, i've noticed far less mold in these tubes than others YMMV  


#10 Offline DDD101DDD - Posted July 23 2020 - 12:37 PM

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THA is an amazing company with excellent products. I have two critiques, though.
1) small ants can slip through the magnetically attached glass.
2) the foraging areas are WAY too small for colonies as they get larger. It becomes almost impossible to clean and feed without ants escaping when the lid is removed.
That said, there’s really no better formicariums out there.

Yes, the foraging areas are pretty small. But it's really easy to add another outworld.
 


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#11 Offline FSTP - Posted July 23 2020 - 12:38 PM

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I like them but as stated their foraging enclosures are very small especially for their larger formicaria. I always make my own foraging areas. 


Edited by FSTP, July 23 2020 - 12:38 PM.

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#12 Offline to_be_announced - Posted July 23 2020 - 1:34 PM

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The Phalanx seems to have a decent sized outworld for the size of nest.  But generally I agree the outworlds seem small.


Currently keeping Tetramorium Immigrans and Camponotus Pennsylvanicus in THA mini hearths.  I also have a couple Prenolepis Imparus queens in test tubes.

#13 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted July 23 2020 - 2:09 PM

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THA is an amazing company with excellent products. I have two critiques, though.
1) small ants can slip through the magnetically attached glass.
2) the foraging areas are WAY too small for colonies as they get larger. It becomes almost impossible to clean and feed without ants escaping when the lid is removed.
That said, there’s really no better formicariums out there.

I second this.


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Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#14 Offline jasond1979 - Posted November 10 2020 - 10:11 AM

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I'm using the Phalanx with my C. fragilis and its outworld is excellent.  I also purchased a good sized outworld and just attached it for my C. vicinus and it works great


Edited by jasond1979, November 10 2020 - 10:13 AM.

#15 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 10 2020 - 10:43 AM

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I’m using a mini hearth xl for my 30 worker colony of Veromessor pergandei. I just dumped them in, but they have already piled their brood on the water tower and the queen is content. The only thing that happened was there was sand stuck between the magnetic glass thing and the workers  could escape so i lifted it slightly to clean it and two workers got smushed :(


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#16 Offline ZTYguy - Posted November 10 2020 - 10:50 AM

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I don't use THA. I guess I've always been a DIY kind of guy. But THA is a great brand. I say you use it.


Edited by ZTYguy, November 10 2020 - 10:50 AM.

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#17 Offline Queen - Posted November 10 2020 - 10:52 AM

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I’m using a mini hearth xl for my 30 worker colony of Veromessor pergandei. I just dumped them in, but they have already piled their brood on the water tower and the queen is content. The only thing that happened was there was sand stuck between the magnetic glass thing and the workers  could escape so i lifted it slightly to clean it and two workers got smushed :(

 

I tape the glass so my V. pergandei doesn't crawl through. Also, prevents accidents if I were to bump the glass onto another glass, magnets and all...


#18 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 10 2020 - 10:56 AM

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I don't use THA. I guess I've always been a DIY kind of guy. But THA is a great brand. I say you use it.

exactly the same, actually. THA is also too expensive for me as well. but in terms of quality, absolutely unmatched.


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#19 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted November 10 2020 - 10:57 AM

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My Camponotus novaeboracensis have been doing very well inside their Mini Hearth. I liked their products so well that I got the 5 for $125 Mini Hearth deal and upgraded one to XL. Next year when my colonies and queens start growing I'm probably going to fill them all.


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