159 replies to this topic

[Dr.Ants]

Hey drew, I looked though here and was trying to see if you ran heat at all. I couldn’t find anything saying you did. Could have missed it. I have a colony with about 37 workers and a huge pile of eggs. Another journal someone said they were using formula blue with them and they loved it. What are you feeding?

[YsTheAnt]

His apt is really hot, he doesn't need to heat it.

[dspdrew]

They will eat most any meat or insects, and sweet liquids.

[Jaraii]

Update 2-18-2018

Ever since I gave these colonies feeders, not a single worker has died, and both colonies now have a huge pile of eggs. I'm pretty sure now that these just weren't getting fed enough.

What kind of feeders are you using?  Also, how are they doing?

[dspdrew]

Update 7-9-2018

Both colonies are doing great and still growing in size. Amazingly, I only found one of these queens this year.

[dspdrew]

 

Update 2-18-2018

Ever since I gave these colonies feeders, not a single worker has died, and both colonies now have a huge pile of eggs. I'm pretty sure now that these just weren't getting fed enough.

What kind of feeders are you using? Also, how are they doing?

 

Liquid feeders.

[Jaraii]

Did you make them, or is there somewhere that sells ones that are well setup for this use?

[AntsAreCool55]

Hello,

About 1 month ago I found a queen of this species. She has laid eggs which took a long time to develop to larvae (3 weeks or so) and now my queen has a huge pile of pupae. I have never seen a queen raise that many workers in first generation. There must be ~20 pupae at least.

Anyway,my question to Drew is do you have any tips on keeping them? I see your colonies have died in the past,did you figure out the reason? Any help is appreciated,thanks!

[Kaelwizard]

Why did you repeat yourself AntsAreCool? Also how are your colonies Drew? (please don't be dead please don't be dead)

 

Edit: oh the repeat is gone now

Edited by Kaelwizard, January 10 2019 - 2:27 PM.

[Rstheant]

Good luck
How many workers currently?

[Rstheant]

wow. Liometipum have huge colony’s. No wonder there are so many(and by many, I mean thousands) in my backyards!

[Rstheant]

Do you know why they are so hard to keep?

[dspdrew]

They need to eat a lot.

[Kalidas]

They need to eat a lot.

couldn't' you just.. not feed them a lot and kinda put a "limit on their growth"? Like not starve them per se but just stop at a certain point and not increase the amount of food beyond that point?

[GeorgeK]

I've got 2yr old colony of Liometopum Microcephalum, and I can confirm they will eat pretty much as much as you give them. Its hard to keep them satisfied

[RobertJ]

I have been pondering the thought of buying a colony of these but I am concerned they won't do well...after reading your journal it appears they need copious amounts of food which wouldn't be an issue.

In your experience is there any particulars to make certain about in order to raise a healthy colony of these fun little guys?

[nurbs]

Care is not an issue with these. They are very easy. It is frightening how fast they grow in the first year. The lab I work at studies these ants which I care for, but personally don't like to keep them as pets for this very reason. They are very aggressive and when disturbed emit a strong pungent smell (sulcatone).

 

https://www.instagra.../p/BqdpQs5lfxb/

 

I have been pondering the thought of buying a colony of these but I am concerned they won't do well...after reading your journal it appears they need copious amounts of food which wouldn't be an issue.

In your experience is there any particulars to make certain about in order to raise a healthy colony of these fun little guys?

 

[dspdrew]

I have been pondering the thought of buying a colony of these but I am concerned they won't do well...after reading your journal it appears they need copious amounts of food which wouldn't be an issue.

In your experience is there any particulars to make certain about in order to raise a healthy colony of these fun little guys?

 

It's not that they need TONS of food, they just need to be fed often. A liquid feeder pretty much takes care of that problem pretty easily.

[NikolaBale]

I have been pondering the thought of buying a colony of these but I am concerned they won't do well...after reading your journal it appears they need copious amounts of food which wouldn't be an issue.

In your experience is there any particulars to make certain about in order to raise a healthy colony of these fun little guys?

It's not that they need TONS of food, they just need to be fed often. A liquid feeder pretty much takes care of that problem pretty easily.

That takes care of the sugar part of the food? But how do you cope with feeding them the protein?

[dspdrew]

 

 

I have been pondering the thought of buying a colony of these but I am concerned they won't do well...after reading your journal it appears they need copious amounts of food which wouldn't be an issue.

In your experience is there any particulars to make certain about in order to raise a healthy colony of these fun little guys?

It's not that they need TONS of food, they just need to be fed often. A liquid feeder pretty much takes care of that problem pretty easily.

That takes care of the sugar part of the food? But how do you cope with feeding them the protein?

 

 

I feed them protein once a week like all my other ants. They don't seem to need protein as often. I have gone a while without giving them protein and didn't end up with tons of deaths the way I do if I go too long without giving them sugary liquids.