18 replies to this topic

[paul12000]

My first caught queen has finally had her eggs developed. I see 2 or 3 tiny ones with her now. The carpenter queen is still rearing her clutch of eggs and look like they are coming along nicely. This is my first young'ns. I'm sure soon I'll need to provide the nesting area and all. This is an exciting moment for me. I'll post pics when I get the chance. They are so tiny. Any suggestions for them while I get the next step together will be helpful. Thanks.
 

[OhNoNotAgain]

Yup, this is where I provide an outworld (to which I attach the test tube), sugar water feeder, and start killing small hapless feeder bugs to push halfway down the tube and see if they want to partake. Very exciting! Congrats!

[paul12000]

Thanks, can do that. Here are the pics I got tonight. The first is the Dorymyrmex. She appears to have three or 4 little ones helping her with several more about ready to be fully viable. The other is the one I caught July 4th that just kinda wondered into the door with the family like she belongs.

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[OhNoNotAgain]

Wow those are nice brood piles! Congrats!!!

[FSTP]

Dorymyrmex is the best ant. 

[TechAnt]

Dorymyrmex is the best ant.

Hmph. That topic deserves to become its own thread, and I think the terms that make the best ant the best ant are debatable too.

[Antkid12]

Nice!

[paul12000]

Thank you guys. I have this storage ottoman on my back porch area that I put them in, and they seem to love it. Just now the fun part of moving them to a livable area and an outer area to feed and forage in.

[paul12000]

Ok. Here we are a few days later. I happen to have today off. Work long shifts 5 days a week and home late. I finally had a chance to get something together. Not much, but hope it works. I used a nontoxic air dry clay in my 10 gallon aquarium and sprinkled local dirt into it for now. Just need a suitable top or oil to make sure they can't escape. Here is a pic of my project.

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[BlueLance213]

Congrats! My first caught queen has only laid eggs so far xD but it has only been a qeek. Your ants look amazing though!

[paul12000]

Thank you very much.

[Devi]

Looks great so far!  What type of clay did you use?  What size is the aquarium tank that you are using?  It looks a bit big for a queen and nanitics, but the picture might make it look bigger than it actually is.

[Antkid12]

Looks great so far!  What type of clay did you use?  What size is the aquarium tank that you are using?  It looks a bit big for a queen and nanitics, but the picture might make it look bigger than it actually is.

He said 10 gallon. 

[Devi]

 

Looks great so far!  What type of clay did you use?  What size is the aquarium tank that you are using?  It looks a bit big for a queen and nanitics, but the picture might make it look bigger than it actually is.

He said 10 gallon. 

Ahh, thanks.

Edited by Devi, August 5 2020 - 9:43 AM.

[Antkid12]

Ok. Here we are a few days later. I happen to have today off. Work long shifts 5 days a week and home late. I finally had a chance to get something together. Not much, but hope it works. I used a nontoxic air dry clay in my 10 gallon aquarium and sprinkled local dirt into it for now. Just need a suitable top or oil to make sure they can't escape. Here is a pic of my project.

I would recommend moving them when they have more workers. 

[Devi]

 

Ok. Here we are a few days later. I happen to have today off. Work long shifts 5 days a week and home late. I finally had a chance to get something together. Not much, but hope it works. I used a nontoxic air dry clay in my 10 gallon aquarium and sprinkled local dirt into it for now. Just need a suitable top or oil to make sure they can't escape. Here is a pic of my project.

I would recommend moving them when they have more workers. 

 

I second this.  10 gallons is fairly big for the first outworld they will use.  Maybe make a smaller outworld that is just temporary before you move them into the big one?  I am doing something similar, just making a smaller simple outworld until a colony is big enough to move into a bigger one.

[paul12000]

I see. I used a nontoxic air drying modeling clay. It is a 10 gallon tank. I was wondering about size, too. This is my first colony, that is part of the reason why I am here, to get insight from the experts. However, before getting these responses, decided to let them run wild, and they found a spot in another corner for now. I put a small amount of honey and water type dish in there, as well being in mosquito country, added a few dead mosquitos. They seem content in their corner and figured once they get bigger, discover the rest of it. I really hope I didn't make to big of a mistake here.

[Devi]

As it may be to big, if the ants seem content, it will most likely be fine.  If you can divide the outworld into a smaller part that the ants can be contained to temporarily that might work, they might find a way out of the divider.  Overall, not a huge deal, just keep an eye on them. 

[paul12000]

That is the plan at this point. Keep an eye on them and see what happens. Then I know what to expect when my other queen I have her little ones and not make the same mistakes. I think I will definitely start smaller with them, and have a wild idea about their outworld once they get big enough. Lol.