40 replies to this topic

[Kaelwizard]

Also, ants don’t really need fruit if you give them honey. Sugar is sugar, and they’ll go for the most concentrated source. What they need variety in is protein.

Yeah in nature most ants only get sugar from a single and dependable source, like aphids.

[Miketheawesome]

 

Also, ants don’t really need fruit if you give them honey. Sugar is sugar, and they’ll go for the most concentrated source. What they need variety in is protein.

Yeah in nature most ants only get sugar from a single and dependable source, like aphids.

 

that makes sense I thought they needed constant variety with protein and sugar 

[Miketheawesome]

Sept 30 2020 

     I fed them yesterday another cricket leg and just to be a little different I gave them a head too. I tried to get a feeder worm for them but all I could find is a pack of 20 or more and right now I only need 1 every other week. 
    I accidentally hit the glass test tube with my tweezers and freaked them out a little, it was actually pretty interesting. The queen and five workers went as far back in the test tube as they could and two of the works stayed with the eggs and started to move them to rear wile one worker was trying to find a way out. 
    I’m not sure if the eggs have changed (gotten bigger or more eggs) but I’m pretty optimistic for the future. 
    I took them out today to clean out the tube and it looks like they liked the head more than the leg, I thought that was interesting.

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 
• 

[Miketheawesome]

Oct 7 2020

     Bad news guys I lost a worker, I just hope it was nothing I did. 

     I fed them some honey, sorry I didn’t have a peach this time, but when I went to clean it up today it looks like they barely touched it. I’m not sure if it’s because there’re ready to go into hibernation or I just gave them to much honey so I left the honey in the test tube just too see if they eat it later. Let me know what you think. 
    The eggs do look like they are getting bigger which is good cause it looked like they weren’t growing probably got another month before I get another worker. 

[Ants_Dakota]

probably just died of old age. nanitics are spinally and weak, and if they are not needed, they die.

and yes, they are probably getting ready for hibernation.

[Miketheawesome]

Oct 14 2020
 

     Hello fellow ant people I decided to to start there hibernation today. They weren’t really eating so I figured they were ready for hibernation, I put them in my refrigerator at 40 degree fahrenheit. There water is about less than half full hopefully it will last and as far as I know they don’t need to eat for hibernation. My plan is too leave them in there till sometime in January and I’ll probably check in on them at least once a month just to make sure they are still alive. Please let me know if that’s a good idea. My biggest concern is there eggs cause I’m pretty sure eggs can’t survive the cold weather please correct me if I’m wrong. If I’m missing anything or doing something wrong. I’m actually pretty excited for there first hibernation haha

 

[Ants_Dakota]

Oct 14 2020
 

     Hello fellow ant people I decided to to start there hibernation today. They weren’t really eating so I figured they were ready for hibernation, I put them in my refrigerator at 40 degree fahrenheit. There water is about less than half full hopefully it will last and as far as I know they don’t need to eat for hibernation. My plan is too leave them in there till sometime in January and I’ll probably check in on them at least once a month just to make sure they are still alive. Please let me know if that’s a good idea. My biggest concern is there eggs cause I’m pretty sure eggs can’t survive the cold weather please correct me if I’m wrong. If I’m missing anything or doing something wrong. I’m actually pretty excited for there first hibernation haha

it is fine. they will lay eggs in the spring if you feed them some protein when they wake up.

[Miketheawesome]

Oct 31 2020

 

     Happy Halloween ant people. I have some great news, well I mean great to me haha. I checked on Queen Sheila today, whilst she and her crew are hibernating and they are alive and not only did the eggs survive they are now larvae. The larvae are put off to the side for some reason but there are still eggs under the queen. There is bad news as well, I’m pretty sure two of the works are dead but more should be coming soon. I might have to find a way to give them more water soon it’s a little over quarter full. Once again happy Halloween and be safe out there 

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Miketheawesome]

Nov 15 2020

 

     So I peeped in on queen Sheila and her crew and I thought they were dead for a second but then I saw some movement haha. 
    I have a problem. They definitely need some more water but I’m not sure how to give it to them. My original plan was to connect them to a test tube portal with another test tube with new water or should I get a long needle syringe and do it that way? But my concern with doing it that way is poking a hole in the Cotton and flooding the test tube, at the same time I feel like I’d have to end there hibernation early. If you have a opinion please let me know.

     Besides that they are doing alright. It looks like they might have eaten the larvae but there is still some eggs underneath the queen. 

Attached Images

• 
• 

[TechAnt]

You could try to move them into a new test tube, or try feeding them little drops of water (not big enough to drown them though).

[Miketheawesome]

That’s a good idea to move them to a new test tube so I just connected a new tube to the old tube with a air vent in the middle. I had to tap the old one to the connection part 

Attached Images

• 

[MinigunL5]

That’s a good idea to move them to a new test tube so I just connected a new tube to the old tube with a air vent in the middle. I had to tap the old one to the connection part 

I'd stay away from a lot of AntsCanada products. Especially the test tubes. Those are very overpriced.
Also, if you use a phone for your photos then you should consider getting a macro-lens. You can get one from $7-$40 (depending on how good they are). They improve photo quality. If you look at my Solenopsis molesta journal you can see the pictures I took of them. I took them with my phone. Keep in mind that those queens are around 5-6 mm and the workers are smaller than 1mm.

Edited by MinigunL5, November 16 2020 - 8:50 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

That’s a good idea to move them to a new test tube so I just connected a new tube to the old tube with a air vent in the middle. I had to tap the old one to the connection part 

I'd stay away from a lot of AntsCanada products. Especially the test tubes. Those are very overpriced.
Also, if you use a phone for your photos then you should consider getting a macro-lens. You can get one from $7-$40 (depending on how good they are). They improve photo quality. If you look at my Solenopsis molesta journal you can see the pictures I took of them. I took them with my phone. Keep in mind that those queens are around 5-6 mm and the workers are smaller than 1mm.

 

antscanada test tubes are expensive but are great for beginner ant keepers who want to have peace of mind when they connect test tubes to things, without having to use tape or other things. obviously that did not work here, but if you get the right connector, it is helpful

Edited by Ants_Dakota, November 16 2020 - 9:04 AM.

[MinigunL5]

 

 

That’s a good idea to move them to a new test tube so I just connected a new tube to the old tube with a air vent in the middle. I had to tap the old one to the connection part 

I'd stay away from a lot of AntsCanada products. Especially the test tubes. Those are very overpriced.
Also, if you use a phone for your photos then you should consider getting a macro-lens. You can get one from $7-$40 (depending on how good they are). They improve photo quality. If you look at my Solenopsis molesta journal you can see the pictures I took of them. I took them with my phone. Keep in mind that those queens are around 5-6 mm and the workers are smaller than 1mm.

 

antscanada test tubes are expensive but are great for beginner ant keepers who want to have peace of mind when they connect test tubes to things, without having to use tape or other things. obviously that did not work here, but if you get the right connector, it is helpful

 

If u have a lot of money to waste then I guess 

[Ants_Dakota]

 

 

 

That’s a good idea to move them to a new test tube so I just connected a new tube to the old tube with a air vent in the middle. I had to tap the old one to the connection part 

I'd stay away from a lot of AntsCanada products. Especially the test tubes. Those are very overpriced.
Also, if you use a phone for your photos then you should consider getting a macro-lens. You can get one from $7-$40 (depending on how good they are). They improve photo quality. If you look at my Solenopsis molesta journal you can see the pictures I took of them. I took them with my phone. Keep in mind that those queens are around 5-6 mm and the workers are smaller than 1mm.

 

antscanada test tubes are expensive but are great for beginner ant keepers who want to have peace of mind when they connect test tubes to things, without having to use tape or other things. obviously that did not work here, but if you get the right connector, it is helpful

 

If u have a lot of money to waste then I guess 

 

well, they are expensive, i get it. too expensive for me. but then again, isn't THA. i can't buy from them either, as my budget would implode. 

[Miketheawesome]

 

 

 

 

That’s a good idea to move them to a new test tube so I just connected a new tube to the old tube with a air vent in the middle. I had to tap the old one to the connection part 

I'd stay away from a lot of AntsCanada products. Especially the test tubes. Those are very overpriced.
Also, if you use a phone for your photos then you should consider getting a macro-lens. You can get one from $7-$40 (depending on how good they are). They improve photo quality. If you look at my Solenopsis molesta journal you can see the pictures I took of them. I took them with my phone. Keep in mind that those queens are around 5-6 mm and the workers are smaller than 1mm.

 

antscanada test tubes are expensive but are great for beginner ant keepers who want to have peace of mind when they connect test tubes to things, without having to use tape or other things. obviously that did not work here, but if you get the right connector, it is helpful

 

If u have a lot of money to waste then I guess 

 

well, they are expensive, i get it. too expensive for me. but then again, isn't THA. i can't buy from them either, as my budget would implode. 

 

It does have some useful connectors and other stuff but you’re right it is pretty pricy especially when I see people on here with there own DIY stuff. I probably won’t buy from them again 

[Miketheawesome]

 

That’s a good idea to move them to a new test tube so I just connected a new tube to the old tube with a air vent in the middle. I had to tap the old one to the connection part 

I'd stay away from a lot of AntsCanada products. Especially the test tubes. Those are very overpriced.
Also, if you use a phone for your photos then you should consider getting a macro-lens. You can get one from $7-$40 (depending on how good they are). They improve photo quality. If you look at my Solenopsis molesta journal you can see the pictures I took of them. I took them with my phone. Keep in mind that those queens are around 5-6 mm and the workers are smaller than 1mm.

 

I’ll look into the macro-lens thank you for the advice 

[Miketheawesome]

Nov 30 2020 

 

     There’s nothing really new today, they haven’t moved into the new tube yet that’s probably cause they are in hibernation right now I’m sure when I warm them up next month they will move. 
    I got myself a micro lens. I’ve been having some trouble with it but I’m sure I’ll get better    
    

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 

[ZTYguy]

Nice. I love C. hyatti

[Ants_Dakota]

you need more warm light to take better pics. sunlight works if you can get it, but a lamp is the best.