What species you have could make a pretty big difference. The "caterpillar frass" diet only seems to really apply to rimosus-group, which grow a type of yeast, rather than fungus. Most western Cyphomyrmex will grow real fungus, and as such I'd imagine they have a diet more similar to that of Trachymyrmex than the Cyphomyrmex rimosus-group.
Ah. I'm worried about that only since I have no way of telling if it's the introduced rimosus or the native wheeleri. I also wonder if roach and mealworm frass would work in the case that it is indeed rimosus.
For a setup I definitely would advise you to use the standard fungus grower setup, whether that is a petri dish or another container with a plaster base. However if you must use a tube, make sure to use distilled water. Any mold growth on the cotton will almost instantly kill the fungus, and distilled water usually prevents mold growth, at least for a bit.
I'm currently ordering the materials required for said petri dish setup, however, with how slow shipping is going, I don't think they'll arrive until the next week or two. I currently have them in a tube with reverse osmosis water, and rose petals, roach, and mealworm frass, just to be safe. However, I hear that they really just need frass from native shrub or grass eating species, like butterflies and grasshoppers. I'm not sure if carrot/zucchini fed roaches and grain-fed mealworms will cut it. She hasn't dropped any fungus or yeast yet either... I'm getting concerned.
Thanks! I also hear that PonerineCat has experience with these as well... how do you mention users again?
Edited by Solenoqueen, September 9 2020 - 12:27 PM.
