40 replies to this topic

[KitsAntVa]

Just received these in the mail a couple minutes ago and I’m now going to make my journal on how they go! If you have something to say about these being in Virginia, then go somewhere else.
November 19th
Got here with a couple larvae, pupae, and no eggs. Shipping caused her to eat her eggs and larvae. She has two workers both of which are just now waking up as well as the queen from being in my mailbox. I stuck her on a heating pad for right now and I have her some seeds. They don’t eat seeds all the time or barely any but it’s what I had this minute. She is currently also a darker color than most novomessor cockerelli and is basically very dark red. Here’s a picture from before they got here and I’ll get pictures soon. I made a firebrick nest with grout and sand as well as a good water source, the nest is around 8x9x4.5 and resembles a tall firebrick fortress from tarheelants.

Edited by KitsAntVa, March 12 2021 - 6:34 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

can't wait to see their new nest!

[KitsAntVa]

Nest prior to being painted purple, grout being poured and wood base being added.

[Ants_Dakota]

that looks great! wow!

[Swirlysnowflake]

Nest prior to being painted purple, grout being poured and wood base being added.78EECEFE-8DEB-4EBE-9C5E-484E7854CE18.jpeg

That does look amazing! can't wait to see the ants in it...

ill be following this journal, I've always wanted to keep this species

[ANTdrew]

Pic of the finshed nest? I like the design.

[KitsAntVa]

There is probably tons of people selling them in your state, I mean tons I didn’t get mine from California but they are probably more common in your state and Texas.

Pic of the finshed nest? I like the design.

I can try but I’m not done yet. I’m still waiting to finish coating the wood with paint and letting the silicone dry.

[Swirlysnowflake]

oh nice, you didn't get caught

KitsAntVa said they had a permit right? And besides, you already had this conversation on the other thread.

[KitsAntVa]

Yes my nest I have is 9 inches tall 8 inches wide and I think 2.5 inches thick. It’s very big and I won’t use it until they grow out of a fortress.

[KitsAntVa]

Firebrick but I have two main water sources. On the left brick you can see a little square chamber which is now filled with sanded grout for a watering system and that little water tower thingy you see on the bottom right is filled with sponge and then grout poured over it, the whole nest is sanded with white sand and looks pretty nice.

[MinigunL5]

Firebrick but I have two main water sources. On the left brick you can see a little square chamber which is now filled with sanded grout for a watering system and that little water tower thingy you see on the bottom right is filled with sponge and then grout poured over it, the whole nest is sanded with white sand and looks pretty nice.

What is the grout for?

[KitsAntVa]

It’s a good nesting material. Holds water very well is harder than plaster and ants like to nest in artificial nests with it.

[MinigunL5]

It’s a good nesting material. Holds water very well is harder than plaster and ants like to nest in artificial nests with it.

Isn't that what the frirebrick is for?

[KitsAntVa]

Yes but everyone says noooooo water just disappears when it hits firebrick. I admit it kinda does and the fact that you can’t see it annoys me but trust me firebrick holds water like crazy. I used grout to hold water better to know if they are getting the proper humidity.

[MinigunL5]

Yes but everyone says noooooo water just disappears when it hits firebrick. I admit it kinda does and the fact that you can’t see it annoys me but trust me firebrick holds water like crazy. I used grout to hold water better to know if they are getting the proper humidity.

I have 2 questions. Won't the firebrick suck the moisture from the grout? Also, why not make a nest completely from grout?

[KitsAntVa]

Because to make a grout nest one needs clay large amounts of clay actually, a molding chamber to form the nest and a lot of grout. And firebrick is easily carveable and novomessor like it.

[Kaelwizard]

A grout nest is much harder to make. It's easier just to make a firebrick nest like they did with some grout elements.