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Myrmecocystus Mexicanus question (Honeypot ant)

Started By ExponentMars , Nov 30 2020 3:19 PM

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12 replies to this topic

#1 Offline ExponentMars - Posted November 30 2020 - 3:19 PM

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do honeypot ants (species listed above) need hibernation? And also is their care any different from normal ants? 


Edited by ExponentMars, November 30 2020 - 3:20 PM.

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Ants, gaming
Currently Keeping: 
Crematogaster sp., Camponotus Ca02, Tetramorium Immigrans
Wishlist: 
Acromyrmex, novos, Pogonomyrmex, Formica, and Lasius

#2 Offline ZTYguy - Posted November 30 2020 - 3:27 PM

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Not really. I have mine in a cup so I’d say no. Just they really hate light (well mine don’t they are just weird).


Currently: Considering moving to Australia
Reason: Myrmecia

#3 Offline ExponentMars - Posted November 30 2020 - 3:54 PM

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Not really. I have mine in a cup so I’d say no. Just they really hate light (well mine don’t they are just weird).

thanks! and I'm also near LA btw


Ants, gaming
Currently Keeping: 
Crematogaster sp., Camponotus Ca02, Tetramorium Immigrans
Wishlist: 
Acromyrmex, novos, Pogonomyrmex, Formica, and Lasius

#4 Offline SoySauce - Posted November 30 2020 - 4:04 PM

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They’re desert ants and don’t hibernate. They’re quite delicate and don’t have a good survivability rate in my experience.
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#5 Offline ZTYguy - Posted November 30 2020 - 5:34 PM

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Ohhh, once they get to a reasonable size of  workers (30-40) and you feed them a lot they basically hit the ground sprinting like usain bolt in brood production. My small 30 worker colony has about 100 eggs and larvae combined.


Currently: Considering moving to Australia
Reason: Myrmecia

#6 Offline ExponentMars - Posted December 1 2020 - 9:15 AM

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They’re desert ants and don’t hibernate. They’re quite delicate and don’t have a good survivability rate in my experience.

when you say that they don't have a good survivability rate, does that mean their queens have a high chance of dying? 


Ants, gaming
Currently Keeping: 
Crematogaster sp., Camponotus Ca02, Tetramorium Immigrans
Wishlist: 
Acromyrmex, novos, Pogonomyrmex, Formica, and Lasius

#7 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted December 1 2020 - 9:16 AM

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yes, they do. They can die randomly. They need a hanging space, THA (Diy cups). They do not need hibernation.


#8 Offline TechAnt - Posted December 1 2020 - 9:17 AM

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They’re desert ants and don’t hibernate. They’re quite delicate and don’t have a good survivability rate in my experience.

when you say that they don't have a good survivability rate, does that mean their queens have a high chance of dying? 

 

In founding, yes, honeypot queens have been mostly known for being notoriously hard to raise to workers.


Edited by TechAnt, December 1 2020 - 9:17 AM.

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My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#9 Offline ExponentMars - Posted December 1 2020 - 9:35 AM

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ok, so for a hanging space a mini hearth could work, right?

or could I just have an upside-down test tube setup

btw I just gathering information for the ants I might be catching this year


Edited by ExponentMars, December 1 2020 - 9:35 AM.

Ants, gaming
Currently Keeping: 
Crematogaster sp., Camponotus Ca02, Tetramorium Immigrans
Wishlist: 
Acromyrmex, novos, Pogonomyrmex, Formica, and Lasius

#10 Offline TechAnt - Posted December 1 2020 - 9:40 AM

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I suggest to use a Mini Hearth.


My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#11 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted December 1 2020 - 9:45 AM

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I have mine in mini-hearths, except for one "dud" queen. Most of my queens died. Seller had to ship me a new healthy queen with workers. And of all the other queens, the only survivor was one with a bum leg who can't care for herself properly (and who has also never raised her own brood to maturity). Go figure....

 

On the other hand, other people have had very good luck this year with their founding queens. I dunno... they just seem to hate me.

 

Mine are still on heat at the moment, esp. Lame Queen.

 

P.S. Orphaned workers readily accept new queens. The queens' existing workers, however, may or may not (depending on how close the new workers smell). And if the queen has never had workers she may not accept workers either.


Edited by OhNoNotAgain, December 1 2020 - 9:48 AM.

Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola

Liometopum occidentale;  Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

 

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.

#12 Offline ZTYguy - Posted December 1 2020 - 10:16 AM

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oh yeah i had a queen bite the head off of an orphaned worker. so sad :*(


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Currently: Considering moving to Australia
Reason: Myrmecia

#13 Offline ExponentMars - Posted December 1 2020 - 10:28 AM

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oh yeah i had a queen bite the head off of an orphaned worker. so sad :*(

That's pretty sad :c 


Ants, gaming
Currently Keeping: 
Crematogaster sp., Camponotus Ca02, Tetramorium Immigrans
Wishlist: 
Acromyrmex, novos, Pogonomyrmex, Formica, and Lasius
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