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Karu's Ant Keeping Journal

Started By Karunisu , Feb 1 2021 1:33 AM
antkeeping lasius lasius niger lasius flavus manica rubida myrmica rubra diy setups formicariums vivariums terrariums ytong plaster anting

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#1 Offline Karunisu - Posted February 1 2021 - 1:33 AM

Karunisu

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Welcome to my ant keeping journal! In this topic I'll cover all aspects of my ant keeping, including feeding, formicariums, experiments, etc.

Currently I keep 3 species - Lasius Niger [Black Garden Ants], Lasius Flavus [Yellow Meadow Ants], and Manica Rubida [European Giant Red Ant].

I have over 15 Colonies of Lasius Niger and Flavus, but only a single Queen of Manica Rubida (for now).
I'll be providing some regular Updates on each species, along with different setups I make and any failures in ant keeping.

 

I also make some Video Updates on my small Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube....sVfGdw/featured


  • ANTdrew likes this

Karu [ AKA AntFocus ]

 

YT ~ https://www.youtube....sVfGdw/featured

DISCORD ~ Karunisu#5714

#2 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted February 1 2021 - 4:22 AM

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I will be following  :D

 

By the way, the species part of the name is not capitalized. For example, Lasius flavus.


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#3 Offline Spazmops - Posted February 1 2021 - 7:10 AM

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I will be following  :D

 

By the way, the species part of the name is not capitalized. For example, Lasius flavus.

Well, if you want to get nitpicky it would be italicized as well.

 

This seems like an interesting journal, I hope the Manica queen is successful. 


  • Karunisu likes this

Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server. 

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#4 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted February 1 2021 - 9:21 AM

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I will be following  :D

 

By the way, the species part of the name is not capitalized. For example, Lasius flavus.

Well, if you want to get nitpicky it would be italicized as well.

 

This seems like an interesting journal, I hope the Manica queen is successful. 

 

That's what everyone always says since I forget to do that every time  :facepalm:


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#5 Offline NickAnter - Posted February 1 2021 - 1:15 PM

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Good luck with the Manica. From my understanding, European Manica are far more hardy than their North American counterparts.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#6 Offline Karunisu - Posted February 7 2021 - 1:36 PM

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I will be following  :D

 

By the way, the species part of the name is not capitalized. For example, Lasius flavus.

Thanks, I'll try to keep that in mind :)


Karu [ AKA AntFocus ]

 

YT ~ https://www.youtube....sVfGdw/featured

DISCORD ~ Karunisu#5714

#7 Offline Karunisu - Posted February 8 2021 - 7:10 AM

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DIY Update - 08.02.21

 

I recently made a Ytong formicarium after ordering an A5 rectangle of acrylic (perspex) online.
The acrylic cover is the same size as an A5 sheet of paper so you can estimate the nest dimensions.
 

 I used a flat-tipped screwdriver to carve out a general area for the nest, and then used a dremel to smooth out and deepen the chamber.
- The process took me about 2 hours excluding the time I waited for the paint to dry.

 

Some pros of the nest:

- Quite easy to make, I've made a ton of these and they aren't difficult if you have the right equipment.
- Easy to customize. There are a variety of different ideas to explore with each block of AAC, and I'll be trying out some unique ideas soon.
- Materials used are relatively cheap.

 - It can easily house massive ants or small ants, as long as the colony is big.

 - Hydration is easy and can the nest can be hydrated as much as I want.

 

Some cons of the nest:

 - I couldn't use this nest with species that like to hang upside down such as Leptomyrmex or Myrmecocystus.

 - I think more individual chambers would be better with this nest, as I feel it would make an ant colony inside feel more secure.

 

 

 

Attached Images

  • 20210204_102957 (1) (1).jpg
  • 20210204_102917 (2) (1).jpg

  • TechAnt and antsandmore like this

Karu [ AKA AntFocus ]

 

YT ~ https://www.youtube....sVfGdw/featured

DISCORD ~ Karunisu#5714

#8 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted February 8 2021 - 9:39 AM

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Wow that looks really nice.


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#9 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted February 8 2021 - 10:14 AM

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Lies, that's gotta be hydrostone or plaster No way would aac look that good 


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We don’t talk about that

#10 Offline Karunisu - Posted February 8 2021 - 10:49 AM

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Lies, that's gotta be hydrostone or plaster No way would aac look that good 

I spent some time smoothing it :)


Karu [ AKA AntFocus ]

 

YT ~ https://www.youtube....sVfGdw/featured

DISCORD ~ Karunisu#5714

#11 Offline NickAnter - Posted February 8 2021 - 12:06 PM

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That looks very good! Nice job on that. Hope these colonies continue to do well.


Edited by NickAnter, February 8 2021 - 12:06 PM.

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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#12 Offline Karunisu - Posted February 18 2021 - 2:08 PM

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18.2.21 - Lasius flavus:
I currently have a few colonies of Lasius flavus, but over the past month one of the founding queens (who had 4 workers) was struggling a little.
Hibernation was difficult for this colony compared to the others, because ever since I caught this queen she was more difficult than the others.
 

Over the course of a few days all her nanitics died, I presume because of stress as I ruled out parasites, poison, heat, water, and food.
However, since last week, the queen has become more active, and she almost always accepts sugar water when I offer her some.

She hasn't layed any eggs, and there is no brood at all, but hopefully she'll begin making a recovery slowly.
 

Raising a colony successfully from a queen who has to go back to the beginning is pretty difficult in my opinion, but I have done it before, so there's still a chance with this one.

 

Attached Images

  • 20210218_110238.jpg

Karu [ AKA AntFocus ]

 

YT ~ https://www.youtube....sVfGdw/featured

DISCORD ~ Karunisu#5714

#13 Offline Karunisu - Posted February 18 2021 - 2:09 PM

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I also uploaded a video yesterday on my Lasius niger. First narration but it should improve over time.


Karu [ AKA AntFocus ]

 

YT ~ https://www.youtube....sVfGdw/featured

DISCORD ~ Karunisu#5714

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Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: antkeeping, lasius, lasius niger, lasius flavus, manica rubida, myrmica rubra, diy setups, formicariums, vivariums, terrariums, ytong, plaster, anting

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