14 replies to this topic

[yaboiseth]

Hi, I have caught about 10 pogonomyrmex californicus queens and I seem to fail with them every year. So my question is how exactly do I care for them? I have all them set up in a tupperware with a test tube and plenty of seeds. They don't seem to be interested in the seeds all too much for some reason. And I have yet to successfully keep Pogonomyrmex for 2 years.

[ReignofRage]

What seeds are you offering, offering many types can let them choose what they want. Also, putting seeds into a test tube with the queen and not checking on her for a while also is pretty successful.

[AntsLA-1]

I have that same problem every year, too. I catch a ton of P. Californicus queens, they lay eggs, they turn to larvae, and then they die unexpectedly. I would love to know how to keep them alive. Oh, and where did you catch those queens? Also, some photos would be nice.

Edited by AntsLA-1, May 31 2021 - 7:27 AM.

[PetsNotPests]

Last year, I caught exactly 84 Pogonomyrmex Californicus queens. Not one survived. I feel so bad for them, but yet, I was doing everything the way I should! I gave them seeds, insects, and everything they needed, but not one survived. They  have been one of my favorite species forever, but I have never been able to get a colony past 15 workers. 

 

I see that your selling these queens. I will buy a few soon, and try yet again to get a good colony started. Sorry, but I don't have any advice for this species, so I am too asking for help with this species.   

Edited by PetsNotPests, June 2 2021 - 7:55 AM.

[yaboiseth]

Last year, I caught exactly 84 Pogonomyrmex Californicus queens. Not one survived. I feel so bad for them, but yet, I was doing everything the way I should! I gave them seeds, insects, and everything they needed, but not one survived. They  have been one of my favorite species forever, but I have never been able to get a colony past 15 workers. 

 

I see that your selling these queens. I will buy a few soon, and try yet again to get a good colony started. Sorry, but I don't have any advice for this species, so I am too asking for help with this species.   

Well that's sad to hear. But at least we both have the same problem I guess lol. I have a bunch in large tubes with seeds and sand, many in tubes in a container with foraging space and seeds, and some of both on heat to see which ones progress better.

[yaboiseth]

I have that same problem every year, too. I catch a ton of P. Californicus queens, they lay eggs, they turn to larvae, and then they die unexpectedly. I would love to know how to keep them alive. Oh, and where did you catch those queens? Also, some photos would be nice.

All queens were caught in Bakersfield, at Hart Park near some rivers. Ill see about getting some photos of their setups and whatnot after work.

[yaboiseth]

What seeds are you offering, offering many types can let them choose what they want. Also, putting seeds into a test tube with the queen and not checking on her for a while also is pretty successful.

I have the variety of seeds that dspdrew sells and some dandelion seeds as well. For my queens in container setups, I put seeds on the outside and in the tubes to be sure. Some seem to have eggs but one can only hope lol.

[PetsNotPests]

 

Last year, I caught exactly 84 Pogonomyrmex Californicus queens. Not one survived. I feel so bad for them, but yet, I was doing everything the way I should! I gave them seeds, insects, and everything they needed, but not one survived. They  have been one of my favorite species forever, but I have never been able to get a colony past 15 workers. 

 

I see that your selling these queens. I will buy a few soon, and try yet again to get a good colony started. Sorry, but I don't have any advice for this species, so I am too asking for help with this species.   

Well that's sad to hear. But at least we both have the same problem I guess lol. I have a bunch in large tubes with seeds and sand, many in tubes in a container with foraging space and seeds, and some of both on heat to see which ones progress better.

 

Sad but true. I'm not trying to be discouraging, but I did the exact same thing you're doing. I hope you have a better start than I did.

 

Good luck! 

Edited by PetsNotPests, June 2 2021 - 8:32 AM.

[TacticalHandleGaming]

I didn't see anyone post this yet. Handy little care guide from the antkeeping subreddit. 

 

I haven't kept p. californicus, so I can't speak for their care. But I'm interested in pogonomyrmex care in general since I have p. occidentalis.

[Queen]

From my experience:

 

Back during September 2020 I started my first 3 (now 2) queen P. californicus colony with 4 workers. I removed them from tt setup immediately and put them in a THA Mini Hearth XL. I provided heat, a variety of seeds, occasional insects, and sometimes (more so rarely) sugar water. I kept a journal documenting my observations such as what seeds and insect they favor as well as major events. They ended up attacking 1 queen, though expected, and I managed to separate her into a separate tt and gave her a pupae, food, heat, etc. I always keep to a routine, check on them at a specific time, don't bother them too much, feed insects once a week, always have water and seeds available, try to keep everything as sterile and sanitary as I can, etc.. It's all about discipline and routine for me.

 

The 1 queen laid eggs, some of which are starting to turn into larvae. As soon as they eclose to workers I will again put them in a THA nest.

The 2 queen colony most likely have more than 50 workers (eyeballing). I wouldn't be surprised if it has 100 (if I took a picture and counted).

 

 

My observations on seeds and insects:

 

All seeds and insects are organic, no pesticides, no additives, and not wild gathered/caught. They are listed in the order of most favored:

 

Seeds:

• Kentucky Blue Grass
• Poppy Seeds
• Sun Flower Seeds
• Hemp Seeds (though I try to avoid this now because it gets messy)

 

Insects:

• Red Runners
• Wingless Fruit Flies
• Crickets
• Dubia Roaches (I try not to use this anymore because it gets too hard for them, unless you have one that is freshly molted)
• Meal Worms (tried it once, they weren't a big fan)

 

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have specific questions.

[Arthroverts]

From my experience:

 

Back during September 2020 I started my first 3 (now 2) queen P. californicus colony with 4 workers. I removed them from tt setup immediately and put them in a THA Mini Hearth XL. I provided heat, a variety of seeds, occasional insects, and sometimes (more so rarely) sugar water. I kept a journal documenting my observations such as what seeds and insect they favor as well as major events. They ended up attacking 1 queen, though expected, and I managed to separate her into a separate tt and gave her a pupae, food, heat, etc. I always keep to a routine, check on them at a specific time, don't bother them too much, feed insects once a week, always have water and seeds available, try to keep everything as sterile and sanitary as I can, etc.. It's all about discipline and routine for me.

 

The 1 queen laid eggs, some of which are starting to turn into larvae. As soon as they eclose to workers I will again put them in a THA nest.

The 2 queen colony most likely have more than 50 workers (eyeballing). I wouldn't be surprised if it has 100 (if I took a picture and counted).

 

 

My observations on seeds and insects:

 

All seeds and insects are organic, no pesticides, no additives, and not wild gathered/caught. They are listed in the order of most favored:

 

Seeds:

• Kentucky Blue Grass
• Poppy Seeds
• Sun Flower Seeds
• Hemp Seeds (though I try to avoid this now because it gets messy)

 

Insects:

• Red Runners
• Wingless Fruit Flies
• Crickets
• Dubia Roaches (I try not to use this anymore because it gets too hard for them, unless you have one that is freshly molted)
• Meal Worms (tried it once, they weren't a big fan)

 

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have specific questions.

What kind of Poppy seeds are you using?

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

[Queen]

From my experience:

Back during September 2020 I started my first 3 (now 2) queen P. californicus colony with 4 workers. I removed them from tt setup immediately and put them in a THA Mini Hearth XL. I provided heat, a variety of seeds, occasional insects, and sometimes (more so rarely) sugar water. I kept a journal documenting my observations such as what seeds and insect they favor as well as major events. They ended up attacking 1 queen, though expected, and I managed to separate her into a separate tt and gave her a pupae, food, heat, etc. I always keep to a routine, check on them at a specific time, don't bother them too much, feed insects once a week, always have water and seeds available, try to keep everything as sterile and sanitary as I can, etc.. It's all about discipline and routine for me.

The 1 queen laid eggs, some of which are starting to turn into larvae. As soon as they eclose to workers I will again put them in a THA nest.
The 2 queen colony most likely have more than 50 workers (eyeballing). I wouldn't be surprised if it has 100 (if I took a picture and counted).


My observations on seeds and insects:

All seeds and insects are organic, no pesticides, no additives, and not wild gathered/caught. They are listed in the order of most favored:

Seeds:

• Kentucky Blue Grass
• Poppy Seeds
• Sun Flower Seeds
• Hemp Seeds (though I try to avoid this now because it gets messy)

Insects:

• Red Runners
• Wingless Fruit Flies
• Crickets
• Dubia Roaches (I try not to use this anymore because it gets too hard for them, unless you have one that is freshly molted)
• Meal Worms (tried it once, they weren't a big fan)

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have specific questions.

What kind of Poppy seeds are you using?

Thanks,

Arthroverts

Organic, raw, not roasted, unsalted poppy seeds usually from a bulk bin at a supermarket. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

I should add I give insects only once a week and very little or just enough. I don’t want to introduce anymore organic material than I have to, and they thrive moreso on seeds already. Sometimes I go without insect if I am too lazy to go to the pet shop.

Edited by Queen, June 3 2021 - 11:12 PM.

[Arthroverts]

I meant more so what species of poppy? Mexican poppy? California poppy? Californian bush poppy?

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

[Broncos]

I got 9 queens and made 2 colonies. I just did the polygonous strategy. I got 2 test tubes and put 4 queens in one, and 5 in the other. Now I have 2 healthy colonies with over 20 workers in both. Give em walnuts with no pesticides or growth regulators. It works like magic. They lap up the nutritious juices inside the cut walnuts. The only bad thing is that they will kill the weakest queens when the first workers arrive. Give them a lot of heat as well, they are desert ants. I have found thanks to novelty ants, that they love cotton balls soaked in sugar water. I made a journal on my concolor variety of californicus. You can see them going crazy for the sugar water.

Edited by Broncos, June 4 2021 - 9:27 AM.

[Queen]

I meant more so what species of poppy? Mexican poppy? California poppy? Californian bush poppy?
 
Thanks,
 
Arthroverts

That I am not sure. I do buy them at Sprouts bulk bins, though. Maybe Sprouts will have an answer on that if you give your local store a call. However I don’t think the type matters as long as it’s organic. I mean, you’d want to experience the after all.

Alternatively, If you want I can send you a picture of what I have and maybe you can identify it that way.