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Thief Ants? (not sure what SP)

Started By cap_backfire , Jul 10 2021 6:26 AM

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#1 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 10 2021 - 6:26 AM

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In preparation of their flights by me next month I am going to ask the hive (formica?) mind and get some advice.   

I plan to grow another colony to a largish size and give the thief ants access to their nest (possibly two seperate colonies that will allow the theif ants to visit two separate colonies?   Just to take the burden off of the one colony.  Anyway, that's far in the future.   In the meantime, what would you guys recommend for feeding them in the meantime or if I abandon the idea of having them raid other nests and just keep them separate?   I understand how tiny they are and have a nest already purchased and ready to go-a pretty whiz acrylic job that I think will do the job for their entire lives.   

 

Also are they poly or mono?   I imagine I'll catch multiple queens as I hear they are drawn to blacklights and I have a really great blacklight for my 3d printing.   

Thanks in advance for all the help!  


#2 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted July 10 2021 - 7:34 AM

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Pretty sure poly vs. mono generally depends on location for thief ants. They will also eat anything other ants will eat.
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#3 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 10 2021 - 7:59 AM

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OK awesome.  I'm in central/ North Illinois and have the TINIEST thief ants ever.   Like... I thought they were mites at first.  Had to zoom way in with my phone.  Hoping to catch some queens.   Hoping they're poly.   If I catch enough I'll just give it a shot.   

Thanks for the feeding info!  


#4 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 10 2021 - 9:53 AM

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Try blacklighting to find queens. S. molesta flies in the evening, while several other species fly at dawn. You may have to sacrifice some sleep.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#5 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 10 2021 - 10:09 AM

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I'll see what I can get in the evening first and hope for the best.  I'd be glad to wake up at dawn to get some of these queens.   Hopefully though, these are the nocturnal ones.   Are the queens about the same size as the workers?   Because they are like... barely a mm.  


#6 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 10 2021 - 12:22 PM

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No, queens are way bigger than the workers, but still relatively tiny.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#7 Offline Mettcollsuss - Posted July 10 2021 - 1:13 PM

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The queens are about four millimeters, if memory serves.


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#8 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 10 2021 - 1:19 PM

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I think carolinensis, which flies in the morning, is slightly smaller. Lighter in color as well.


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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). 

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