5 replies to this topic

[Antkeeper_21]

Hi, I'm new to Formiculture, and I want to keep Lasius N. I never had kept or had experienced keeping these ants but I know the basics. All I want to know is:
1. How aggressive are they to humans/other ants
2. How hard is it to keep them
3. What are the best products for them ( is A.C. ant tower okay for them)
4. How fast do they grow from the founding
5. Do they tolerate more than 1 Lasius Queen from the same colony
6. What should I look out for
7. What natural decorations should I use and how
8. Finally, what is their favourite diet (do they accept human food aka. meat)

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Edited by Antkeeper_21, July 21 2021 - 7:54 AM.

[futurebird]

I keep lasius neoniger the US variant. I'll answer what I can.

 

1. How aggressive are they to humans/other ants

 

Lasius n. are tiny and gentle. They can't possibly bite you and run rather than attack in most cases. The workers are smaller than poppy seeds. Tiny little nice ants to humans.

 

They can however be [censored] if faced by only one or two other ants, even larger ones in their own territory. In ant on ant violence being small and numerous can be an advantage. They are so small that some larger ants can't even really target them. But they can get overwhelmed. I guess I'm saying they can hold their own.

 

2. How hard is it to keep them

 

They are some of the easier ants to keep.

 

3. What are the best products for them ( is A.C. ant tower okay for them)

 

I like underground citi's little enclosures for them. They are escape proof for lasius and you can see what's going on. 

4. How fast do they grow from the founding

 

Only my Pogonomyrmex are faster growing. 

5. Do they tolerate more than 1 Lasius Queen from the same colony

 

No. I do think some people have done experiments on this... ant it can work for a little bit... but then a queen gets assassinated and you don't want that kind of drama in your formicarium. It's depressing. 

6. What should I look at for
7. What natural decorations should I use and how

 

If you give them dirt or sand they will build stuff ... but it can make a mess. Always consider how new materials will impact your ants. 

 

8. Finally, what is their favourite diet (do they accept human food aka. meat)an 

 

Part of the reason they are easy is they love many foods:

 

house flies (crushed)

flightless fruit flies (live, they will hunt them... or frozen)

cricket parts (only a huge colony could deal with a live cricket and I don't think it's a great idea)

cat food

sugar water

jam, jelly

flowers (they will drink nectar)

spiders

mealworms (cut up and or frozen)

 

they only thing they have rejected was a rolly polly (Pogonomyrmex were happy to eat it)

[Antkeeper_21]

Can I also feed them shrimps or do I have to experiment with that? Either way, thank you so much for your help. Really appreciated.

[futurebird]

I think they'd like shrimp. But I'd be worried about it going bad if there are left overs. So, like wet cat food, this is something you give just a *tiny* drop of and then remove later that day. Variety is great for ants. They know what they need and will seek out the better foods mostly. 

[Antkeeper_21]

I see, well can't wait to finally have a colony of these little beauties. I might even make a Journal, who knows

[Kaelwizard]

Something I’ve noticed based on journals here is that L. niger seem to be hardier and faster growing than L. neoniger. They seem like the ideal beginner species.