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My tetramorium colony disappeared

Started By Antcatcherpro3 , Aug 8 2022 6:39 AM

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8 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Antcatcherpro3 - Posted August 8 2022 - 6:39 AM

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So I had just gone on a 4 day trip to Philly, and I came back only to find that my entire tetramorium colony had disappeared. They were doing so well and growing very quickly. They were still small enough to fit in their test tube and I had the test tube attached to a AntsCanada test tube portal. No exits were left open and I'm so confused as to what happened. I'm pretty bummed out as they were a very good colony. Any ideas as to what happened?


#2 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 8 2022 - 6:45 AM

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AC products are trash. Many people have had colonies chew holes big enough to escape.
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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.

#3 Offline Antcatcherpro3 - Posted August 8 2022 - 6:57 AM

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Wow, well I guess I'll just have to try again in the spring. 


#4 Offline Antcatcherpro3 - Posted August 8 2022 - 7:00 AM

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Do you have any suggestions on better formicariums? I just don't get how they managed to get all the workers, brood, and the queen out a hole I can't even find, and then move somewhere into my house.


#5 Offline TacticalHandleGaming - Posted August 8 2022 - 7:09 AM

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If you are using the AC plugs, they likely chewed through those. As they are known for that. Most people stuff the plugs with cotton too because of this. 

 

I'd recommend a normal test tube, and then a Tarheelants formicarium built specifically for tiny/small species ants. 


Edited by TacticalHandleGaming, August 8 2022 - 7:09 AM.

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Currently kept species

L. neoniger, P. occidentalis, C. modoc, C. novaeboracensis, C. vicinus, T. immigrans, A. occidentalis, S. molesta, P. imparis, M. kennedyi, M semirufus, F. pacifica, P. californica, M. ergatogyna.

 

Previously kept species

T. rugatulus, B. depilis.

 

Looking for

Myrmecocystus pyramicus, Myrmecocystus testaceus

Pheidole creightoni, Pheidole inquilina, Crematogaster coarctata, Crematogaster mutans

My youtube channel.  My ant Etsy store - Millennium Ants

#6 Offline Antcatcherpro3 - Posted August 8 2022 - 7:10 AM

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I used cotton to seal up the holes.


#7 Offline TacticalHandleGaming - Posted August 8 2022 - 8:16 AM

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I used cotton to seal up the holes.

 

Obviously they got out somehow. Are you sure they didn't chew their way out somehow? 


Edited by TacticalHandleGaming, August 8 2022 - 8:16 AM.

Currently kept species

L. neoniger, P. occidentalis, C. modoc, C. novaeboracensis, C. vicinus, T. immigrans, A. occidentalis, S. molesta, P. imparis, M. kennedyi, M semirufus, F. pacifica, P. californica, M. ergatogyna.

 

Previously kept species

T. rugatulus, B. depilis.

 

Looking for

Myrmecocystus pyramicus, Myrmecocystus testaceus

Pheidole creightoni, Pheidole inquilina, Crematogaster coarctata, Crematogaster mutans

My youtube channel.  My ant Etsy store - Millennium Ants

#8 Offline Serafine - Posted August 8 2022 - 9:17 AM

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The portal with all its holes and plugs is one massive weakpoint (especially the part where the tube gets attached to the portal) and it's not even that useful in the long run because once your colony goes beyond a few hundred workers you can't take off the lid to feed them anymore anyway.

 

You don't need the portal. Just get a normal outworld and put the tube into it.


Edited by Serafine, August 8 2022 - 9:18 AM.

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We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull.

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#9 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted August 8 2022 - 9:33 AM

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I used cotton to seal up the holes.

 

Obviously they got out somehow. Are you sure they didn't chew their way out somehow? 

 

If ants are determined enough, they are very capable of chewing through cotton.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

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