19 replies to this topic

[futurebird]

This is a poll for anyone who keeps one or more species of camponotus. The species list is just off the top of my head so apologies if I miss a very common popular pet species! (but let me know if I did for future reference. ) There are after all about eleventy billion species of camponotus so it was hard to pick what to list. It kinda ended up just being the ones I'm personally obsessed with. 

But the bigger purpose here is to get some more data on the urea issue. Some day the hobby will be popular enough that we'll have "ant vitamins" one could buy at the pet shop... but till then all we can do is read and try to learn for other keepers. 

Edited by futurebird, July 22 2022 - 9:28 AM.

[FinWins]

Where is the poll?

[futurebird]

It got deleted so I had to type it up again? Forum error... In future I think I will stick to adding the poll after as this has happened before. 

[That_one_ant_guy]

I had C semitestaceus for two years

[Serafine]

C. barbaricus is not in the list. I'd throw them together as an option "barbaricus or cruentatus" because those two are from the same region and basically have the same care (you can even smuggle brood from one to the other and they are able integrate the "foreign" workers).

[Manitobant]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention novaeboracensis or castaneus, both of which are extremely popular in the North American hobby, especially the former.

Edited by Manitobant, July 22 2022 - 11:27 AM.

[United-Ants]

I keep 4 colneys of camponotus
Sp are camponotus sasbenaus camponotus texanus camponotus chromaiodes camponotus vicinus
The camponotus chromaiodes are my oldest they are one year old when I got them in June of year

[FloridaAnts]

I keep a one year old(Almost) C socius colony. Do we mean like when we got the queen or nanitics?

[UrbanOrganisms]

Roaches develop uric acid crystals depending on their diet, so poop isn't the only way to supplement urea.

[DDD101DDD]

If we're counting roaches then I've given mine urea like, once a year yeah. 

[lazyant]

I have never given my Camponotus/Myrmentoma any urea... They have grown beyond my expectations and all queens are still doing fine.

But how do they benefit from the Urea?

(Sorry for being a hijacker)

[futurebird]

A week ago I got the strangest look from my husband yet as I donned disposable gloves to collect some bird poop from the roof deck. I dipped the bag in boiling water then put it in the freezer for a few days in hopes of killing any nematodes, worms, or other parasites that might harm the ants. Then I removed it and offered them a little lump. They were not *excited* but they did slowly take it all. They seem to remove a small bit, roll it in sand, then divide it again eventually taking it into the nest. I think they find it very sticky and hard to work with, but they were intent on taking it all.

Now we shall see if my colony with the non-laying queen improves. That would be the most dramatic possible result. She has had no brood for two months. 

I gave a little to each colony and they all collected it, but in no great hurry. Perhaps they know unlike sugar and bug meats no one is going to try to steal their prize. 

I keep on running into documentation suggesting that Urea is important to Camponotus ... including in the new book that just came out "The Guests of Ants"

Here is a video of them gathering the "good stuff."

[futurebird]

Update!

The colonies are doing great, but the non-laying queen has not started laying. So no major changes good or bad from feeding the frozen poop. I wondered if it was possible to simply buy refined urea, and it is! It's a plant fertilizer. Which made me wary of offering it to the ants. But then I saw this video:



The white balls are pure urea as its sold for plants. My next experiment will probably be to offer some of this fertilizer to the infertile colony. Wait a few weeks and if they don't die consider offering it to other colonies. 

 

[FloridaAnts]

But those do to appear to be S. Invicta or Xyloni… invicta will eat lizard poop, cow poop, and pretty much anything that is lying around and can be eaten by brood.

[futurebird]

The pure urea was a big hit with my struggling colony so I decided to give it to my large colony as well. The ants were attracted to it right away. Even though it's just a dry powder they lick it with intensity. It seems totally plausible that this is missing from their diets. 

I'll watch for any future changes. If in a few months I feel confident that this is a good ant supplement I'd be happy to split up the 1 pound bag I had to order with anyone here if you'll pay for the postage. 

In any case there is good evidence that a formal study of the impact of pure urea on colony health would be fruitful area of research!



Dry powdered urea is odorless, and it seems like the ants can use it well enough in crystal form. NO MORE PEE EXPERIMENTS NEEDED (thank god)

Edited by futurebird, August 20 2022 - 9:16 AM.

[UtahAnts]

I'd be interested in trying this for some of my Camponotus. I may have missed it but what is the name and brand of the fertilizer you used?

[FinWins]

My colonies’ main protein source is dubia roach meat, so could they be getting their urea from that?

[futurebird]

I've been feeding dubias too now for months to that colony but they still seemed pretty excited. I have seen that they get some from roaches and crickets.

[FinWins]

I've been feeding dubias too now for months to that colony but they still seemed pretty excited. I have seen that they get some from roaches and crickets.

Same, my colonies never really refuse roach meat for some reason even though its what I feed them for protein most of the time.

[ConcordAntman]

Futurebird, C. americanus, and C. novaeboracensis are two you missed. I bought my C. americanus colony in 2019 but it’s been around since 2017. I tried a  bird poop slurry for my C. pennsylvanicus colonies but the didn’t seem interested.