43 replies to this topic

[Talabason]

They are probably close to or over 100 workers now. They have been fairly easy to care for now that they are thriving. They need heat, humidity, and seeds with proteins for time to time.

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[ANTdrew]

Such an awesome colony deserves a better macro lens.

[Talabason]

Such an awesome colony deserves a better macro lens.

This is just a $5 dollar one lol

[Talabason]

Badius are still chugging along.

Just to show the high humidity in the nest because the heating pad is under the water tower.

Newly laid eggs. Normal vs. major larva and pupae.

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Edited by Talabason, July 9 2023 - 2:35 AM.

[Talabason]

Brood pile

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[antsriondel]

Wow, awesome colony!

[ANTdrew]

Let’s do a GoFundMe drive for Tala’s new macro lens.

[Talabason]

Let’s do a GoFundMe drive for Tala’s new macro lens.

Recommend one. I have iPhone 13 regular

[ANTdrew]

https://www.amazon.c...UTF8&th=1&psc=1

[Talabason]

https://www.amazon.c...UTF8&th=1&psc=1

This one good? Do you have one of those?

[ANTdrew]

https://www.amazon.c...UTF8&th=1&psc=1

This one good? Do you have one of those?

I have a model that is no longer sold. This one looks good, though.

[Talabason]

Colony is now over 100 workers. Exponential growth from now.

They separate the brood from eggs, larva, pupae

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[RonPopeil]

can you go into more detail about how youre housing them? what does this formicarium look like? do you have pictures of how its being heated? what seeds are you using, and where did you get them? how often are you feeding protein, and what are you using?

[Talabason]

can you go into more detail about how youre housing them? what does this formicarium look like? do you have pictures of how its being heated? what seeds are you using, and where did you get them? how often are you feeding protein, and what are you using?

They are housed in a diy formicarium made from ultracal with sand molded chambers similar to THA nests

They are heated using a heating pad under the water tower to generate very high humidity on one side of the nest

I give them a variety of seeds: dandelion, chia, canary. You can just buy some organic seed mix for birds. I feed them proteins everyday in forms of fruit flies and raw meat sometimes

[Talabason]

It’s been a while. The colony has expanded to more than 200 workers and are continuing to grow.

It’s almost time to make them an expansion nest.

Edited by Talabason, July 9 2023 - 2:35 AM.

[AntsCali098]

What an awesome species.

[Talabason]

Made them a new formicarium. They are very easy to move as they love heat. Just needed to remove heating pad from old nest to new nest and they will move very quickly.

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[Talabason]

Monthly update

Steadily growing, hard to say how many workers but probably 2-300

Pogonomyrmex are very clean ants in contrast to what most people think
You can see a single trash pile outside the nest. Inside the nest it’s impeccably clean
With their seed stores in the driest part of the nest and brood in the humid and warmest part

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[aznphenom]

Are you overflowing the water tower? I see a lot of condensation. 

[Talabason]

Are you overflowing the water tower? I see a lot of condensation.

They require high humidity and heat. The heating pad is under the water tower