17 replies to this topic

[AntsNY123]

I have no clue and I love all fungus growing ants! When Ants Emporium restocks or if another seller has extra queens, i'd love to have some. I had some, but they died. Any help appreciated!

[LowQualityAnts]

Atta and leafcutter/ fungus growing ants in general are advanced species since fungus growing ants require a special setup to grow fungus. Unless you shipped them illegally or with a permit, the fungus growing ants you had were probably Trachymyrmex. If you are looking for a more forgiving intermediate species you could try P. Imparis or a formica or lasius parasite.

Edited by LowQualityAnts, October 24 2022 - 9:58 AM.

[antsriondel]

Atta and leafcutter/ fungus growing ants in general are advanced species since fungus growing ants require a special setup to grow fungus. Unless you shipped them illegally or with a permit, the fungus growing ants you had were probably Trachymyrmex. If you are looking for a more forgiving intermediate species you could try P. Imparis or a formica or lasius parasite.

Yes, although I have never personally kept leafcutters, they are not an easy species to keep from the research I have done. 

If you want to learn more you should read Cheetos atta journal: https://www.formicul...-atta-mexicana/ Hope this helps.

[mmcguffi]

In contrast to what is typically reported, my Atta texana are the easiest ant species I have ever kept, even easier than Pogonomyrmex

 

I would not say they are a beginner species because you do have to have knowledge of their needs and how to construct and maintain a proper fungus-growing formicarium, but the actual maintenance is incredibly simple (once you get past the difficult founding stages). My ~1.5 year old colony can easily go a month or two with no intervention from me. Typically I toss them some leaves once or twice a week, fill up their large water tower once a month, and always allow them access to dried rose petals and ground, dried corn -- that's it

 

one of their fungus chambers (can't figure out how to rotate pic correctly in simple picture uploader)

Edited by mmcguffi, October 24 2022 - 10:53 AM.

[MrPurpleB]

In contrast to what is typically reported, my Atta texana are the easiest ant species I have ever kept, even easier than Pogonomyrmex

 

I would not say they are a beginner species because you do have to have knowledge of their needs and how to construct and maintain a proper fungus-growing formicarium, but the actual maintenance is incredibly simple (once you get past the difficult founding stages). My ~1.5 year old colony can easily go a month or two with no intervention from me. Typically I toss them some leaves once or twice a week, fill up their large water tower once a month, and always allow them access to dried rose petals and ground, dried corn -- that's it

 

IMG_1340.jpeg

one of their fungus chambers (can't figure out how to rotate pic correctly in simple picture uploader)

 

Is the fungus chamber just a plastic bin? or is their substrate like ultracal on the bottom?

[NicholasP]

Atta and leafcutter/ fungus growing ants in general are advanced species since fungus growing ants require a special setup to grow fungus. Unless you shipped them illegally or with a permit, the fungus growing ants you had were probably Trachymyrmex. If you are looking for a more forgiving intermediate species you could try P. Imparis or a formica or lasius parasite.

They are not advanced In fact I'd rate them beginner-intermediate. It's just that people love to heat them with heating cables for some reason and that kills them. And P. imparis is not forgiving whatsoever.

Edited by NicholasP, October 24 2022 - 12:33 PM.

[LowQualityAnts]

My bad. How is P. Imparis not forgiving?

Edited by LowQualityAnts, October 24 2022 - 1:01 PM.

[bmb1bee]

My bad. How is P. Imparis not forgiving?

High mortality rate, plus a lengthy founding stage. I'd say our fungus-growing ants like Acromyrmex (Cali leafcutters) are easier and funner to keep than Prenolepis.

[ZTYguy]

All leaf cutters are easy to maintain.

[Mettcollsuss]

In contrast to what is typically reported, my Atta texana are the easiest ant species I have ever kept, even easier than Pogonomyrmex

 

I would not say they are a beginner species because you do have to have knowledge of their needs and how to construct and maintain a proper fungus-growing formicarium, but the actual maintenance is incredibly simple (once you get past the difficult founding stages). My ~1.5 year old colony can easily go a month or two with no intervention from me. Typically I toss them some leaves once or twice a week, fill up their large water tower once a month, and always allow them access to dried rose petals and ground, dried corn -- that's it

 

IMG_1340.jpeg

one of their fungus chambers (can't figure out how to rotate pic correctly in simple picture uploader)

I think you're the first person I've seen with a successful large (for captivity) A. texana colony.

 

But yeah, if you just have an understanding of how to care for them then they're pretty simple. The fungus farmers I've kept have always been straightforward. Petri dish formicarium or some other container with an ultracal base, water, and flowers.

Here's a good guide to fungus-growers if you want to look into getting them.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, October 24 2022 - 3:45 PM.

[AntsNY123]

Thx for all the help! All y’all have been so nice! I wish all y’all happy anting!

[LowQualityAnts]

I thought that there is generally more room error in prenolepsis than fungus growers because they are polygynous and live in many different habitats. With fungus growers you have to take care of the ants and the fungus habitat wise and if something happens to either, the other dies the colony has a very good chance to die.

Edit: I typed this out 2 hours ago and forgot to send it

Edited by LowQualityAnts, October 24 2022 - 4:24 PM.

[LowQualityAnts]

In contrast to what is typically reported, my Atta texana are the easiest ant species I have ever kept, even easier than Pogonomyrmex
 
I would not say they are a beginner species because you do have to have knowledge of their needs and how to construct and maintain a proper fungus-growing formicarium, but the actual maintenance is incredibly simple (once you get past the difficult founding stages). My ~1.5 year old colony can easily go a month or two with no intervention from me. Typically I toss them some leaves once or twice a week, fill up their large water tower once a month, and always allow them access to dried rose petals and ground, dried corn -- that's it
 
IMG_1340.jpeg
one of their fungus chambers (can't figure out how to rotate pic correctly in simple picture uploader)

 
Is the fungus chamber just a plastic bin? or is their substrate like ultracal on the bottom?

From research that i have done, you pretty much need a plastic box with enough space and an absorbent bottom layer. Test tubes are a bad odea for founding because the cotton will get moldy and kill the fungus.

[NicholasP]

I thought that there is generally more room error in prenolepsis than fungus growers because they are polygynous and live in many different habitats. With fungus growers you have to take care of the ants and the fungus habitat wise and if something happens to either, the other dies the colony has a very good chance to die.

Edit: I typed this out 2 hours ago and forgot to send it

There is not more room to error because they only lay one batch of eggs in the entire year in one month and that's it. If they eat the eggs, then you're in trouble as they won't lay any more.

[LowQualityAnts]

I thought that there is generally more room error in prenolepsis than fungus growers because they are polygynous and live in many different habitats. With fungus growers you have to take care of the ants and the fungus habitat wise and if something happens to either, the other dies the colony has a very good chance to die.
Edit: I typed this out 2 hours ago and forgot to send it

There is not more room to error because they only lay one batch of eggs in the entire year in one month and that's it. If they eat the eggs, then you're in trouble as they won't lay any more.

Oh, thanks for clearing that up. I knew they had a brood growth cycle but I didn't realize it was that extreme.

[mmcguffi]

 

 

In contrast to what is typically reported, my Atta texana are the easiest ant species I have ever kept, even easier than Pogonomyrmex
 
I would not say they are a beginner species because you do have to have knowledge of their needs and how to construct and maintain a proper fungus-growing formicarium, but the actual maintenance is incredibly simple (once you get past the difficult founding stages). My ~1.5 year old colony can easily go a month or two with no intervention from me. Typically I toss them some leaves once or twice a week, fill up their large water tower once a month, and always allow them access to dried rose petals and ground, dried corn -- that's it
 
IMG_1340.jpeg
one of their fungus chambers (can't figure out how to rotate pic correctly in simple picture uploader)

 
Is the fungus chamber just a plastic bin? or is their substrate like ultracal on the bottom?

From research that i have done, you pretty much need a plastic box with enough space and an absorbent bottom layer. Test tubes are a bad odea for founding because the cotton will get moldy and kill the fungus.

 

 

 

I should really update my journal, but briefly, a plaster bottom in the fungus chambers is only needed in the first year or so -- after that there is a "critical mass" of fungus, where new chambers do not need the plaster since the ants will maintain humidity with the current fungus plus leaves and whatnot. Plaster bottoms probably wouldn't hurt, but they are more prone to bacterial or (foreign) fungal contamination

[MrPurpleB]

In contrast to what is typically reported, my Atta texana are the easiest ant species I have ever kept, even easier than Pogonomyrmex
 
I would not say they are a beginner species because you do have to have knowledge of their needs and how to construct and maintain a proper fungus-growing formicarium, but the actual maintenance is incredibly simple (once you get past the difficult founding stages). My ~1.5 year old colony can easily go a month or two with no intervention from me. Typically I toss them some leaves once or twice a week, fill up their large water tower once a month, and always allow them access to dried rose petals and ground, dried corn -- that's it
 IMG_1340.jpeg
one of their fungus chambers (can't figure out how to rotate pic correctly in simple picture uploader)

 
Is the fungus chamber just a plastic bin? or is their substrate like ultracal on the bottom?

From research that i have done, you pretty much need a plastic box with enough space and an absorbent bottom layer. Test tubes are a bad odea for founding because the cotton will get moldy and kill the fungus.

 
 
I should really update my journal, but briefly, a plaster bottom in the fungus chambers is only needed in the first year or so -- after that there is a "critical mass" of fungus, where new chambers do not need the plaster since the ants will maintain humidity with the current fungus plus leaves and whatnot. Plaster bottoms probably wouldn't hurt, but they are more prone to bacterial or (foreign) fungal contamination

Thanks! I wasn't aware. I believed you needed a plaster bottom for larger formicariums. Not sure what that critical mass should be, so maybe I will check out your journal to see when you made the switch.

Convenient if I no longer need a plaster bottom, I could just get a nice looking plastic container and call it a day lol.

[AntsNY123]

Atta and leafcutter/ fungus growing ants in general are advanced species since fungus growing ants require a special setup to grow fungus. Unless you shipped them illegally or with a permit, the fungus growing ants you had were probably Trachymyrmex. If you are looking for a more forgiving intermediate species you could try P. Imparis or a formica or lasius parasite.

i just realized it wasnt atta my bad guys. it was trachymermex septentrionalis and they are a lot smaller, i made a mistake guys sorry