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What is a good sized outworld for ants?

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#1 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:49 PM

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Does anyone know what the best size is for an outworld?


“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#2 Offline GOCAMPONOTUS - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:50 PM

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It depends on the size of the colony and lenght of the workers.


  • antlover18 likes this

Currently keeping: 2 C.vicinus colonies.2 C.sansabeanus. 1 C.leavissimus. 2 C.Ca02. 1 V.pergandei. 4 T.immigrans.1 F.pacifica. 1 C.hyatti

1 M.ergatognya

 

 

 

 

Trying to get my hands on :C.modoc,A.vercicolor, and Any Honeypots

  

 

 


#3 Offline GOCAMPONOTUS - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:52 PM

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I mostly use empty spinach containers.


  • cooIboyJ and antlover18 like this

Currently keeping: 2 C.vicinus colonies.2 C.sansabeanus. 1 C.leavissimus. 2 C.Ca02. 1 V.pergandei. 4 T.immigrans.1 F.pacifica. 1 C.hyatti

1 M.ergatognya

 

 

 

 

Trying to get my hands on :C.modoc,A.vercicolor, and Any Honeypots

  

 

 


#4 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:54 PM

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I will probably find harvesters or carpenters soon, so how about an outworld for a new colony of harvesters/carpenters?


“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#5 Offline Artisan_Ants - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:55 PM

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You can use any container. For younger colonies, I recommend plastic containers that still provide ideal viewing of the ants. And like the hat GOCAMPONOTUS mentioned, it really just depends on the size of the colony.
  • GOCAMPONOTUS, cooIboyJ and antlover18 like this

Keeping:

3x - S. molesta (colonies and single queen)                1x - C. nearcticus (founding but no eggs)   (y) New!

1x - C. chromaiodes (colony)                                       1x - C. subbarbatus (founding)  

1x - F. subsericea (founding)                                        1x - T. sessile (mega colony)

3x - P. imparis (colonies)  

2x - L. neoniger (founding)

 

Check out my C. nearcticus journal here: https://www.formicul...cticus-journal/

Check out my C. chromaiodes journal here: https://www.formicul...aiodes-journal/


#6 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:55 PM

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ok


“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#7 Offline GOCAMPONOTUS - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:56 PM

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I use spinach containers ,plastic,and acrylic containers.


Edited by GOCAMPONOTUS, March 3 2024 - 4:58 PM.

  • cooIboyJ and antlover18 like this

Currently keeping: 2 C.vicinus colonies.2 C.sansabeanus. 1 C.leavissimus. 2 C.Ca02. 1 V.pergandei. 4 T.immigrans.1 F.pacifica. 1 C.hyatti

1 M.ergatognya

 

 

 

 

Trying to get my hands on :C.modoc,A.vercicolor, and Any Honeypots

  

 

 


#8 Offline GOCAMPONOTUS - Posted March 3 2024 - 4:59 PM

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You could also make an all in one formicarium.


  • Artisan_Ants, cooIboyJ and antlover18 like this

Currently keeping: 2 C.vicinus colonies.2 C.sansabeanus. 1 C.leavissimus. 2 C.Ca02. 1 V.pergandei. 4 T.immigrans.1 F.pacifica. 1 C.hyatti

1 M.ergatognya

 

 

 

 

Trying to get my hands on :C.modoc,A.vercicolor, and Any Honeypots

  

 

 


#9 Offline Artisan_Ants - Posted March 3 2024 - 5:00 PM

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You could also make an all in one formicarium.

Very useful for small and large colonies.
  • GOCAMPONOTUS, cooIboyJ and antlover18 like this

Keeping:

3x - S. molesta (colonies and single queen)                1x - C. nearcticus (founding but no eggs)   (y) New!

1x - C. chromaiodes (colony)                                       1x - C. subbarbatus (founding)  

1x - F. subsericea (founding)                                        1x - T. sessile (mega colony)

3x - P. imparis (colonies)  

2x - L. neoniger (founding)

 

Check out my C. nearcticus journal here: https://www.formicul...cticus-journal/

Check out my C. chromaiodes journal here: https://www.formicul...aiodes-journal/


#10 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted March 3 2024 - 5:00 PM

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I know but I probably won't.


  • Artisan_Ants, GOCAMPONOTUS and IdioticMouse26 like this

“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#11 Offline GOCAMPONOTUS - Posted March 3 2024 - 5:06 PM

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just use a plastic or acrylic box with a lid. cut out a small hole and then silicone some steel mesh


then cut a hole and place viynl tubing connecting from the outworld to the nest.


  • antlover18 likes this

Currently keeping: 2 C.vicinus colonies.2 C.sansabeanus. 1 C.leavissimus. 2 C.Ca02. 1 V.pergandei. 4 T.immigrans.1 F.pacifica. 1 C.hyatti

1 M.ergatognya

 

 

 

 

Trying to get my hands on :C.modoc,A.vercicolor, and Any Honeypots

  

 

 


#12 Offline Rrar - Posted March 4 2024 - 1:44 PM

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Instead of mesh on top, which could be a little time-consuming, you could just drill a hole and block it with cotton.


  • GOCAMPONOTUS likes this

canada = boring!!!!!

I want attaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!

also: Camponotus ca02 ( probably not possible though)


#13 Offline GOCAMPONOTUS - Posted March 4 2024 - 2:09 PM

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True but for me mush allows for more airflow. But cotton should also work just fine.


Currently keeping: 2 C.vicinus colonies.2 C.sansabeanus. 1 C.leavissimus. 2 C.Ca02. 1 V.pergandei. 4 T.immigrans.1 F.pacifica. 1 C.hyatti

1 M.ergatognya

 

 

 

 

Trying to get my hands on :C.modoc,A.vercicolor, and Any Honeypots

  

 

 


#14 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted March 4 2024 - 2:49 PM

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ok


Since my birthday is coming up, I might do some mesh because I can ask for it.


“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#15 Offline GOCAMPONOTUS - Posted March 4 2024 - 2:53 PM

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Happy early b-day!


  • antlover18 likes this

Currently keeping: 2 C.vicinus colonies.2 C.sansabeanus. 1 C.leavissimus. 2 C.Ca02. 1 V.pergandei. 4 T.immigrans.1 F.pacifica. 1 C.hyatti

1 M.ergatognya

 

 

 

 

Trying to get my hands on :C.modoc,A.vercicolor, and Any Honeypots

  

 

 


#16 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted March 4 2024 - 5:08 PM

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Thanks


  • GOCAMPONOTUS and IdioticMouse26 like this

“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#17 Offline Full_Frontal_Yeti - Posted March 5 2024 - 10:54 AM

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Something to consider/POV to use.

 

The outworld is an illusion for the ants, of being outside.

the more convincing this illusion is to them, the more it will bring on changes in their behaviors.

 

If from their POV the outworld is just more nest, then they will show you their in nest behavior almost exclusively.

But if they believe in the illusion, and their sensing equipment determines they have left the nest for the open outdoors. Then their behavior will change to show this change in their POV about their location status.

This is for most ants going to be what we think of as smell based.
This means if the outworld is smaller and/or closed lid. Then from the Ant's POV they may not perceive any meaningful distinctions between nest and outworld, just being all nest to them.

 

 

So if you have the space and the ability, i suggest giving your ants as much outworld as you can, and do them as open air tops with no lids.

 

While it is possile to give ants too much nest space and stress them out, it is impossible to give them more outworld than they would have had in the wild. As the outside of their wild nest is planet earth basically.

My nest/outworld ratio is heavily outworld lopsided, and i am always thinking about how to add more outworld.

 

My current, if i had the room fantasy, is to use a 45" diameter kiddie pool as outword for a large colony. They only cost about $15, which leaves a lot of budget for decoration.


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#18 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted March 5 2024 - 6:14 PM

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ok


“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#19 Offline futurebird - Posted March 5 2024 - 6:28 PM

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Something to consider/POV to use.

 

The outworld is an illusion for the ants, of being outside.

the more convincing this illusion is to them, the more it will bring on changes in their behaviors.

 

If from their POV the outworld is just more nest, then they will show you their in nest behavior almost exclusively.

But if they believe in the illusion, and their sensing equipment determines they have left the nest for the open outdoors. Then their behavior will change to show this change in their POV about their location status.

This is for most ants going to be what we think of as smell based.
This means if the outworld is smaller and/or closed lid. Then from the Ant's POV they may not perceive any meaningful distinctions between nest and outworld, just being all nest to them.

 

 

So if you have the space and the ability, i suggest giving your ants as much outworld as you can, and do them as open air tops with no lids.

 

While it is possile to give ants too much nest space and stress them out, it is impossible to give them more outworld than they would have had in the wild. As the outside of their wild nest is planet earth basically.

My nest/outworld ratio is heavily outworld lopsided, and i am always thinking about how to add more outworld.

 

My current, if i had the room fantasy, is to use a 45" diameter kiddie pool as outword for a large colony. They only cost about $15, which leaves a lot of budget for decoration.

This is such a good point. My sadly queenless cone ant colony has a HUGE outworld compared to their nest, and today I was able to watch them make little trails to the food I put out for them. There are about 400 or so of them in the nest, and since they are tiny ants their nest is smaller than a deck of cards. Their outworld is 30cm by 30cm by 10cm tall. 

 

Seeing them feed their brood and make trails made me a little less sad about their queen being gone. They still have a lot of ant life to live. (and they have been raising some VERY FAT larvae ... I'm hoping they are raising alates which would be neat to see. )

 

Expanding their outworld and seeing more interesting behavior has inspired me to do the same for all my colonies. Though for my huge carpenter ants that's going to be a little more challenging. Their nest is nearly the size of a shoebox! So they'd need an outworld like a kiddie pool LOL. Don't know if I could swing that, but I can give them three 30x30 tanks... and some long tubes to run through. 


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Starting this July I'm posting videos of my ants every week on youTube.

I like to make relaxing videos that capture the joy of watching ants.

If that sounds like your kind of thing... follow me >here<


#20 Offline Mushu - Posted March 6 2024 - 6:02 AM

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Something to consider/POV to use.

The outworld is an illusion for the ants, of being outside.
the more convincing this illusion is to them, the more it will bring on changes in their behaviors.

If from their POV the outworld is just more nest, then they will show you their in nest behavior almost exclusively.
But if they believe in the illusion, and their sensing equipment determines they have left the nest for the open outdoors. Then their behavior will change to show this change in their POV about their location status.

This is for most ants going to be what we think of as smell based.
This means if the outworld is smaller and/or closed lid. Then from the Ant's POV they may not perceive any meaningful distinctions between nest and outworld, just being all nest to them.


So if you have the space and the ability, i suggest giving your ants as much outworld as you can, and do them as open air tops with no lids.

While it is possile to give ants too much nest space and stress them out, it is impossible to give them more outworld than they would have had in the wild. As the outside of their wild nest is planet earth basically.

My nest/outworld ratio is heavily outworld lopsided, and i am always thinking about how to add more outworld.

My current, if i had the room fantasy, is to use a 45" diameter kiddie pool as outword for a large colony. They only cost about $15, which leaves a lot of budget for decoration.

This is such a good point. My sadly queenless cone ant colony has a HUGE outworld compared to their nest, and today I was able to watch them make little trails to the food I put out for them. There are about 400 or so of them in the nest, and since they are tiny ants their nest is smaller than a deck of cards. Their outworld is 30cm by 30cm by 10cm tall.

Seeing them feed their brood and make trails made me a little less sad about their queen being gone. They still have a lot of ant life to live. (and they have been raising some VERY FAT larvae ... I'm hoping they are raising alates which would be neat to see. )

Expanding their outworld and seeing more interesting behavior has inspired me to do the same for all my colonies. Though for my huge carpenter ants that's going to be a little more challenging. Their nest is nearly the size of a shoebox! So they'd need an outworld like a kiddie pool LOL. Don't know if I could swing that, but I can give them three 30x30 tanks... and some long tubes to run through.

Three 30x30 tanks would be amazing.
  • antlover18 likes this





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