5 replies to this topic

[AntsGodzilla]

In the early spring or 2025 (or whenever i have enough money) I was thinking about getting a myrmecocystus mexicanus colony, and want to know their care information, like what would be a good formicarium for a full size colony (I shop at THA), heat requirements , and any other nutritional stuff. Thanks!

[AntsGodzilla]

But i buy queens at Antopia Usa

[Artisan_Ants]

I’m no honeypot keeper, but I have some recommendations based on what you said. For one, I know that most people keep Myrmecocystus species in THA mini hearths if it is an small colony, and they work exceptionally well for colonies from what I’ve seen (THA recommends it for small honeypot colonies themselves). For larger colonies, I would suggest XL mini hearth but since they start growing fast later on, many keepers recommend (or at least from I’ve seen) the Fortress formicarium. The benefits of the listed ones is that they have good ceilings for the repletes to hang on. I wouldn’t recommend flat formicaria unless they have some sort of grip but honestly, the ones with ceiling like the THA hearth series formicarium and the THA fortress formicarium series are the best for Myrmecocystus (this all really depends on the size of a colony and by full size I believe you mean about 50-100+ workers cause then fortress formicarium would work great). As of feeding they love sugar water and fruit flies as well as mealworms. As for heating, it is recommended to be at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit which is about 30 degrees Celsius, or above. The brood won’t be able to develop properly if kept at a lower temperature (it should be high since they are obviously a desert species).

[ANTdrew]

Use the search button to find the eleven years worth of info on this species in the archives.

[jabasson]

I just got enough money myself to buy a queen so I've been doing lots of research myself. I've found that those that give their queens sand for their cocoons, heat at around 85 degrees, and feed lots of sugar, and put in mini hearth or dirt setups tend to do the best. I've also found that you have to force move this colony because they will stay in their nest until they die potentially if given the option. This is just some of the basics, I would recommend reading through UtahAnts stuff. My queen should come sometime next week so I'm hoping for the best. I wish you luck with your future colony.

[AntsGodzilla]

thanks!