88 replies to this topic

[cooIboyJ]

The colony has around 22 workers now. So I have to buy a nest soon.

[AntsTx]

The colony has around 22 workers now. So I have to buy a nest soon.

I recommend keeping them in the test tube until they have around 50 workers, I kept mine until around 120 because they didn't want to move in a nest I got for them. A test tube will fit probably 150-175 workers. If you end up having trouble feeding them in the test tube, get a AC test tube portal, I use them for my smaller colony of Solenopsis invicta and they work great. 

Edited by AntsTx, August 30 2024 - 8:57 AM.

[cooIboyJ]

The colony has around 22 workers now. So I have to buy a nest soon.

I recommend keeping them in the test tube until they have around 50 workers, I kept mine until around 120 because they didn't want to move in a nest I got for them. A test tube will fit probably 150-175 workers. If you end up having trouble feeding them in the test tube, get a AC test tube portal, I use them for my smaller colony of Solenopsis invicta and they work great.

It is kinda hard feeding them but I cannot do the ac test tube portal because my test tube isn’t really a test tube. The diameter is 30 millimeters. The only reason I used it was because i was out of test tubes at the time. Though, does anybody have any tips for feeding the ants in their test tube?

[AntsTx]

 

 

It is kinda hard feeding them but I cannot do the ac test tube portal because my test tube isn’t really a test tube. The diameter is 30 millimeters. The only reason I used it was because i was out of test tubes at the time. Though, does anybody have any tips for feeding the ants in their test tube?

 

Ah I see. For feeding them cut a piece of foil and put some honey mixed with water or a cotton ball that absorbed sugar water. For the protein place a small fruit fly or something small for the ants to eat on the foil. For the amount of workers to move them in I recommend moving them in when they have 25+ workers. For the nest type I recommend using a inception chamber from THA and blocking off some of the chambers with cotton or something like that. Currently I'm using a AC hybrid nest and a outworld for my colony, I do not recommend this because they keep escaping the outworld.

Edited by AntsTx, August 30 2024 - 11:38 AM.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

They should have at least 25 workers to move into a section of that nest.

[AntsTx]

They should have at least 25 workers to move into a section of that nest.

Sorry, I forgot to include how many workers the colony should have before moving into the nest.

Edited by AntsTx, August 30 2024 - 11:36 AM.

[eea]

It it just me of doesn't Mikey have S.geminata? Not Invicta? 
Anyhow good luck @coolboyJ

They are geminata; they are actually native to Arizona and New Mexico, pretty close to the Vegas area. In terms of growth they're about the same as invicta, still crazy. Even little Solenopsis molesta up here has an insane growth rate, though not as impressive as their 'fire ant' cousins.

I thought they only lived in Texas.

[AntsTx]

 

I thought they only lived in Texas.

 

I have only seen Solenopsis molesta, invicta, and xyloni in Texas.

[eea]

I thought they only lived in Texas.

I have only seen Solenopsis molesta, invicta, and xyloni in Texas.

They’re probably pretty rare then.

[AntsTx]

Antmaps says otherwise

https://imgur.com/a/olyNkDq

[AntsGodzilla]

The colony has around 22 workers now. So I have to buy a nest soon.

Nice. where are going to buy from?

[cooIboyJ]

The colony has around 22 workers now. So I have to buy a nest soon.

Nice. where are going to buy from?

I’m going to buy an antfootsteps formicarium off of Amazon.

[AntsGodzilla]

cool. never heard of it

[cooIboyJ]

My brother has connected the test tube of his colony to the outworld of the formicarium he bought.

Edited by cooIboyJ, August 31 2024 - 11:57 AM.

[cooIboyJ]

I’m not going to buy the antsfootsteps nest off of Amazon anymore because my brachymyrmex patagonicus colony is in bad shape and down to four workers (see my brachymyrmex patagonicus journal) and they do not need an outworld anymore so I can give it to my solenopsis invicta, which are now impossible to feed. They keep one worker stationed at the cotton and whenever the cotton moves the worker runs back to the other members of the colony and tells them something, then they all run at the cotton and won’t go away.

[cooIboyJ]

I got the container that I'm going to use as my outworld today. First, I poured some hobby lobby perfect cast on the bottom and waited for it to dry.

 

 

Then I drilled some holes for air (the bigger holes on the top, back wall) and some holes for expansion (the smaller ones at the bottom of the walls) that are right now serving as air holes because I don't need to expand right now.

 

 

 

Then I prepared the byformica liquid feeders and also prepared a cricket leg and set it all in (the cricket leg is because the ants have not been fed in days; it's impossible to feed 25 hungry, angry ants in a test tube, especially when you do not want to be stung). Then I got a piece of vinyl tubing and wrapped some cotton around it and replaced the cotton that was already in the test tube with the cotton with the tubing in it. Then I just set the test tube in the outworld and made this post.

 

Edited by cooIboyJ, September 2 2024 - 1:20 PM.

[cooIboyJ]

There was a little bit of plastic in the outworld left over from drilling and the ants have brung some of the bits into their test tube. I’m going to remove any more plastic that is in the outworld but what should I do about the plastic in the test tube? I’m not sure if the ants are able to eat the bits because the bits are probably too big but I don’t know.

[Ants_Dakota]

There was a little bit of plastic in the outworld left over from drilling and the ants have brung some of the bits into their test tube. I’m going to remove any more plastic that is in the outworld but what should I do about the plastic in the test tube? I’m not sure if the ants are able to eat the bits because the bits are probably too big but I don’t know.

They are likely using it to mimic substrate or close up their nest entrance. I recommend adding vermiculite or another substrate to your outworld to allow your ants to moderate their nest how they want. The test tube is quite large for them, so this is probably the reason for their behavior.

[cooIboyJ]

There was a little bit of plastic in the outworld left over from drilling and the ants have brung some of the bits into their test tube. I’m going to remove any more plastic that is in the outworld but what should I do about the plastic in the test tube? I’m not sure if the ants are able to eat the bits because the bits are probably too big but I don’t know.

They are likely using it to mimic substrate or close up their nest entrance. I recommend adding vermiculite or another substrate to your outworld to allow your ants to moderate their nest how they want. The test tube is quite large for them, so this is probably the reason for their behavior.

Alright I’ll try to get some substrate.

[cooIboyJ]

I don’t think that the ants are drinking any water or sugar water from the byformica feeders. I’ve colored the sugar water a bright blue so I can see if they’ve been drinking but their gasters never have even a hint of blue in them. What should I do to get them to discover the liquid feeders?