2 replies to this topic

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

So since spring is right around the corner and all the snow is melting, I decided that I wanted to get prepared for this year’s anting season, specifically targeting small and cryptic specks of ants, but one thing that I want to know is how to care for certain small species that are semi claustral, like Ponera pennsylvanica and Myrmecina americana. One of the biggest problems I have is I don’t know how to house them properly. I did some research on the forum, and I found out that you can use a Petri dish as the nest/outworld and some cotton as the substrate that the ants can dig into. I just wanted to know if there is any other way I can prepare a nest for species like this and how exactly am I supposed to transfer spring tails to their nest, also what other insects have these species accepted as food besides springtails?

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This is the cotton-Petri dish setup that I was talking about, this is a photo I saw on another journal

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, February 25 2025 - 7:47 AM.

[bmb1bee]

In my experience with Hypoponera, they will accept other small, soft-bodied insects like fruit flies and termites. They will also eat small chunks of mealworm and roaches, but sometimes leave bits of the exoskeleton behind, which can mold. Ponera and Myrmecina should have similar, if not the same dietary options. 

 

As for nesting, I've been experimenting with a few different things. Petri dishes with a plaster bottom and some dirt or sand is generally the best way to house them, but there will be some issues with mold, visibility, and hydration over time unless you really stay on top of managing it. Sometimes the Petri dishes are also a bit too large for them, so I wanted a setup that was similar to a Petri dish, but on a smaller scale. In brainstorming, I found that simply turning a test tube vertically basically has the same effect as a very small Petri dish. I'm not sure if it would work with cotton, but it worked pretty well when I tried it with sponges. I used this method for my Stenamma and Hypoponera this year, which had no problems laying eggs and founding. You could fill the water up pretty high, since cryptic ants like Ponera and Myrmecina tend to have poor traction on glass. This means you won't have to change tubes as often, unless if it's for mold.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Could I see one of those setups? I can’t get my head around on how they look or work.