16 replies to this topic

[grimff5]

okay so i have a Tapinoma sessile colony(from what the seller tells me its a wild queen that was caught from a colony) and it came with some eggs and about 10+ workers. since its a wild caught colony trying to grow from what there left with. should i feed them in the test tube? i won't have an out world for them ready for like a week or so.

another question. is this honey ( https://images-na.ss..._SR300,300_.jpg ) healthy for the ants?

i also have a tetramorium colony with about 5+ workers and ALOT of eggs. should i also feed them in the test tube(i'm afraid if i don't feed them they will die) ( I'm aware some species don't need to be feed untill there are alot of workers but I'm just making sure)

also both queens/colonys have a proper test tube set up with water. but I'm not sure if that's enough.

thanks

[LC3]

If the wild colony was from a larger colony, you should probably feed it and it'sfine to do it in the tube; just take a tooth pick (or something like  toothpick) and add a drop of honey in the tube and maybe throw in a few fruit flies. Are the tetras nanitics? I f so you can also add a tiny drop.(make sure it's tiny cause tetra nanitics are really small) if its workers add a  fruit fly and some honey. Although other things work too like sugar water or diluted honey.

[grimff5]

yes the Tetramorium sp. E are nanitics 

 

what temperature conditions should i keep each colony in? (Tapinoma sessile, Tetramorium sp. E)

 

 

i feed the Tapinoma sessile with honey on the cotton,  they loved it, started to move fast around the test tube. queen feed on it too. 

 

the Tetramorium sp. E didn't seem to like the drops of honey i gave them. they seemed to taste it but didn't really stay on it as long. its just a queen and 6 workers. the queen to seems to move in a really slow motion, i don't know if that's normal? 

[LC3]

I think it's normal ever since my Tetra got her nanitics she's not moving to fast. I think it depends where you live mine are kept at 21c - 23c (69f - 72f). I have no knowledge on T.sessile though. Maybe dilute some honey for the tetras?

[Huch]

LC3 gave good advice. I think any store bought honey should be fine. I am beginning to feed mine Raw honey, undiluted.

 

Some say undiluted honey dehydrates ants.

 

You may want to think of a protein source as well, even though your colonies are just beginning. I go outside and try to capture soft bodied insects, and I freeze them in a bag in the freezer, than feed it whole to the ants. Even at an early stage, ants will show interest.

[grimff5]

is http://www.amazon.co...CHCCYYQH4HMFHC8 ( Formula Blue 100)

good for ants?

 

within the next few days ill have an out world and meal worms for them. 

[drtrmiller]

is http://www.amazon.co...CHCCYYQH4HMFHC8 ( Formula Blue 100)

good for ants?

 

within the next few days ill have an out world and meal worms for them. 

 

I am the manufacturer of that product.

 

The now 16 reviews and 4.3 of 5 star average rating are representative of people's experiences with the food.  It is important to follow the preparation and usage instructions exactly, and be patient for your ants to adjust to the food.

 

If you do not like it, you may return the unused portion back to Amazon for a refund.

 

Here is another user's small colony of Tetramorium just like yours, eating the food:

 

[Gregory2455]

My Tetramorium crawl over each other for some Blue 100.

If I could find the actual photo, I would share it... In the photo it was basically two cubes of byFormica Blue 100 being swarmed by 150-200 Tetramorium workers in my colony.

[Mdrogun]

 

is http://www.amazon.co...CHCCYYQH4HMFHC8 ( Formula Blue 100)

good for ants?

 

within the next few days ill have an out world and meal worms for them. 

 

I am the manufacturer of that product.

 

The now 16 reviews and 4.3 of 5 star average rating are representative of people's experiences with the food.  It is important to follow the preparation and usage instructions exactly, and be patient for your ants to adjust to the food.

 

If you do not like it, you may return the unused portion back to Amazon for a refund.

 

Here is another user's small colony of Tetramorium just like yours, eating the food:

 

 

My Tetramorium colony hated blue 100. I don't know why.

[drtrmiller]

My Tetramorium colony hated blue 100. I don't know why.

How many days did you feed it to them? Why do you think your ants didn't eat it?

[William. T]

 

 

is http://www.amazon.co...CHCCYYQH4HMFHC8 ( Formula Blue 100)

good for ants?

 

within the next few days ill have an out world and meal worms for them. 

 

I am the manufacturer of that product.

 

The now 16 reviews and 4.3 of 5 star average rating are representative of people's experiences with the food.  It is important to follow the preparation and usage instructions exactly, and be patient for your ants to adjust to the food.

 

If you do not like it, you may return the unused portion back to Amazon for a refund.

 

Here is another user's small colony of Tetramorium just like yours, eating the food:

 

 

My Tetramorium colony hated blue 100. I don't know why.

 

Odd. My Tetramorium SpE loved the food. All 30 of them,

[Mdrogun]

 

My Tetramorium colony hated blue 100. I don't know why.

How many days did you feed it to them? Why do you think your ants didn't eat it?

 

I've been trying to feed it to them constantly for about 2 months now. I would love to switch, I don't want to worry about mites or other diseases. All my other colony's love it including the ones I sell on your website. I was just kind of saying his might not like it.

[William. T]

 

 

My Tetramorium colony hated blue 100. I don't know why.

How many days did you feed it to them? Why do you think your ants didn't eat it?

 

I've been trying to feed it to them constantly for about 2 months now. I would love to switch, I don't want to worry about mites or other diseases. All my other colony's love it including the ones I sell on your website. I was just kind of saying his might not like it.

 

Some colonies just don't like ByFormica. Just continue to feed it a balanced diet.

[Mdrogun]

 

 

My Tetramorium colony hated blue 100. I don't know why.

How many days did you feed it to them? Why do you think your ants didn't eat it?

 

I've been trying to feed it to them constantly for about 2 months now. I would love to switch, I don't want to worry about mites or other diseases. All my other colony's love it including the ones I sell on your website. I was just kind of saying his might not like it.

 

My colony Tetramorium colony decided to eat blue 100 today. In fact they seemed to love it.

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[grimff5]

bumping this topic back. iv had a Tapinoma sessile colony for few months now. they were doing alright with fruit flies and meal worms. and now they don't eat anything. and they have been slowly dying out. the number of works drop by the daily. any idea what to feed them? anyone with Tapinoma sessile please help me. let me know what you feed them, and give them to drink. 

[Vendayn]

bumping this topic back. iv had a Tapinoma sessile colony for few months now. they were doing alright with fruit flies and meal worms. and now they don't eat anything. and they have been slowly dying out. the number of works drop by the daily. any idea what to feed them? anyone with Tapinoma sessile please help me. let me know what you feed them, and give them to drink. 

I find this is a common experience with Tapinoma sessile, but I've seen one or two who are successful with them. Overall, they do good for 2-3 months and then slowly die off until they are all dead.

[Ants4fun]

I have found that Tapinoma sessile get 'bored' with one or two kinds of food. In nature they will eat a wide variety. You might need to do humming bird nectar one day, honey another day, suger water another day, etc. The same thing with protein sources. You might need meal worms one day, crickets the next, then spiders, etc.

Edited by Ants4fun, February 11 2016 - 6:56 AM.