8 replies to this topic

[Febrezeefresh]

I was in Calgary this past weekend at my Mothers house, and in her garden she has paving stone. I lifted a few and I found a small cluster of ants and some eggs and one ant was larger than the others. I scooped them all up and brought them home. I was excited to put them in my set up I built but that broke so I made something new last night for them to dig their tunnels. 
 

 

I got a cheap aquarium and put a foam block in the middle and grouted it all 

 

And then I put dirt in half and sand in the other. The moment I put them in they started digging tunnels.
 

How does everyone get such close and detailed pictures of their ants?

[dspdrew]

Macro lens, or macro setting on your camera. Did you get the queen?

[Mercutia]

I use my iPhone and zoom it. Good lighting is key but even still my pictures are very grainy.

 

Like Drew says, macro lenses, even a cheap one does wonders.

[Crystals]

Get your camera as close as you can and put your camera on the macro setting.  A macro lens helps.

 

Good luck with your colony.  I found quite a few young colonies turning over rocks and ornaments like that, usually in early spring when they are trying to warm up.  In Alberta, it is almost always Formica or Myrmica.

 

In Calgary, under a stepping stone, I will hazard a guess that it is one of the pure black Formica species.    I am curious to see if I am right when the pictures are posted.

[LAnt]

 

 and grouted it all 

 

 

?

[Febrezeefresh]

?

I used tile grout and covered the foam and bottom of the aquarium. 
 

 

Macro lens, or macro setting on your camera. Did you get the queen?

I did grab the bigger ant, but I have no idea if its a queen. I am hoping so 

I used my phone in macro mode so I am hoping they are clear enough to find out what kind of ants I grabbed. 

 

Looks like they moved all the eggs into the connecting tube, but they are still digging tunnels so I am happy!
 

 

[Mercutia]

Sorry to say, those aren't queens.

[Anthony]

Get a picture . The biggest ant and post it

[Kansant86]

As far as an ID goes you either have a species of Protomognathus or Temnothorax I believe!  Very awesome ants!