87 replies to this topic

[sgheaton]

Oooooo Mr. I give my ants soft water because the harsh calcium deposits make white marks on my things..... 

 

Cool. I didn't know about that perlite layer in AC Formicariums. In theory as long as it never gets dirty and just continues to be a sponge, you'd never have to clean/maintain it?

[XZero38]

I'm sure after a while it will need to be replaced cause mold but its doing fine for now.

 

I get Commerce City water and that stuff is gross. i was actually having health issues cause the water was so hard before i got the treatment system in my house.

[sgheaton]

WHaaaaaa? And here breweries are claiming that "the water is the purest, cleanest, the rockies!" ...... dang water flooded the state then...

 

Dang son, didn't actually know Commerce City had poor water.

[XZero38]

Its pretty terrible, when i had it tested the guy testing it says he hasnt seen water that hard in years.

[XZero38]

Nothing to exciting to report with this colony they are growing at a very rapid rate, some of the pupae in their brood wall are starting to darken so I'm guessing ill be seeing new workers running around in a week or so.

[sgheaton]

I need to take a picture and recount mine. The brood changes color constantly. There are piles grouped together all over. I don't think it was too early to bring them out of hibernation. Having an ant colony that grows very quickly is that much more fun I'd say!

[Kevin]

That is quite the dark colored hybrid nest.

[XZero38]

yeah it is. I wish it was a lighter color, would be easier to see the ants as well

[sgheaton]

Couldn't see eggs and brood though! Trade offs huh. Mine is white (basically) and yours is darker (brown). We really have done a bit of opposites between you and me. I'm finding pleasure in comparing our notes.

[XZero38]

I'm not saying white per say, a lighter shade of brown would work as well.

[sgheaton]

Yeah yeah, I get what you're saying and where you're coming from. 

[sgheaton]

Hey what's your outworld looking like? How many workers do you have out, scrounging about?

[XZero38]

Well if the colony isn't in need of protein or sweet usually 15ish workers.

 

If they are in need of anything it can but up to 50 workers.

[sgheaton]

Sheesh. I need to prepare for that. As much as I like them "open", I'd feel MUCH better with... either a preventative lid barrier. 

[Newb4ants]

Hey! I was looking for info on tetramorium sp. e and i found this! I just recently started looking into ant keeping and i don't even have my first colony yet. *^* I was wondering when is the best time to look for tetramorium queens? i saw that most people on this thread are from Colorado and i was wondering if you could help me out!

[sgheaton]

This is my 2nd year so take what I say with a grain of salt.

That being said I came across more Tetramoriuums last year than I knew what to do with. I thought it may have been my location..but really I see them everywhere. 

 

My advice is try and locate an already established colony close to your house. I've got....at least a dozen ant hits where the street meets the sidewalk. Not in front of my house but off to the side (more so my neighbors). They would be my queen source. Then it's just getting in a routine of "After a rain/early weekend morning (before the heat comes)" during their flight periods. go inspect things. I probably got super lucky by coming across 50+ in my front yard driveway whatever morning that was. I literally walked out in PJs with my coffee just to look....and there will sooooo many queens going from the left side to the right side. This was....June? I since saw them at my work, and even had one land on my windshield as I was driving to work. They are everywhere.

 

We are probably getting close to their flying times. I got my Tet-Queens from the flight off the ground, not from  digging up chambers. 

 

Though...Went on a bike ride to the library yesterday. Passed... 3 dinner plate sized mounds. Darn Pogonomyrmex's are already tearing up the fields! They are what I'm wanting again this time. Only got 2 last year and had accidents with a third. 

[XZero38]

I believe you are #5 as far as colorado anters go. Myself and Sgheaton both started around the same time last year so we are still fairly new but you would be surprised how much you can learn in that time frame.

[Newb4ants]

I thought there would be a few more people that do this in Colorado.....wow, anything super important i should know? like about keeping ants in Colorado?

Edited by Newb4ants, May 8 2017 - 3:11 PM.

[XZero38]

Nothing that special about keeping them here. The biggest thing is patience, in finding queens and waiting for their first workers.

[sgheaton]

I roughly captured my queen about a year ago. Picture time, get on it!