18 replies to this topic

[SaintDrake]

I am new to ant keeping and was wondering for more experienced ant keepers what is your success rate for starting new colonies? I am sure for some you have no actual idea but what is your guess? I have had 5 queens die on me total so far from 3 different species. I have 3 queens already with eggs and 1 with workers (I dug these up though !) 

 

I guess my success rate (ratio) technically is 3:1 for every 3 queens I have alive I had one queen die. Maybe 4:1.

Edited by SaintDrake, August 30 2016 - 7:57 PM.

[Canadian anter]

Depends on the species and the environment

[SaintDrake]

I am asking more for your overall success rate. How many colonies have you had successfully take off and how many have you had kick the bucket before even getting off the ground. 

[SaintDrake]

Depends on the species and the environment

Trust me, I have already learned it depends on species. 4 of my 5 queen deaths have been social parasites 3 Lasius latipes and 1 other Lasius.

Edited by SaintDrake, August 30 2016 - 8:01 PM.

[yen_saw]

For S invicta it is almost guarantee to be a successful one with little effort. But it is not the same for Atta texana, be lucky to see 1 out of 10, and with lot of effort too. For P barbatus i have been lucky with 60-80% success rate. I think the success rate also increase with experience.

[sgheaton]

This year was my first year anting ever. Had AntFest 2016 in my yard. Found all species while in PJs.  

I lost count at all the tetramoriums I caught. It was 30+. Out of those I monitored in single isolation (14?), all produced eggs. Only one laid some eggs and died, and she was the only queen I had die naturally. Those grouped in bigger dirt containers were ruled as a failed experiment however so it can be viewed either way. All of the tetras crushed it this year though. 10+:0 whatever ratio you want to go with.

 

I was able to find two pogonomyrmexs on my back porch though had one die on me due to refined tastes come feeding time - the other is laying eggs and is still alive (I think). I'd give myself fault for it with a 2:1.

 

The three solenopsis molesta  queens I was able to find curled up dead before anything ever started. Sad face 0:3. 

[SaintDrake]

For S invicta it is almost guarantee to be a successful one with little effort. But it is not the same for Atta texana, be lucky to see 1 out of 10, and with lot of effort too. For P barbatus i have been lucky with 60-80% success rate. I think the success rate also increase with experience.

 

I feel the same way about whatever Lasius species I have either alienus or neoniger. I just put them in a test tube and they all do their thing with no fuss. The only one I had problems with started eating her brood but that was my fault because her tube started to flood so I gave her a new one. I hope it gets better with experience because I really like Lasius latipes but I am not having any success with them.

This year was my first year anting ever. Had AntFest 2016 in my yard. Found all species while in PJs.  
I lost count at all the tetramoriums I caught. It was 30+. Out of those I monitored in single isolation (14?), all produced eggs. Only one laid some eggs and died, and she was the only queen I had die naturally. Those grouped in bigger dirt containers were ruled as a failed experiment however so it can be viewed either way. All of the tetras crushed it this year though. 10+:0 whatever ratio you want to go with.
 
I was able to find two pogonomyrmexs on my back porch though had one die on me due to refined tastes come feeding time - the other is laying eggs and is still alive (I think). I'd give myself fault for it with a 2:1.
 
The three solenopsis molesta  queens I was able to find curled up dead before anything ever started. Sad face 0:3.

That's a good success rate I would say. Except for S. molesta, but we are bound to have our failures. This is my first year Anting as well so it's a lot of learning and making stupid mistakes.

[Loops117]

I have 59 queens currently, 28 with colonies. I've lost/killed a total of 6 or 7 queens. 2 of which were random deaths of C.pennsylvanicus, and the rest were user error such as forgetting to water before a vacation, or the container getting too hot during transportation. I will also add that not all queens are created equally. Batch of 3 C.nove queens were put in the exact same tube setup a few months ago. 1 has 6 workers already, 1 has 2. and the 3rd has 2 eggs and 1 cocoon. All 3 were handled the same way.

Edited by Loops117, August 31 2016 - 8:49 AM.

[benjiwuf]

I've lost probably a dozen queens in america. Since i restarted here i have roughly 12 Lasius with nanitics, one Formica species with nanitics, roughly 20 Tetramorium queens freshly caught. I've only had 5 deaths this year. So my first trial year was 90% death rates, and this year i have roughly 10% death rate. The first year is always the worst in my opinion.

[SaintDrake]

I've lost probably a dozen queens in america. Since i restarted here i have roughly 12 Lasius with nanitics, one Formica species with nanitics, roughly 20 Tetramorium queens freshly caught. I've only had 5 deaths this year. So my first trial year was 90% death rates, and this year i have roughly 10% death rate. The first year is always the worst in my opinion.

That is kind of what I was hoping to hear. I know my death rate isn't too terrible but I hope it gets better with more experience. I know parasitic species are hard to rear and sometimes ants just die. I am glad I got some hardy species in my non-parasitic Lasius queens (hardy from what I can tell so far).

[Vendayn]

Solenopsis invicta pretty much has a 100% success rate. Super easy. They were my first successful species I've had.

 

Solenopsis aurea/amblychila and xyloni all have a near 100% success rate as well.

 

Pogonomyrmex californicus (the ones along the coast), they always die on me. Pogonomyrmex californicus out in the desert have a near 100% success rate (the bi-color wasp-like ones). The ones along the coast are like frail pansies, probably not really even the same species. But that is a different topic. 

 

Most of the desert ants have a much higher success rate in general, than ones found along the coast or mountains. Probably because they are a lot hardier from living in a harsh environment. I have a MUCH better success with desert ants than any other ant from other climates. With a few exceptions like Solenopsis invicta (which are more tropical/temperate climate I believe) and Pheidole megacephala (which are super easy and they are more of a tropical ant as well).

 

On the other hand, ants I find in the mountains have a vastly lower success rate for me. Takes a lot more queens to get a good colony out of mountain ants, and never yet had an actual successful ant colony that I've found in the high altitude mountains.

[Mdrogun]

Until recently I had probably a 95% success rate or higher. For some reason S. molesta love to dig into cotton and keep digging until they drown themselves. With most species in the midwest (Camponotus, Tetramorium, Lasius, etc.) they will very rarely die on you for no reason as long as you give them the right conditions. Some species like Hypoponera or Stigmatomma are nearly impossible to raise though.

 

 

Solenopsis aurea/amblychila and xyloni all have a near 100% success rate as well.

 

 

 

 

In all of the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila journals from Gregory or Drew they never had a successful colony. If you do have a successful colony could you share some pics? I think they look really cool.

Edited by Mdrogun, August 31 2016 - 3:46 PM.

[dermy]

Depends what you consider success rate, for me getting nanitics no problem. But then they either get eaten, or more recently run away. I have had no luck with Lasius but good luck with Camponotus this year. I've never tried starting a Myrmica colony from scratch, but i have about 8 queens in my fridge right now [as well as extra stock of other queens, because you never know] so I might try it.

[Canadian anter]

I have no luck with brachymyrmex, Camponotus not us and formica

[William. T]

Adding sand to the test tube adds a lot to the success rate, especially for Camponotus and Lasius, and smaller species.

[Canadian anter]

Adding sand to the test tube adds a lot to the success rate, especially for Camponotus and Lasius, and smaller species.

It's that I only found 1 one camponotus and 3 formica

[Vendayn]

Until recently I had probably a 95% success rate or higher. For some reason S. molesta love to dig into cotton and keep digging until they drown themselves. With most species in the midwest (Camponotus, Tetramorium, Lasius, etc.) they will very rarely die on you for no reason as long as you give them the right conditions. Some species like Hypoponera or Stigmatomma are nearly impossible to raise though.

 

 

Solenopsis aurea/amblychila and xyloni all have a near 100% success rate as well.

 

 

 

 

In all of the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila journals from Gregory or Drew they never had a successful colony. If you do have a successful colony could you share some pics? I think they look really cool.

Ah, yeah I do remember seeing their journals. I've always had successful queens, though this year no pics I'm afraid as I never found any. I find keeping them easy enough. My biggest colony got to 500 or so ants, but I gave it to a friend of mine (given him a few colonies now, most still doing pretty good). Though the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila DID die on him shortly after, so guess not actually a 100% success. But it was probably the trip down and all the shaking that disturbed them, plus the car was very hot on the way to his house.

 

Sadly though, this year I didn't even find a single queen of Solenopsis aurea/amblychila.  Just some Solenopsis invicta queens, and a ton of those huge sized Crematogaster queens. I think the Solenopsis invicta and Argentine ants killed a lot of Solenopsis colonies that were around last year.

Edited by Vendayn, September 1 2016 - 4:08 PM.

[Mdrogun]

 

Until recently I had probably a 95% success rate or higher. For some reason S. molesta love to dig into cotton and keep digging until they drown themselves. With most species in the midwest (Camponotus, Tetramorium, Lasius, etc.) they will very rarely die on you for no reason as long as you give them the right conditions. Some species like Hypoponera or Stigmatomma are nearly impossible to raise though.

 

 

Solenopsis aurea/amblychila and xyloni all have a near 100% success rate as well.

 

 

 

 

In all of the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila journals from Gregory or Drew they never had a successful colony. If you do have a successful colony could you share some pics? I think they look really cool.

Ah, yeah I do remember seeing their journals. I've always had successful queens, though this year no pics I'm afraid as I never found any. I find keeping them easy enough. My biggest colony got to 500 or so ants, but I gave it to a friend of mine (given him a few colonies now, most still doing pretty good). Though the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila DID die on him shortly after, so guess not actually a 100% success. But it was probably the trip down and all the shaking that disturbed them, plus the car was very hot on the way to his house.

 

Sadly though, this year I didn't even find a single queen of Solenopsis aurea/amblychila.  Just some Solenopsis invicta queens, and a ton of those huge sized Crematogaster queens. I think the Solenopsis invicta and Argentine ants killed a lot of Solenopsis colonies that were around last year.

 

Wow that's incredible. Are they parasitic? I remember Gregory suggesting they might be parasitic after he had so many queens that failed, even after adding Solenopsis invicta brood they still didn't work out. I really hope you raise another colony.

[Vendayn]

 

 

Until recently I had probably a 95% success rate or higher. For some reason S. molesta love to dig into cotton and keep digging until they drown themselves. With most species in the midwest (Camponotus, Tetramorium, Lasius, etc.) they will very rarely die on you for no reason as long as you give them the right conditions. Some species like Hypoponera or Stigmatomma are nearly impossible to raise though.

 

 

Solenopsis aurea/amblychila and xyloni all have a near 100% success rate as well.

 

 

 

 

In all of the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila journals from Gregory or Drew they never had a successful colony. If you do have a successful colony could you share some pics? I think they look really cool.

Ah, yeah I do remember seeing their journals. I've always had successful queens, though this year no pics I'm afraid as I never found any. I find keeping them easy enough. My biggest colony got to 500 or so ants, but I gave it to a friend of mine (given him a few colonies now, most still doing pretty good). Though the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila DID die on him shortly after, so guess not actually a 100% success. But it was probably the trip down and all the shaking that disturbed them, plus the car was very hot on the way to his house.

 

Sadly though, this year I didn't even find a single queen of Solenopsis aurea/amblychila.  Just some Solenopsis invicta queens, and a ton of those huge sized Crematogaster queens. I think the Solenopsis invicta and Argentine ants killed a lot of Solenopsis colonies that were around last year.

 

Wow that's incredible. Are they parasitic? I remember Gregory suggesting they might be parasitic after he had so many queens that failed, even after adding Solenopsis invicta brood they still didn't work out. I really hope you raise another colony.

 

The ones I had weren't, no. The queen raised workers normally. The colonies outside aren't mixed either, always just the same workers. They aren't Solenopsis xyloni either, they are really orange so its pretty easy to tell the difference.

 

Sadly dunno if I'll get lucky at getting a colony going again, since Solenopsis invicta have heavily moved in to take areas that Argentine ants don't live in. And the Solenopsis aurea/amblychila colonies have gotten kinda stuck between S. invicta and Argentine ants. On top of that, where the main colonies are, are tons of apartments (and housing), that are being built near them and next year even more apartments. So, if construction doesn't destroy them, invasive ants will from irrigation.

Edited by Vendayn, September 2 2016 - 11:28 AM.