23 replies to this topic

[Shareallicu]

Well, I wasn't going to buy my ant a professional nest, because I am poor, but she is eating her eggs and stressing me out lol

 

So I bought the small hybrid nest for Formica ants from AntsCanada.  I really like the design and ease of maintaining hydration and it's easy to clean in-between ants too. 

 

I hope she will like it.  It will take a month or so to get to me though!   

 

I hope she can hold on for that long... and I hope she utilizes it and starts caring for her eggs hehe

[FSTP]

You're planning on moving a queen with no eggs or workers to a formicarium? 

 

I don't think that is a good idea. Have you tried test tubing her? Or maybe trying to make or get a founding type formicarium? 

 

What kind of queen is she? If she's a fully claustral type then you need to just leave her alone in the dark. Don't look at her for several weeks.

Edited by FSTP, January 1 2017 - 3:40 PM.

[MrUrrutia]

What is the current set up where your queen is living?

[Shareallicu]

She is a formica in a test tube in the dark.  I give her sugar water once a week or so.  She may just want to hibernate, but I don't know, since she is my first queen.

 

And I would never move her!!  I would just let her move if she wanted to move. 

[Alabama Anter]

She is a formica in a test tube in the dark. I give her sugar water once a week or so. She may just want to hibernate, but I don't know, since she is my first queen.

And I would never move her!! I would just let her move if she wanted to move.

Ummmm hibernate her... Formica hibernation is essential

[LC3]

The last thing a founding queen would do is go into a giant formicarium.

At this time of the year Formica queens should be hibernating, assuming you caught your queen during autumn. 

[Connectimyrmex]

The only time one of my queens liked being in a large setup was when she was with maybe twenty other queens (Brachymyrmex nuptial flights are huge )

 

They all died because of mold though

[Shareallicu]

 

She is a formica in a test tube in the dark. I give her sugar water once a week or so. She may just want to hibernate, but I don't know, since she is my first queen.

And I would never move her!! I would just let her move if she wanted to move.

Ummmm hibernate her... Formica hibernation is essential

 

ya.  I give her options  

[Nathant2131]

You don't want to throw a small colony, let alone a single queen into a formicarium like that. Use a test tube or some other sort of small space, and move the colony into the formicarium when they take up most of the space. Just keep her in a test tube until she has a number of workers.

[Shareallicu]

You don't want to throw a small colony, let alone a single queen into a formicarium like that. Use a test tube or some other sort of small space, and move the colony into the formicarium when they take up most of the space. Just keep her in a test tube until she has a number of workers.

I will let her decide which one she wants. 

[Connectimyrmex]

I've recently moved a single queen from my bountiful amount of Solenopsis into a large (THA Fortress) formicarium to test your idea. It didn't end too well. She kept on forgetting to feed her widely scattered larvae, and eventually she died of starvation. It's probably best that you just place her in a small test tube.

I can tell that you probably don't want to waste your expensive formicarium. If that is true, then here is a tip:
Place your large formicarium near a large looking ant colony site. Make sure it is damp, dark, and preferable as a nest.

Somehow make that ant nest seem unfavorable for the ants. You can try putting your formicarium there after/during a rainstorm.

Wait.

Check some time later. If you see some ants moving into there. Once you see a queen in there, quickly seal the nest. 

That method worked with my YCA.

Edited by Hawaiiant, January 7 2017 - 4:51 PM.

[Leo]

what is YCA?

[Connectimyrmex]

Yellow Crazy Ant.

[Connectimyrmex]

I originally caught 2 queens while they were retreating from a rain on the wall, but my third queen and the 30+ workers I caught by using a formicarium.

[Leo]

cool

[Shareallicu]

I can't figure out why people keep referring to my small nest as a large nest

Too many trolls here I guess ROFL

[Martialis]

I can't figure out why people keep referring to my small nest as a large nest

Too many trolls here I guess rofl

 

As tempting as it is, you cannot think of it in human terms. Think of it from the viewpoint of your Formica queen, only about 8 millimeters long, and maybe 1 millimeter wide. Your nest, on the other hand, is huge compared to her, measuring in at a colossal (L) 1219.2 x (W) 1219.2 x (H) 304.8 millimeters. In addition, the company you bought it from discourages doing just this. 

 

Now, take your nest, and, through the eyes of your queen,  look at the high walls and gaping passageways in front of you. 

 

Still so small? I think not.

Edited by Martialis, January 7 2017 - 10:55 PM.

[antgenius123]

I can't figure out why people keep referring to my small nest as a large nest

Too many trolls here I guess rofl

An ants Canada hybrid nest is actually pretty big considering it from the perspective of the workers and the queen.

Edited by antgenius123, January 7 2017 - 11:00 PM.

[Connectimyrmex]

When I say "Large Nest" I tend to compare a nest to the size of a queen. For example, a Tar Heel Ants Fortress Formicarium is a "large nest". A Tar Heel Ants Atom Formicarium is a "small nest". Sorry if I confused you, though

[Alabama Anter]

I can't figure out why people keep referring to my small nest as a large nest
Too many trolls here I guess ROFL

People trying to help you with your Queen are not trolls lmao