2 replies to this topic

[DaCherizerd56]

I´m new to ant keeping and i recently found what i think is a Dorymirmex bicolor when wandering inside my scholl, everyday, one or two of these appear, but so far i´ve only captured 2, i putted them inside test tubes, but i don't know what to do next, i placed them inside a small room with a heater and only a small window, covered in toilet paper, but i moved them from there because i was worried that the strong scent that the heater produced would cause something, now they are in a way larger room, with a very small window, covered in toilet paper.

The firts one just laid her first egg, and won't separate ferom it, and the second one keeps cleaning herself and the tip of her gaster, but hasn't laid any eggs.

Due to the fact that i have a horrible camera, i can't post a picture of it, because it just looks like a black and brown blob.

Help? Please? 

[Cameron C. Thomas]

If you're sure about the ID, then this species is fully claustral and *should* be fine if put away and left alone. I say should because Dorymyrmex bicolor doesn't occur in my region, so I've never reared it, but I have heard this species can be tricky to work with.

 

For fully claustral queens, generally, you should be able to set them up in an appropriate test tube founding chamber, put them in a dark box, and forget about them until workers start to eclose. Some people like to take pictures and record colony development in journals, but if you decide to do this, try to minimize disturbance. You don't want to stress out your queens, especially with sensitive species.

 

While waiting for her new brood to develop over the next few weeks, and assuming she lays eggs in the first place, I recommend reading as much as you can about ant care. You may also want to look at journals people have posted about your species to pick up on any species-specific tips and tricks.

 

Follow this link for a list of handy links started by the user Crystals, which includes guides for beginners:

 

http://www.formicult...of-handy-links/

 

Also check out the 'Ant Keeping Journals' and 'Ant Care Sheets' subforums.

 

Good luck with it!

[DaCherizerd56]

If you're sure about the ID, then this species is fully claustral and *should* be fine if put away and left alone. I say should because Dorymyrmex bicolor doesn't occur in my region, so I've never reared it, but I have heard this species can be tricky to work with.

 

For fully claustral queens, generally, you should be able to set them up in an appropriate test tube founding chamber, put them in a dark box, and forget about them until workers start to eclose. Some people like to take pictures and record colony development in journals, but if you decide to do this, try to minimize disturbance. You don't want to stress out your queens, especially with sensitive species.

 

While waiting for her new brood to develop over the next few weeks, and assuming she lays eggs in the first place, I recommend reading as much as you can about ant care. You may also want to look at journals people have posted about your species to pick up on any species-specific tips and tricks.

 

Follow this link for a list of handy links started by the user Crystals, which includes guides for beginners:

 

http://www.formicult...of-handy-links/

 

Also check out the 'Ant Keeping Journals' and 'Ant Care Sheets' subforums.

 

Good luck with it!

Thanks! i think leving them alone is the best idea for now, I'm not quite sure about the ID because i've only been able to tell by comparing them to the pictures with only my naked-eye, but i've seen that Dorymyrmex Bicolor lives in my region and even in my state and city.