26 replies to this topic

[Darkly_Innocent]

Newbie here, I had a couple of ant farms as a kid from the Uncle Milton company. They never seemed to last too long though even though I tried my best for them. Now that I'm an adult I'm hoping to jump back into the hobby and hopefully with the help of y'all be able to do it right this time around. I've looked around here a bit and have seen the Tar Heel Ant company. I really like that that place isn't far from me at all. What species is recommended for beginners? What is a good starter Formicarium for beginners? I really don't have a preference for either. I'm just looking for something that isn't too difficult to start off with.

Edited by Darkly_Innocent, December 10 2017 - 11:57 AM.

[Serafine]

Imo the best beginner species is Formica fusca (or any other Serviformica species from that group).
Large enough for easy observation, very active during the day, loves to move and run around, curious, doesn't grow to enormous colony sizes (usually tops out at 5-6000 ants). Also a rather resilient species with a reasonably fast growth rate (doesn't explode like fire ants but doesn't take forever like most Camponotus either).

 

 

p.s. The uncle milton farms probably didn't last long because they did not include queens. Without a queen a colony will slowly die off as there are no new workers born to replace the dying ones (they only live for a few months, sometimes a few years).

Edited by Serafine, December 10 2017 - 12:49 PM.

[Ants_Texas]

Newbie here, I had a couple of ant farms as a kid from the Uncle Milton company. They never seemed to last too long though even though I tried my best for them. Now that I'm an adult I'm hoping to jump back into the hobby and hopefully with the help of y'all be able to do it right this time around. I've looked around here a bit and have seen the Tar Heel Ant company. I really like that that place isn't far from me at all. What species is recommended for beginners? What is a good starter Formicarium for beginners? I really don't have a preference for either. I'm just looking for something that isn't too difficult to start off Its

For most species of ant, it's easier to start the queen off in a test tube. You can order a bunch here for pretty cheap: https://www.amazon.c...ords=test tubes

Here's how to set your queen's tube up: 

 

 

If you'd prefer to start them off in a small formicarium (nest) that can last them a while longer than a test tube, I'd recommend Tarheel Ants' Mini Hearth or AntsAustralia's Ytong Nest Size 1. These are more suited for medium to large queens. Here's some videos for those:

 

 

 

As for a good starter species, I'd go with Camponotus or Formica. They grow slower than most but are easier to observe. Definitely avoid smaller species, specifically fire ants unless you wouldn't mind faster growing colonies. 

 

Do keep in mind that most species of queens aren't flying yet. Most will take off during April - July. Again, here's a video for that:

 

 

I really hope this helps!!

[MegaMyrmex]

Best beginner species-
Tetramorium sp. E
Why you ask? Simple because...
They grow fast
They're generally abundant(both queens and workers)
They aren't that good at climbing but still can
They're never really full, but generally will eat more when there's lots of larvae
Very forgiving humidity and temperature wise, but make sure that it doesn't get below 70 degrees F or they will hibernate or above 85 or so or they will die
Very straight forwards maintenance

For starter formicariums I recommend AntsCanada, TarHeelAnts, AntsAustralia, etc.

[nurbs]

Camponotus are great for beginners. And for North Carolina, specifically Camponotus castaneus. They are a beautiful orange/red ant that is quite common in your neck of the woods. Lived in South Carolina til 6th grade, and would see them everywhere as a boy scout camping in the wilderness.

 

EDIT: Also Solenopsis invicta, the infamous red imported fire ant. If you live within the quarantine zone (https://www.aphis.us...ads/fireant.pdf), queens are very easy to find after a rain - a nice "goto ant" if you're not having much luck finding any other species.

 

Unlike Camponotus, however, they do sting and can get aggressive when the colony grows. But at the same time they are also easy to rear.

Edited by nurbs, December 10 2017 - 9:48 PM.

[Darkly_Innocent]

Serafine- Well bust my buttons, I never thought of not having the queen issue. It makes me feel better though knowing I didn't kill off the little guys from bad ant keeping!

 

Ants_Texas- Thank you those videos are very helpful! I'm thinking I will go with the Mini Hearth from Tar Heel Ants.

 

nurbs- I'll probably end up with the Camponotus castaneus since there abundant in my neck of the woods. 

 

Can you buy queens or do you have to go out and find them yourself? 

[MegaMyrmex]

Serafine- Well bust my buttons, I never thought of not having the queen issue. It makes me feel better though knowing I didn't kill off the little guys from bad ant keeping!

Ants_Texas- Thank you those videos are very helpful! I'm thinking I will go with the Mini Hearth from Tar Heel Ants.

nurbs- I'll probably end up with the Camponotus castaneus since there abundant in my neck of the woods.

Can you buy queens or do you have to go out and find them yourself?

I prefer going out and finding them since I get to look for other bugs and you never really now what you'll find. Plus, it's more exciting that way. I found a queen C. Chromaoides under a piece of tree bark once in the middle of the rain and it was my first queen. Out of excitement I tore off my hood and snatched her up and started galloping my way back forgetting about the slippery mud. The feeling of finding your first queen ant is truly amazing and in my opinion all ant keepers should experience it.

[nurbs]

 

nurbs- I'll probably end up with the Camponotus castaneus since there abundant in my neck of the woods. 

 

Can you buy queens or do you have to go out and find them yourself? 

 

 

You can check the market place on this forum (http://www.formicult...l-market-place/) to purchase queens in your State or check the GAN webpage (http://www.antscanada.com/queen-ants-for-sale/).

 

It is illegal to buy or transport queens across state lines (even if that same species lives in another State), so it's best to find someone within your State. You also cannot purchase Solenopsis invicta because it is an invasive species. But that is such a non-issue with where you live because they are quite literally everywhere after a humid spring or summer rain. 

 

As a nature lover, I personally love going out into the wilderness and finding queens. It's just fun, and very rewarding. Maybe do a shout out on this forum and look for local like-minded NC antlovers and you guys can go "anting" together 

[Darkly_Innocent]

Thanks y'all! I went ahead and ordered the Mini Hearth from Tar Heel Ants! I know I'll have to wait till spring to find a queen but couldn't wait to get the setup! 

[Hunter]

hope you find some

[MegaMyrmex]

Thanks y'all! I went ahead and ordered the Mini Hearth from Tar Heel Ants! I know I'll have to wait till spring to find a queen but couldn't wait to get the setup!

Good luck! I love to hear about new ant keeers collecting queens!

[nurbs]

Thanks y'all! I went ahead and ordered the Mini Hearth from Tar Heel Ants! I know I'll have to wait till spring to find a queen but couldn't wait to get the setup! 

 

Slightly OT, but when you get it, sniff it. If it has any kind of paint, aerosol, or gas-like alcoholic fume, soak the entire thing in water for a few hours. Then let it air dry for a few days. Rinse and repeat until the scent is gone. You should be OK since you are starting a colony next year.

 

Tar Heel makes decent stuff, but many of his formicariums out of the box have an odor that can quickly kill an entire colony. You must let it air out. I've had this happen to myself as well as a number of buyers.

[Darkly_Innocent]

 

Thanks y'all! I went ahead and ordered the Mini Hearth from Tar Heel Ants! I know I'll have to wait till spring to find a queen but couldn't wait to get the setup! 

 

Slightly OT, but when you get it, sniff it. If it has any kind of paint, aerosol, or gas-like alcoholic fume, soak the entire thing in water for a few hours. Then let it air dry for a few days. Rinse and repeat until the scent is gone. You should be OK since you are starting a colony next year.

 

Tar Heel makes decent stuff, but many of his formicariums out of the box have an odor that can quickly kill an entire colony. You must let it air out. I've had this happen to myself as well as a number of buyers.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up on that! I'm still waiting on its arrival but will be sure to do that, hopefully it won't stink as its going near to my bed.

[T.C.]

Thanks y'all! I went ahead and ordered the Mini Hearth from Tar Heel Ants! I know I'll have to wait till spring to find a queen but couldn't wait to get the setup! 

 
Slightly OT, but when you get it, sniff it. If it has any kind of paint, aerosol, or gas-like alcoholic fume, soak the entire thing in water for a few hours. Then let it air dry for a few days. Rinse and repeat until the scent is gone. You should be OK since you are starting a colony next year.
 
Tar Heel makes decent stuff, but many of his formicariums out of the box have an odor that can quickly kill an entire colony. You must let it air out. I've had this happen to myself as well as a number of buyers.

 
Thanks for the heads up on that! I'm still waiting on its arrival but will be sure to do that, hopefully it won't stink as its going near to my bed.

Well, the reason it would smell is because it's put in a small box with no ventilation. So it builds up. A few hours sitting out, you wouldn't be able to pick up any noticeable scents just walking around in your room.

[TennesseeAnts]

I ordered a THA fortress and I moved my Formica Pacifica colony into it right away with no deaths. Even though it had a strong odor to it fresh out of the box. A few weeks later, and the odor is gone and the colony went from 20 to 155 workers in 3 months!

[nurbs]

 

 

Well, the reason it would smell is because it's put in a small box with no ventilation. So it builds up. A few hours sitting out, you wouldn't be able to pick up any noticeable scents just walking around in your room.

 

 

Wish it was that simple. I have three Atoms with the built-in mini outworld that still has the scent. Been airing them out for nearly a year. Every time I put a colony in there, it kills them.

 

M. navajo, P. rugosus, Forelius sp., and V. pergandei were the casualties.

 

 

I ordered a THA fortress and I moved my Formica Pacifica colony into it right away with no deaths. Even though it had a strong odor to it fresh out of the box. A few weeks later, and the odor is gone and the colony went from 20 to 155 workers in 3 months!

 

Right, it is a hit or miss, you got lucky. Just because you didn't have any issues doesn't mean it won't happen to others. Had three buyers who killed off their entire colony (All of them were N. cockerelli) within 15 min of putting them into a Fortress - which incidentally also took over a month to receive. You can tell by the workers behavior that they won't make it. They drag their antennae on the ground, twitch, walk around in circles, and move very strange.

 

Needless to say, I was on the "tech support" end and trying to help them recover whatever they could. Wasn't fun.

 

I would caution all buyers about this, especially if they spent the time or money to raise a colony.

 

At the same time, had buyers with C. modoc that moved into a brand new Fortress with minor issues (a number of dead workers). Some species are also much more sensitive to chemical smells (like Acromyrmex in plastics) than others. 

 

I submerge everything in water and let air it out now. Did this to the last three Fortress that was ordered, and had zero deaths in transferring the colony (C. sansabeanus, Polygnyous C. vicinus, and M. mexicanus).

 

Just to be patient. Don't just dump the entire colony into the formicarium once you receive it (it's understandably hard to do because it takes him so long to get them delivered in the first place)

 

[T.C.]

Well $hit. You say your not the only one that has had this issue? I have never heard of it until know. What is it that he is using exactly? lol

[nurbs]

Well $hit. You say your not the only one that has had this issue? I have never heard of it until know. What is it that he is using exactly? lol

 

Not sure. Could be a combination of the paint and/or proprietary substrate he uses.

 

Positive there are others who've had this issue. They've just never put 1 and 1 together.

 

Consequently, there is a Youtuber Paul Juhl from Arizona (anyone know if he is on Formiculture?) that I follow who makes videos of his ants. His videos aren't the highest quality, but they are always fun to watch. He only uses THA. He would mention a few times in his videos how some of his Myrmecocystus are never successful when he transfers them into a larger THA formicarium. His reasoning was because they were honeypots and honeypots are just hard to raise.

 

Someone needs to tell that poor man it is also because his brand new THA formicarium needs to be aired out.

Edited by nurbs, December 15 2017 - 9:55 AM.

[T.C.]

 

Well $hit. You say your not the only one that has had this issue? I have never heard of it until know. What is it that he is using exactly? lol

 

Not sure. Could be a combination of the paint and/or proprietary substrate he uses.

 

Positive there are others who've had this issue. They've just never put 1 and 1 together.

 

Consequently, there is a Youtuber Paul Juhl from Arizona (anyone know if he is on Formiculture?) that I follow who makes videos of his ants. His videos aren't the highest quality, but they are always fun to watch. He only uses THA. He would mention a few times in his videos how some of his Myrmecocystus are never successful when he transfers them into a larger THA formicarium. His reasoning was because they were honeypots and honeypots are just hard to raise.

 

Someone needs to tell that poor man it is also because his brand new THA formicarium needs to be aired out.

 

 

Never heard of that guy before, but sounds like your the guy for the job to tell him. I also like those type of channels like yours, and a guy named Anthony Turner. He also uses THA alot. Calls himself a tarheelants fanboy.   Like he made this pretty cool video here. I don't think he uses anything but THA. Wonder if he has had issues with tarheelants.

[nurbs]

 

 

Well $hit. You say your not the only one that has had this issue? I have never heard of it until know. What is it that he is using exactly? lol

 

Not sure. Could be a combination of the paint and/or proprietary substrate he uses.

 

Positive there are others who've had this issue. They've just never put 1 and 1 together.

 

Consequently, there is a Youtuber Paul Juhl from Arizona (anyone know if he is on Formiculture?) that I follow who makes videos of his ants. His videos aren't the highest quality, but they are always fun to watch. He only uses THA. He would mention a few times in his videos how some of his Myrmecocystus are never successful when he transfers them into a larger THA formicarium. His reasoning was because they were honeypots and honeypots are just hard to raise.

 

Someone needs to tell that poor man it is also because his brand new THA formicarium needs to be aired out.

 

 

Never heard of that guy before, but sounds like your the guy for the job to tell him. I also like those type of channels like yours, and a guy named Anthony Turner. He also uses THA alot. Calls himself a tarheelants fanboy.   Like he made this pretty cool video here. I don't think he uses anything but THA. Wonder if he has had issues with tarheelants.

 

 

Yeah, seen his stuff on Facebook.

 

Just to add to the conversation, this issue only happens with the "Type II" substrate.

 

The Ytong formicariums apparently do not exhibit this behavior. Had two buyers who ordered an Ytong formicarium, and when they transferred their C. vicinus there were no issues.

Edited by nurbs, December 15 2017 - 10:12 AM.