5 replies to this topic

[Doonasaur]

Hey, when I was younger I used to be into the worker ant only farms the ones where you could watch them dig through the gel and such. Now that I'm older I want to get into keeping ant colonies with queens, but I'm on a budget. Can anyone recommend some cheapish formicariums and a good starting speices that could be found in Florida. I already have a few test tubes and would like to catch my own queen, and start from there.

 

[Connectimyrmex]

I would recommend that you start with a standard test tube setup (It takes years to obtain a formicarium-sized colony). For a company, I'd recommend Tar Heel Ants.

 

Camponotus and Pogonomyrmex are common and hardy species found in Florida. You can also keep Pseudomyrmex, Odontomachus, Trachymyrmex, and other species when you get some more experience. Believe it or not, my first ant ever was Pseudomyrmex gracilis, and I managed to rear it successfully (the point being that you can start with whatever you want with proper research and setups).

[Hunter]

testtube works well or you could try https://antkit.uk/pr.../antkit-anthomeor https://tarheelants....cts/mini-hearth

[FeedTheAnts]

A good starter species is Pheidole. A test tube setup would house a colony for quite a while and you can find really cheap ones online.

[MegaMyrmex]

Since you live un florida you have a very wide range of species to try from. THE beginner specis is in mynopinion tetramorium immigrans or caespitum, but pheidole, pogonomyrmex, lasius, camponotus, non- parasite formica, and some others make good beginner species

[Connectimyrmex]

@the above members, Couldn't have said it better