34 replies to this topic

[Will230145]

So, I caught this queen around late fall and she managed to raise two nanitics before hibernation!
After waking up she layed a few eggs which one is now a pupae, and moved her and her workers into a AC Omni Nest (I only let them have one row of chambers) They seem too like that much better then the test tube! They have blocked off the entrance to the nest. I also noticed that one of the workers is always in a defensive mode no matter what! I hope this colony does well and will post pictures soon when I have the chance!

Edited by Will230145, December 2 2018 - 7:06 PM.

[AntsMaryland]

Can't wait to hear more!! Pictures?

[Will230145]

Here are some pictures!!!

 

Here is their current setup, They only have the first row as they blocked off the second!

Here is the Queen and workers! 

 

Hope you enjoy this journal!! 

[MegaMyrmex]

Wow what kind of substrate did you use? Looks very sleek and clean, but also natural.

[Will230145]

Wow what kind of substrate did you use? Looks very sleek and clean, but also natural.

I use orange Repti Sand from ZooMed, It looks darker and rougher when wet but smooth and clean when dry! I really like it, no dust at all except when you move large amounts of it!! 

[Will230145]

This queen has died unexpectedly so this journal is now discontinued

[Mettcollsuss]

That sucks. 

[Will230145]

Hey guys, haven’t been able to check this forum for few months (almost a year)  because I have just been a buys teen. But, I found a new Formica subsericea queen! She wouldn’t lay no matter what. I fed her 2 whole mealworms and she layed 5 eggs the next day!! I am skipping hibernation as she is off terribly but will hibernate next year. I will try to update you guys, and my parents are getting me a new AC hybrid nest for Formica for Christmas! I will make a topic of my review when I get it, happy anting to you who can!!!

Edited by Will230145, December 26 2018 - 7:48 PM.

[Will230145]

Hey guys, some of my friends on the Discord server told me to not worry too much because she has since layed probably around 10 eggs but ate them all. but for christmas I got a new hybrid nest, and Discord told me to mover her in (with it blocked off of course) and she seems to be right at home!!  

 

Edit: I think that when they get big enough, they will (probably) chew away the cotton, am I correct

 

 

Edited by Will230145, December 26 2018 - 7:59 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

I would move her into a more suitable setup. In a single chamber of such a large nest, she will not get a proper humidity gradient. A test tube or founding formicarium will work best.

Additionally, she may dessicate in that due to lack of dirnking water.

[Will230145]

I would move her into a more suitable setup. In a single chamber of such a large nest, she will not get a proper humidity gradient. A test tube or founding formicarium will work best.
Additionally, she may dessicate in that due to lack of dirnking water.

Oh, sorry but I forgot to mention there’s a huge test tube filled with water in case she wants to move back in and to get a drink, I would never forget something that vital

[Mettcollsuss]

I think it would still be better to move her to a more ideal setup. That chamber will probably fill up at about 20-ish workers. At that point (assuming you're correct about them burrowing out), they would expand to the rest of the nest. However, because AC's new line of Hybrid Nests is so big, they still won't be ready for it. I have an almost three year old colony of F. subsericea with about 100 workers, and they're still too small for a Hybrid Nest. These new large Hybrid Nests would be an acceptable setup for about a 200 worker colony.  Although, mature F. subsericea colonies can reach massive sizes, so they will probably fit it eventually. It'll just take a few years. In antkeeping, too small is always better than too big.

[Will230145]

I think it would still be better to move her to a more ideal setup. That chamber will probably fill up at about 20-ish workers. At that point (assuming you're correct about them burrowing out), they would expand to the rest of the nest. However, because AC's new line of Hybrid Nests is so big, they still won't be ready for it. I have an almost three year old colony of F. subsericea with about 100 workers, and they're still too small for a Hybrid Nest. These new large Hybrid Nests would be an acceptable setup for about a 200 worker colony.  Although, mature F. subsericea colonies can reach massive sizes, so they will probably fit it eventually. It'll just take a few years. In antkeeping, too small is always better than too big.

Ok, I’m just trying to figure out something she will like. She does terrible in test tubes and my mini hearth is already inhabited...

[Mettcollsuss]

Ok, I’m just trying to figure out something she will like. She does terrible in test tubes and my mini hearth is already inhabited...

 

Yeah, I have noticed that Formica queens have terrible grips, so smooth test tubes might not be the best for them. But you could try adding a bit of sand (or other substrate). TarHeel Ants' Genesis Test Tube Inserts would also be a good alternative. Another reason she might not be doing so well is because you haven't hibernated her. Of the many F. subsericea queens I've caught, about half of them refused to lay until after hibernation. Formica don't keep brood over winter, so queens won't lay unless they're certain they'll be able to raise nanitics before winter.

 

EDIT: Heating also helps a lot.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, December 28 2018 - 3:44 AM.

[Will230145]

Ok, I’m just trying to figure out something she will like. She does terrible in test tubes and my mini hearth is already inhabited...

Yeah, I have noticed that Formica queens have terrible grips, so smooth test tubes might not be the best for them. But you could try adding a bit of sand (or other substrate). TarHeel Ants' Genesis Test Tube Inserts would also be a good alternative. Another reason she might not be doing so well is because you haven't hibernated her. Of the many F. subsericea queens I've caught, about half of them refused to lay until after hibernation. Formica don't keep brood over winter, so queens won't lay unless they're certain they'll be able to raise nanitics before winter.

EDIT: Heating also helps a lot.

She’s in a test tube with sand and a heating cable now, thanks for the help!

Edit: she has layed 3 eggs now!

Edited by Will230145, December 28 2018 - 4:15 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

 

She’s in a test tube with sand and a heating cable now, thanks for the help!

Edit: she has layed 3 eggs now!

 

No problem!

[LearningAntz]

Ok, I’m just trying to figure out something she will like. She does terrible in test tubes and my mini hearth is already inhabited...

Yeah, I have noticed that Formica queens have terrible grips, so smooth test tubes might not be the best for them. But you could try adding a bit of sand (or other substrate). TarHeel Ants' Genesis Test Tube Inserts would also be a good alternative. Another reason she might not be doing so well is because you haven't hibernated her. Of the many F. subsericea queens I've caught, about half of them refused to lay until after hibernation. Formica don't keep brood over winter, so queens won't lay unless they're certain they'll be able to raise nanitics before winter.

EDIT: Heating also helps a lot.

Formica with terrible grip? When I caught my queens I needed to wait for my test tubes to arrive so I left them in a container with a baby powder barrier and I found some roaming around the floor randomly the following day. One even made its way into my shirt somehow...

[Will230145]

 

 

Ok, I’m just trying to figure out something she will like. She does terrible in test tubes and my mini hearth is already inhabited...

Yeah, I have noticed that Formica queens have terrible grips, so smooth test tubes might not be the best for them. But you could try adding a bit of sand (or other substrate). TarHeel Ants' Genesis Test Tube Inserts would also be a good alternative. Another reason she might not be doing so well is because you haven't hibernated her. Of the many F. subsericea queens I've caught, about half of them refused to lay until after hibernation. Formica don't keep brood over winter, so queens won't lay unless they're certain they'll be able to raise nanitics before winter.

EDIT: Heating also helps a lot.

Formica with terrible grip? When I caught my queens I needed to wait for my test tubes to arrive so I left them in a container with a baby powder barrier and I found some roaming around the floor randomly the following day. One even made its way into my shirt somehow...

 

 

Seriously My queen falls every 2 seconds 

[Will230145]

12/29/18

 

My queen needs a name, something "magestic"    

 

Anyways, she seems to have either hidden or eaten her eggs when i moved her into a test tube. I added a bunch of sand and she seems more "happy" from what i can see!! She has been cleaning the tip of her gaster  lot so that's promising! But in the pics below she was on the wall and fell so yeah, she can't climb lol.

 

 

[Mettcollsuss]

Formica with terrible grip? When I caught my queens I needed to wait for my test tubes to arrive so I left them in a container with a baby powder barrier and I found some roaming around the floor randomly the following day. One even made its way into my shirt somehow...

 

This is just from my experience, and only with F. subsericea. F. subsericea queens just seem extra clumsy (especially when fattened up or are about to lay eggs).