Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

My Springtail Culture (6 Months)

springtail springtails springtail culture culturing springtails

  • Please log in to reply
8 replies to this topic

#1 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted August 14 2018 - 3:08 PM

AntsAreUs

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,041 posts
  • LocationIndiana

Springtails are extremely prolific and useful little organisms that I recommend most people to keep. Lots of the ants I keep frequently or exclusively prey on springtails. They also act as a cleaner crew for your setups if that interests you. I keep mine in mostly any sort of substrate that is moistened and I add small piles of rice every time they get done with their previous pile of rice. Keep in mind different kinds of springtails with have different preferences and diets although most aren't too picky.

 

These here are Folsomia sp. that I caught from a nearby forest. I originally started with about 20 springtails.


Edited by AntsAreUs, August 14 2018 - 3:29 PM.

  • FeedTheAnts, Zxirl, CoolColJ and 1 other like this

#2 Offline Major - Posted August 14 2018 - 3:49 PM

Major

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 588 posts
  • LocationRochester, New York
How do you catch them? I find them mostly under bricks and rocks but I have no way of picking them up without any deaths. Just dig up the dirt their in? How do you move them out of the dirt? Can they live in an acrylic formicrium (its very messy, plenty of dead stuff.)
  • AntsBC likes this

#3 Offline Zxirl - Posted August 14 2018 - 3:54 PM

Zxirl

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 55 posts

Time to catch some Springtails. 


Spoiler

#4 Offline FeedTheAnts - Posted August 14 2018 - 4:25 PM

FeedTheAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,238 posts
  • LocationVirginia

Wow.... That's a lot of springtails. I though my cockroach farm was loaded...


I accidentally froze all my ants 


#5 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted August 14 2018 - 4:29 PM

AntsAreUs

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,041 posts
  • LocationIndiana

How do you catch them? I find them mostly under bricks and rocks but I have no way of picking them up without any deaths. Just dig up the dirt their in? How do you move them out of the dirt? Can they live in an acrylic formicrium (its very messy, plenty of dead stuff.)

In early spring I was lucky enough to lift a rock embedded into some leaf litter to find a huge cluster of these springtails. I scooped them up into a container as they are relatively slow moving compared to most other springtails. I'm also keeping various other kinds of springtails but not with nearly as much success as these ones.



#6 Offline Nare - Posted August 14 2018 - 4:35 PM

Nare

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 392 posts

Are those baked beans I see?



#7 Offline AntsAreUs - Posted August 14 2018 - 4:39 PM

AntsAreUs

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,041 posts
  • LocationIndiana

Are those baked beans I see?

It is just dirt a rice. You might also see some fly pupa casing in there somewhere. I need to make a new culture soon.



#8 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted August 14 2018 - 4:59 PM

AnthonyP163

    Vendor

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 986 posts
  • LocationWaukesha, Wisconsin.

 

How do you catch them? I find them mostly under bricks and rocks but I have no way of picking them up without any deaths. Just dig up the dirt their in? How do you move them out of the dirt? Can they live in an acrylic formicrium (its very messy, plenty of dead stuff.)

In early spring I was lucky enough to lift a rock embedded into some leaf litter to find a huge cluster of these springtails. I scooped them up into a container as they are relatively slow moving compared to most other springtails. I'm also keeping various other kinds of springtails but not with nearly as much success as these ones.

 

I found one of these clusters in May, too.



Ant Keeping & Ethology Discord - 2000+ Members and growing

Statesideants.com - order live ants legally in the US

 


#9 Offline CoolColJ - Posted August 16 2018 - 8:36 PM

CoolColJ

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,646 posts
  • LocationSydney, Australia

Water, charcoal pieces and uncooked rice in an air tight container, such as takeaway ones, is the usual means to raise them

 

My culture is booming after a few weeks


Edited by CoolColJ, August 16 2018 - 8:36 PM.

  • dermy likes this

Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/






Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: springtail, springtails, springtail culture, culturing springtails

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users