Ant farm

[Sparky]

THAT IS THE COOLEST ANT FARM I HAVE EVER SEEN!

Thanks

Haha no just kidding just kidding :shifty:

 

[yen_saw]

Another cool species from Texas, Pseudomyrmex pallidus.

P. pallidus queen ant.

Group of P. pallidus feeding on cricket piece.

Both queens can be seen feeding on cricket. Multiple queen can be found in a same colony. Inbreeding appear to be common too which is uncommon for ant.

 

[ismart]

Those guys are awesome looking!

 

[rs4guy]

Yen, any info on where to purchase those setups? I've been looking with no avail. TY sir.

 

[yen_saw]

Yen, any info on where to purchase those setups? I've been looking with no avail. TY sir.

Have fun with the translation!http://senlinmayi.taobao.com/?search=y&scid=299441629&scname=wuzSz7Hwyvs%3D&checkedRange=true&queryType=cat&spm=1100036269874.0000000343658378.000000065153503109.30

 

[rs4guy]

Ha ha. This could take awhile! Thanks though.

 

[Idolofreak]

Cool. I love the scale size of the queens compared to the workers.

 

[HoldThePickle]

It's nice to see some other ant keepers. Here is a few of my C. pennsylvanicus colony. I made the ant farm out of 1/4" acrylic and 1/2" acrylic square rod:

Here's the queen with her first set of workers:

And the farm after they colony "made it their own"(don't mind my dusty light fixture):

 

[Hypoponera]

Very nice set-up! While I build mine with hydro-stone, I still prefer the more... "natural" dirt set-ups. Did you microwave the soil before putting it in? Also, using distilled water for hydration will slow the appearance of algea. Neither will stop it though.

PA has some cool ant species. Lots of arbolial species if you have the patience to find them. I love the tiny "acorn ants". The genus has changed, but they used to be in the genus Leptothorax. We don't have nearly as much woodland out here in the desert.

 

[HoldThePickle]

Thanks! I didn't microwave anything really. I used coconut bedding (bed-a-beast) and a bit of sand by exoterra. It's probably not the best soil for most ants, but I went with a high wood content hoping they'd feel a bit more at home. My next colony will be set up with a pre-form plaster or grout set up though. It's a lot easier and I think you can display the ants better that way.

I'm looking forward to the nuptial flights this spring. I need to start a whole new colony as the queen picture above recently died (like two days ago). It as my own fault. I moved the farm and put it on top of my large terrarium in my living room. I didn't realize how much heat was coming off the tank though, and I must have cooked her, or she was drowned by the condensation the heat created. It's a huge bummer, but.... onward and upward I suppose! :- /

 

[Hypoponera]

Let me know what species you find this spring! Our swarms usually occure in late July to mid-August. Just depends when the monsoons decide to hit.

What are the more commonly found species in your area?

 

[crucis]

Hi everyone, I highly recommend Pheidologeton diversus ('Marauder Ant') if you are interested in size dimorphism and carnivorous raiding. Keeping them will be a large project, though.

I have never tried to keep them, but they are native to my country.

Video courtesy of UneXisted on youtube.

 

[yen_saw]

And the farm after they colony "made it their own"(don't mind my dusty light fixture):

Very nice! I am a terrible craftsman, ants always find a way to escape from something i built :blush:

Hi everyone, I highly recommend Pheidologeton diversus ('Marauder Ant') if you are interested in size dimorphism and carnivorous raiding. Keeping them will be a large project, though.

I have never heard of that species. I hope to visit Malaysia next year and I will certainly be paying more attention on ants. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Hypoponera]

P. diversus is a great species and would be cool to keep. Lots of amazing behaviours to watch. But you would need a HUUUUUGE set-up for them. We're talking a room sized set-up. Definately not a species you will be able to keep in a small plaster nest.

Yen, bring back lots of ants for me. Dead of course! Can you take liquid alcohol on aircraft these days? Been many years since I last flew!

 

[yen_saw]

Don't think carrying alcohol liquid to the plane is possible now. Check in luggage is ok i think. It would be interesting to see fight between two colonies. I have only seen it once when i was a kid in Malaysia.

 

[yen_saw]

Harpegnathos venator colony, interesting species. Doing well but mites appear to be a problem for them.

A colony feeding on cricket.

Larvae is feeding on a mismolt H. majuscula nymph.

 

[ismart]

Wow! Your colony is doing quite nice! I have been recycling miss molted mantids the same way.

 

[yen_saw]

Wow! Your colony is doing quite nice! I have been recycling miss molted mantids the same way.

Thanks Paul. How's your colony doing? I lost a colony because of mites problem, they cover up the entire ants body, even the eyes, really nasty! Thankfully few other colonies are doing alright, and some have even developed winged queens

 

[ismart]

They are doing kinda good. Well i was going to ask you if you use any substrate for them? I seem to be having a problem with the larvae. They grow, and eat nicely. But when it is finally time to pupate. They start to produce silk and wrap them selves up, but half way through they just drop dead! I'm trying to figure out what could cause this? After i read this post i was checking for mites, but i don't see any.

 

[sporeworld]

Wow! So many amazing things happening at once. Love to be a fly on YOUR wall. Wait, no - I take it back. I'll just enjoy the pix!