I feed them seeds like crushed wheat, raw sunflower seed, grains, etc. But i also use small insects too.
Pogonomyrmex barbatus (Red harvester ants)
- Thread starter yen_saw
- Start date
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There are harvester ants in California too, Pogonomyrmex californicus is probably what you saw.
Precarious
Well-known member
No but I usually see hordes of them at some point. I'm sure they are standard black ants since I see them in the yard.
lol.... i thought my wife is going to do the same too.
Well, some pic of setting up a colony of harvester ant in my new ant house.
Here is the new ant house set
COmes with cotton, vinyl tube, barrier liquid, and syringe.
'Mountain' view
Top view
Side view
Applying barrier liquid on the top edge of the ant house to prevent the ants from escaping
Ready... include the side container
Add some water into hydrostone and ready to connect both containers
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The harvester any colony
The queen is the first to explore the 'underground'
Still exploring the surface
But soon more ants moving underground
One was able to reach the empty container
Another new ant house.... Canyon style
and has stairs going underground too haha
The queen is the first to explore the 'underground'
Still exploring the surface
But soon more ants moving underground
One was able to reach the empty container
Another new ant house.... Canyon style
and has stairs going underground too haha
aNisip
Well-known member
Yen this is awesome, but I don't need this for my colony, just a tubber-ware container? And could I use Vaseline instead of that liquid barrier stuff? (What is in that liquid barrier?)
Thanks,
Andrew
Thanks,
Andrew
Yeah queens and male will swamp usually soon after or a day after heavy rain. At least it is black so they are not the annoying fire ants.
Yes most of the time i just keep the colony in a transparent container like below
Yeah the smelly liquid (as Paul said it) works like Bug Stop, pretty effective in preventing ants escape.
Malakyoma
Well-known member
They're ok with not having any tunnels or anything? Just whatever that tube is? I can see the larva in the top left, so they're actually colonizing, just thought they wouldnt do it above ground or needed tunnels.
Yea if the condition is good (temp, humidity, food source, water, etc) the harvester ants don't need to have tunnels. The key is to keep them dark. The test tube is mainly a water supply but most of the time the colony place egg/larvae/pupa inside the tube, probably for protection and humidity.
Sorry i forgot to address your question, yea Vaseline is fine, although a little messy. Also, if the colony outgrew the container floor space, it is recommended to get a larger container or the colony will adjust to it by killing each other or eating up the larvae.
Malakyoma
Well-known member
Is it only harvesters that dont need them or can any species of ant survive without tunnels?
Most ant species that live underground should do alright in container without underground tunnels/chambers. It is just that the ants don't get to dig and when you keep the container dark it is similar as a big underground chamber. However, arboreal ant species like twig ants and weaver ants don't do well in container, but it is not impossible. When I kept Texas elongated twig ant (Pseudomyrmex gracilis), i have to use vinyl tube as hollow twig and the ants will nest inside it. The only issue to watch out for is ventilation.
Twig ant colony with queen
There is a popular ant shop in Canada.
http://www.mikeybustos.ca/antscanada.asp
Ok don't tell your mom
Malakyoma
Well-known member
i can picture it now:
"Michael what are you doing with that large very obvious ant farm?"
"Certainly not keeping ants in it mom that would be ridiculous"
I feel like if I were to keep ants I would want to have the nice setup that was in the first post. Something large and flat with tunnels but so that I can see them go about their business.
"Michael what are you doing with that large very obvious ant farm?"
"Certainly not keeping ants in it mom that would be ridiculous"
I feel like if I were to keep ants I would want to have the nice setup that was in the first post. Something large and flat with tunnels but so that I can see them go about their business.
ismart
Well-known member
Yes, i do. Sadly no one is living in them right now. Hint, hint. Keep me in mind when you go collecting this year. I will also keep you in mind.
Paradoxica
Well-known member
Very cool Yen, how long will a colony live? I assume you have to separate new queens and males and start a new colony every so often?
