Pogonomyrmex barbatus (Red harvester ants)

[yen_saw]

That's awesome! What do you feed them? And it looks like you have a queen too (larvae and pupae)?

I feed them seeds like crushed wheat, raw sunflower seed, grains, etc. But i also use small insects too.

 

[yen_saw]

If I could get my hands on cages like these it would be worth it. I see queens every spring. Always come across them at some point.

Do you have pic of the queen ant?

 

[yen_saw]

Those antfarms are made of hydrostone. I have a few myself. They absorb water. Very neat stuff. Yen your havester colony looks great!

Thanks Paul. You still have the hydrostone ant house?

 

[yen_saw]

Yen, we have big red ants like that here. Not sure what Ant species but they're big, mean and pack a bite! I'll collect some, maybe you can ID them.

There are harvester ants in California too, Pogonomyrmex californicus is probably what you saw.

 

[Precarious]

Do you have pic of the queen ant?

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.

 

[yen_saw]

I swear if you guys start making me want to keep ants too... My mom would kick me out of the house lol

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

 

[yen_saw]

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

 

[hierodula]

lol creative

 

[aNisip]

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

 

[yen_saw]

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.

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.

 

[yen_saw]

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

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]

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.

 

[yen_saw]

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.

 

[yen_saw]

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

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]

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.

Is it only harvesters that dont need them or can any species of ant survive without tunnels?

 

[yen_saw]

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]

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.

 

[ismart]

Thanks Paul. You still have the hydrostone ant house?

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]

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?

 

[yen_saw]

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"

.........