M•Y•R•M•E•C•O•L•O•G•Y

>>2337974
might wanna try asking here, in the last thread there were some ant people there >>2331840

>>2337976
This is an ant thread.

Regale us with your experiences.

Got photos?

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>>2337977
A few, but only of wild ones. Here is an Odontomachus hastatus I found in Costa Rica (and yes, I'm sure about the species).

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>>2337985
A Camponotus species with beatiful chrome/silver coloration, might be C sericeiventris but I'm not sure.

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>>2337990
same one

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>>2337985
>>2337990
>>2337999
Very nice. What cameras and lens do you use, Frupus?

>tfw stuck forever with a now old Nikon COOLPIX L100

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>>2338004

Pseudomyrmex, probably.

>>2338004
A Canon Eos 7D with the Tokina 100mm macro. For these high magnification shots I also have a set of (cheap) extension tubes. Lighting is a ring flash with a homemade diffuser (literally just a clear plastic box with white paper inside).

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>>2338011
And of course I forget my image.

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>>2338011
>Canon Eos 7D with the Tokina 100mm macro

Hnnnggg. No wonder you have amazing shots. All my stuff suffers from wicked chromatic abrasion. I think it is mostly because everything is in full sun most of the time.

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>>2338015
>chromatic abrasion

chromatic aberration

stupid spell check

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>>2338013
Teamwork!

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>he doesnt keep flying vegetarian ants

>>2337985
Step on
>>2337990
Step on
>>2337999
Love to step on
>>2338004
Fire
>>2338007
Pee on them
>>2338013
Step on
>>2338015
Fire
>>2338016
Drown it
>>2338018
Fire
>>2338023
10/10

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More teamwork.

>>2338015
>>2338016
If you use any kind of system camera use extension tubes and not magnification lenses for more magnification. Those just put awful, cheap glass in front of your good lens.

Also this Eos 7D, while still excellent, is getting old. I really want a 5D Mark 4 but I'm too poor for that.

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>>2338023
I keep honey bees, if that is what you mean.

>>2338027
I need a "real" camera. The Nikon is a basic point-and-shoot. I've literally bumped insects with the lens trying to take pics and still got a good pic. I'm nearing 50k photos with it.

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No idea what this species was, maybe someone here can tell me.

>>2338031
Those are some impressive images for a "basic point and shoot" then.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Jqz_erlwE

>0:33 to 0:49

Anyone know what this thing is inside the ant colony? It isn't a Formica exsectoides.

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>>2338040
Well, it only cost like $400 new many years ago, but I'm constantly mistaken for press when I carry it around (what?).

The problem with ants is that they rarely stop moving without being baited. I don't know what this one is, but I had to move like a mad man to track it and get this much of a photo that wasn't blurred. Might be a queen carpenter ant.

I want to get into this hobby this year. What is the go-to resource to get started?

I live in East Europe for reference of available species.

>>2338026
rood

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>>2338057
AntsCanada maybe? They have a network for buying local ants from local people all around the world. Lots of info on their site and vids. Expensive gear though.

I'll be DIYing all my stuff later this year, but only if I can find a Formica exsectoides queen. Which will prove difficult since they are a bit rare around here. Though there's a slim chance one mound still exists that I new of 30+ years ago.

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Here are some Eciton during a raiding trip.

>>2338075
For you:

http://i.4cdn.org/wsg/1489958296209.webm

Headphone volume warning.

>>>/wsg/1598575

What is a good formicarium for a beginner interested in AHNTS?

All the setups I currently have are for Lepidoptera and I really want to spread out and look after more tiny cute things.

>>2338103
It depends on the species. Beginner ants are whatever are located around you. Thus, formicariums designed with those species in mind would be best. I recommend ones with hookups for tubing that you can use to expand as needed. I would call any non-native ant a non-beginner ant simply because it is more difficult to raise them since your environment, water, food, etc are so different from theirs and they can often die as a result.

Remember, you'll be waiting like a month before you let the queen and her brood out of their test tube and into a formicarium. Doing it too soon will mean they trash up the unused tunnels and mold will start.

>>2338062
Looks good, thanks.

>>2338695
Actually a species of flightless wasp

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>>2339857
nooooooooo

guys, tell me I am not the only one person who keeps ants and sometimes enjoys to kill his time by looking at other people's ant livestreams

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>>2341914

I think its fine. You are blessed with passion and something that inspires it. Who knows where it will lead or what you might get from it.

I have kept ants for a few years now. It's a fascinating hobby. I love going out and collecting specimens and bringing them back for identification. I can ID all the native genus in my state and have many of them pinned for reference.

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I got starting Colony of Camponotus Ligniperdus last week. They are still pretty dormant, considering they just woke up from the winter period.
The Colony has 1 Queen, 7 Workers (3 Minor, 4 Major) 1 pupa and arround 15 eggs.
cant wait for more ants to develope. Is a pretty chill hobby.
At the moment they are still living in a test tube.

>>2342140
How long do ants remain in the test tube?
I want to catch my first queen this year but still looking up how to DIY the living space.

>>2342146
Usually ant queens go into a founding state in the wild and nest in a really small space (like the test tube). It depends on the size of the colony when they want to move out. And of course how stubborn they are.
Arround 15-20 ants are a OK size for rehousing them. The Ants know when it is time to rehouse.
You must keep in mind, that a bigger nesting space is more work and so more stress for a small colony.
The ants will also pile up their garbage inside the unused areas in the nest what makes it hard to clean, without disturbing the ants.

The time varies with all the different species.
My Camponotus will take arround 2 more month I guess, because the state from larva to ant just takes ages for this little buggers.
I did not catch them myself, but I think the colony is from last years swarm flight.

Smaller ants wont take this long to move.
Myrmica Rubra for example are happy to get a small, slightly wet nesting area after teir first winter.
With more Queens (they are Polygyn, dont try this with Monogyn ants!!!) and so more eggs/ants they may be ready to move in the same year you cought them.
Moving after winter should be ok for Lasius Niger too, which need some "help" (light and maybe heat) because they love to stay where they are.
Of corse there are exeptions. If the queen is a beast and lays one egg after another and the colony just exlodes: move them!

It is also much more easy to keep them in the test tube during their dormant months in winter, than putting the entire Nest in the fridge.
Just lay them in the Arena or attach the Tube to the nest after winter.

I just put the open Testtube in the Arena, so they can move whenever they feel like it.

Tl;dr:
Moving with 15-20 Ants should be ok (depending on the actual size of the ants, they should not be stuffed in the test tube)
Usually after the first winter (April after the year you cought the queen) or a little later for bigger species with a long developement time from egg to ant.

ants canada is livestreaming, showing a big ant colony collection, its pretty cool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8owh93bKhjU

>>2342189
I'm watching it right now, also, posting pic of my setup.
I've got it yesterday and it will take them some time to move there (though I already see them digging a tunel)
Its Lasius Niger colony

>>2342140
the species tells me you are probably from europe, am I right? Or have you ordered them overseeas?

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>>2342350
forgot about a pic

>>2342350
You are right. European Antkeeper here.
I like to keep native species, so if they escape they wont harm the environment or get themself killed by the clima.
Bonus: If I want to get rid of them for some reason I can just put them in the near by woods.
Not that this will happen soon.

>>2342373
I understand your stance, though I am irresponsible person, if I'll really want to keep exotic to my climat ants, I'll do it probably no matter if I risk wellbeing of enviroment, though for now I have no reasons to do it, I'm freshly new to ants so I have yet many local species to have fun with. And I am a little envious, I wanted to catch ligniperda last summer.
Anyway, good luck with ants, for you, and everyone else in this thread.

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>>2342140
>>2342359
>mfw German
>mfw we make all this cool Formicarium shit
>mfw so autistic that even our pets have to work all day

My niggers.
Currently only got a founding colony of Camponotus nicobarensis.

Like 1 Queen - 20~ workers and lots of brood.
Might take pics of setup and colony tomorrow.

>>2342422
If the pet does not wörk, it is a bad pet!
I only got a 127.0.0.1 sticker on the nest, because the they do not produce tiny arcs that say "Arbeit macht frei".

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>>2342433
also: worst captcha ever....

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>>2342433
Glad to see that Ant-keeping is becoming more popular.

Shouldn't have started with Camponotus ligniperdus though. They take years to develop and don't really do that well in capitivity, their queens just randomly die sometimes. Like at the end of this year you might have around 50-60 workers if you're lucky. Also they need their long hiberation.

Should have started with Lasius niger or Lasius flavus if you want a native species.

Exotic Camponotus sp. are also easy and fun to keep.

That myants nest is good though.

>>2342434
it literally tells you to just click the little button that says "uber springing"

>>2342434

I get those a lot lately.

>>2338026
Very funny post my fellow Redditor! xD

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>>2342433
>I only got a 127.0.0.1 sticker on the nest, because the they do not produce tiny arcs that say "Arbeit macht frei".

Oh god now I have this image in my head of a setup with tiny cocktail nazi flags at the entrance and a tiny fence with a tiny "Arbeit macht frei" sign around the dumping ground that many ant species create.

Imagine the reactions of visitors when they ask what kind of pet you have.

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>>2342494
>Insect and other insect mass graves with tiny insect parts and corpses laying around everywhere.

>>2342501
Shit meant.

>ant and other insect

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>>2342189
Summary of video: Wow! Incredible! Wow! Hm... Interestiiinnngg! Wow!

>>2342494
Would be pretty funny and make for nice pictures.
Couldn't you be arrested or something, though?

Not antfarm related but I have large black ants invading my house, walking along the walls and crawling on beds. I called an exterminator but he can't spray outside the house until the weather is bettet.

What are some ways I can get the ants to fuck off or at least reduce activity for a week or so?

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>>2342515
Sounds like carpenter ants. You got wood walls? They chew them out and build their nest in them.

Try bait traps.

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>>2342515

I just discovered a platoon of wee tiny ants are patroling my kitchen

Its quite clean and they dont seem to be interested in the walls or any particular location. They are just roaming.

I feel bad because I hate killing even insects. But I do need to defend my living space and there's no practical way besides poison to ward them off.

Most bugs I can corral, trap and shoo outside. But I cant do that when I am overwhelmed in numbers. I have health issues that would prevent me from trying anyways. And I can barely see them as it is.

I do like ants though. I just cant have them setting up HQ under my sink. I have to reconcile with ending a life process that am utterly incapable of creating myself, and that a lot of wonderful little creatures will have to perish. I dont like it but I cant live with them, and they cant be corraled.

Maybe I am being punished for removing a pair of nutty spiders. But its the same thing: if I dont remove them, I end up with more, especially if they breed.

I remind myself that I need my living space to, and they would eat me if I were their scale and invading theirs. Still. I appreciate life and dont like doing it. Sorry for sounding stupid. Its just something I cant confess IRL or people would know Im a little loopy. I already get teased by people who know Im squeamish about it, and it contrasts so sharply with the rest of my approach to the world.

And sorry for blogging

tldr- I have some ant pests I must deal with, even if I like them.

At least I feel a little better, ty

>>2342645
>and that a lot of wonderful little creatures will have to perish.

If they were any bigger they'd spray acid on you, cut you in pieces and then feed your juicy insides to their maggot like larvae.

Don't anthropomorphize these creatures you queer.

>>2342645
Tiny ants, provided they aren't red or invasive, aren't the worst thing to see in a house. They directly compete with termites, bed bugs, and carpenter ants.

The nest is likely underneath your house and inaccessible without ripping through your foundation. Ants are too damn common to ever fully control.

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>>2342666
>Don't anthropomorphize

Its not that, and you're right. Its just that like I said, my health isnt so good. The phenomenon of something being alive, even something without a brain, is pretty special. I guess it eventually ends for everything. God knows we are all lucky for any time at all I guess. I just hate being the reason something has less time than it would've if we hadn't met, and it did nothing wrong. I know they would have no such empathy for me. Ive never been good at these sorts of questions.

>>2342686

Indeed, and they dont seem to be swarming. If I knew for a fact they werent going to set up camp right under my sink to where I have to tip toe around legions of them, I wouldn't even mind. But historically, there is always more. One day I might drop some ice cream or jam and all hell would break loose.

Maybe if I spray at night, there will be fewer casualties and the stink will keep the others away.

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I am a Masters in Zoology student and my supervisor specializes in social hymenoptera. We had to go out and collect ant colonies for experiments a couple of days ago. Was fun sucking them into the aspirator thing.

Im not into ants myself but they are incredibly cool little fellas. I often confuse wingless wasps and ants when i try to identify insect samples. Interesting how wasps and bees are so closely related to ants.

>>2337974
>Yes, several.

>Both.

>Caught locally.

>>2342766

I bet they are incredible models to study primal roots of social behavior.

That you have social behavior in a species without a brain is amazing.

>>2343714
not him, but: word

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OP here.

I have tempered glass from used, sliding, patio doors. I've taken 2, panes of glass out of one door, and will be making a formicarium with them. They each measure 34" x 75". I'll look something like this, only out of wood and with a cover to prevent light from getting in, but I'll probably need to maintain heating/cooling in some fashion. It gets 110F here in the summer and -40F in the winter. Inside my house can reach 90F and 40F respectively.

I'm going to try to get a Formica exsectoides queen or 3 in July. They don't have stinger, but when they bite they put a drop of formic acid on their jaws and the wound. It burns like mad. Their colony mounds usually have more than one queen (up to 1,000 egg laying queens). They also destroy all plant life within a certain range of their mound to allow the sun to warm the mound for incubating. They do that by biting the bark of the tree/plant an injecting it with the formic acid. The mounds can reach 6 feet wide and 2.5 feet tall.

My only real problem with this species is the temperature range. I've been googling and found this:

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/45979/40_2005_Article_BF01240623.pdf

Which is fantastic because it shows temp ranges from the top of the mound down to 6.5 feet into the colony. I'll need to rig up some method of cooling and heating at different locations, probably using Peltier cooling/heating modules. The temps range from 57.2F/14C to 84.2F/29C. I'm thinking that either separate brood chamber boxes may be needed for the hotter temps or I can make a panel with Peltier modules that will have the different temp ranges. I just slap it on one side and plug it in. It will heat the top and cool the bottom and have a range between, simulating mound temps

This is a huge endeavor it seems. If I get Formica exsectoides (local species), the formicarium will be stood on end, but if I can't then it will be made to lay longways on its side and I'll get an easier local species

>>2342515
>>2342645
>got ants in the house

Time to clean. Once the place is properly clean, the ants tend to move on. I have tons of insects and spiders in my house, but no ants or roaches. Well, mostly spiders and wasps here Fuck those squash bugs and Harmonia axyridis that come in for winter to hibernate. I caulked the place up and the latter is far less now in winter at least. The only good thing about the Harmonia axyridis indoors is that my veggies seedlings are 100% aphid free.

>>2342710
Like roaches, ants need water and will congregate at your sink looking for water. Wipe the sink dry, put a stopper in the drain, and a balloon/condom over the spigot.

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bump

>>2344555
nice, what species you have there? Beause I am wandering if you had any species that is known to make living raft, would they have any reason to do it in peacefull captivity

>>2342162
I forgot to thank you for this detailed post!
Thanks, looks like I need to do lots of research yet.

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>>2344660
I was wondering that too. That isn't my colony. There's two species in that setup, one on each side, with a tiny bridge between them for battling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP-qZYK_mjk

>>2344666
>looks like I need to do lots of research yet

I keep saying that the more I learn about ant care. Even more so when you research one species then decide it isn't right and switch to another which has a ton of differences in care and behavior.

Like my target species is apparently difficult to keep indoors while the 2 alternate species are pretty much beginner level.

>>2344689
what is said target species? I guess also you currently doesn't own any colony and you plan to obtain one?

>>2344706
see
>>2343787