Tetramorium Queens caught!

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

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jordonbigelow
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 11:15 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23236Post jordonbigelow
Sun Jun 18, 2017 10:48 am

Hello,
I finally caught some queens during a nuptial flight a few days ago. I have a total of 4, and one of them already has a batch of eggs. About how long does is take for a colony to get big enough to be transferred to a formicarium set up? I just want to know so I can have one ready for them. :D

Jake9816

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23263Post Jake9816
Sun Jun 18, 2017 4:42 pm

Tetromorium colonies usually start up fast. My colony of them took at least 4 and a half months before I moved them into a formicarium and by then they had at least 40-50 workers.

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idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23274Post idahoantgirl
Sun Jun 18, 2017 7:10 pm

HI there! I have a colony of tetramorium, several hundred strong. You can check my journal and see how long it took for each stage if you like!
http://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=1173

Also feel free to ask me any questions you have related to tetramorium!
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

PDelta41

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23336Post PDelta41
Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:52 am

I've caught 4 tetramorium queens in Nevada (Carson City area). Three of them already have brood (though one of them only has three, and may be injured - she may not make it), the fourth I just caught tonight, so hasn't had much time to lay eggs.

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SamuelMamuel
Posts: 187
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23341Post SamuelMamuel
Tue Jun 20, 2017 7:09 am

Jake9816 wrote:
Sun Jun 18, 2017 4:42 pm
Tetromorium colonies usually start up fast. My colony of them took at least 4 and a half months before I moved them into a formicarium and by then they had at least 40-50 workers.
What do you do before they get to that size?
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.

jordonbigelow
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 11:15 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23409Post jordonbigelow
Wed Jun 21, 2017 7:13 pm

at least 4 and a half months...is what was said earlier above. I will let you know in a few months time when mine are matured enough to move.

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SamuelMamuel
Posts: 187
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23417Post SamuelMamuel
Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:55 am

jordonbigelow wrote:
Wed Jun 21, 2017 7:13 pm
at least 4 and a half months...is what was said earlier above. I will let you know in a few months time when mine are matured enough to move.
Right, but what do you do when they are in a test tube and they don't have 40-50 members? (Sorry, I'm a beginner)
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.

User avatar
idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23425Post idahoantgirl
Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:14 am

SamuelMamuel wrote:
Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:55 am
jordonbigelow wrote:
Wed Jun 21, 2017 7:13 pm
at least 4 and a half months...is what was said earlier above. I will let you know in a few months time when mine are matured enough to move.
Right, but what do you do when they are in a test tube and they don't have 40-50 members? (Sorry, I'm a beginner)
So, you can move your ants into a formicarium when they have 20-50 ants. During the test tube phase of their life, place the tube in an outworld with a barrier, and wedge a piece of drinking straw in between the exit cotton and the side of the test tube. This is so that the workers can go in and out easily without having an open test tube which would make them uncomfortable. You can place their sugar and protein in the outworld near the entrance of the straw. For sugar use honey, sugar water, fruit juice, ect. For protein use crickets, mealworms, fruit flies. ect. You can ***** with cooked meat, but it should not be their main source of protein.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

User avatar
SamuelMamuel
Posts: 187
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23439Post SamuelMamuel
Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:40 pm

idahoantgirl wrote:
Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:14 am
SamuelMamuel wrote:
Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:55 am
jordonbigelow wrote:
Wed Jun 21, 2017 7:13 pm
at least 4 and a half months...is what was said earlier above. I will let you know in a few months time when mine are matured enough to move.
Right, but what do you do when they are in a test tube and they don't have 40-50 members? (Sorry, I'm a beginner)
So, you can move your ants into a formicarium when they have 20-50 ants. During the test tube phase of their life, place the tube in an outworld with a barrier, and wedge a piece of drinking straw in between the exit cotton and the side of the test tube. This is so that the workers can go in and out easily without having an open test tube which would make them uncomfortable. You can place their sugar and protein in the outworld near the entrance of the straw. For sugar use honey, sugar water, fruit juice, ect. For protein use crickets, mealworms, fruit flies. ect. You can ***** with cooked meat, but it should not be their main source of protein.
What if they can't kill the mealworm?
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.

User avatar
idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Tetramorium Queens caught!

Post: # 23492Post idahoantgirl
Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:43 pm

SamuelMamuel wrote:
Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:40 pm
idahoantgirl wrote:
Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:14 am
SamuelMamuel wrote:
Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:55 am

Right, but what do you do when they are in a test tube and they don't have 40-50 members? (Sorry, I'm a beginner)
So, you can move your ants into a formicarium when they have 20-50 ants. During the test tube phase of their life, place the tube in an outworld with a barrier, and wedge a piece of drinking straw in between the exit cotton and the side of the test tube. This is so that the workers can go in and out easily without having an open test tube which would make them uncomfortable. You can place their sugar and protein in the outworld near the entrance of the straw. For sugar use honey, sugar water, fruit juice, ect. For protein use crickets, mealworms, fruit flies. ect. You can ***** with cooked meat, but it should not be their main source of protein.
What if they can't kill the mealworm?
Buy a pack of mealworms, and stick them in the freezer for a couple hours. when your ants need protein, pull a mealworm out, cut it into a couple pieces and stick it in their outworld.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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