Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

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jasont200
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: Canada

Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 14178Post jasont200
Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:02 pm

Hello everyone,

I'm very new to ant keeping and I was wondering what your opinions on keeping Myrmica rubra is. I don't plan on having this as my first but I would love to have one later on. So I have just a few questions
1. Are they excape artists?
2. Are they fast growing?
3. Is it best to have AC products when dealing with a stinging species?

If you have any other info that I would need Plz feel free to post it. Thank you for your time.

Serafine

Re: Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 14195Post Serafine
Fri Oct 21, 2016 11:51 pm

Not sure how fast they are growing but they can be polygynous and while they usually have around 1000 individuals they can reach colony sizes of over 20000.

It is best to wear gloves when working with a stinging species. I doubt the nest product does make a great difference.

jasont200
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 14198Post jasont200
Sat Oct 22, 2016 9:47 am

Thanks for the info. 20000 that's alot of ants. I was more asking about the product because I have never made a formacareium (sorry about the spelling?) and I'm worried about them getting out. As it has been hard enough getting the wife to say yes to my pet choice.

Serafine

Re: Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 14199Post Serafine
Sat Oct 22, 2016 11:11 am

I think they can only grow to that size if you add (a lot of) additional queens.
Solenopsis fugax for example can also grow to sizes of multiple hundred thousands but I doubt any captive colony ever reached that size without their keeper spamming them with queens every year.

nightxwolf88

Re: Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 14211Post nightxwolf88
Sun Oct 23, 2016 7:09 am

I would say you can build a formicarium for them as long as you make sure to use a silicone to seal the sides and connection spots as well as use a nice barrier of alcohol and talcum powder around the top edge of your outworld.

Canadiananter
Posts: 132
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:20 pm
Location: Toronto,Canada

Re: Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 14215Post Canadiananter
Sun Oct 23, 2016 9:41 am

My Rica rubra are hard to found but otherwise easy to keep. If you provide extra queens, their max size is actually 500,000

jasont200
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 14219Post jasont200
Sun Oct 23, 2016 11:45 am

Thanks for all the info. So if I don't add more queens it will have a slower more manageable growth rate? And thanks for the silicone idea as I plan on making one for my first empire of carpenter ants.

Hunter36o
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:57 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: Are Myrmica rubra AKA European fire ants hard to keep

Post: # 40581Post Hunter36o
Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:06 am

Just want to throw it out there. These little beauties are actually not a fire ant species. Their common name is European Red Ants not fire ants :)
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.

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