Pogonomyrmex occidentalis Test Tube Setup Help

[Neme123]

Hi All, I’m a newbie to ant keeping and looking for some veteran advice.

I was able to find and catch six Pogonomyrmex occidentalis (what I assume they are) queens - all wingless. Hoping to have at least two make it.

I have put them all in a plain test tube setup with some dandelion seeds. I’ve been reading that others do setups with a test tube in an outworld with a straw the queen can get through to forage. Also putting substrate in the tube.

My question is, should I disrupt the queens to put them in the outward like setup or just keep them in the test tube as is since they have seeds already? What about adding the substrate at this point?

I also have several mini hearths on the way that I plan to move them to once I see some nanitics.

Thanks in advance for any insight and direction. I’m excited to have started this hobby and adventure!

[Angelants2012]

Just keep them in the test tube and check on them once a week.

[RubyAntKeeper77]

Since you have so many you could try something else. Try putting 3 queens in a outworld like setup each and then leaving 3 in test tubes.