Prenolepis imparis

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nerdythang

Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 22957Post nerdythang
Tue Jun 13, 2017 5:31 am

I acquired a Prenolepis imparis queen for my 5-year old son. She's still in a test tube and approximately 5 nanitics (?) have emerged.

We've ordered a formicarium from a vendor in the US (we're in Canada) and it'll arrive in about 3 weeks (it's got to be custom made). So my question is how long can I reasonably expect to leave all the ants in the test tube? The workers are tiny right now, but I would imagine they'd like to grow :) There're also still quite a few eggs left.

I've also started feeding, via a Q-tip, some honey water and it looks like the queen is feeding. Or at least very curious about the Q-tip if she's not. Should I continue this practice?

Thanks in advance. We're newbies but having a great time with our ants so far.

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Aquaexploder
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Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 22961Post Aquaexploder
Tue Jun 13, 2017 7:38 am

If you want you can introduce them to a foriging area as soon as possible since they already have nanatics. However if you like you could continue feeding them in their test tube like you are now and use that as their temporarily outworld. When they have 10-20 workers the test tube starts getting pretty cramped and you should to move them to a proper formicarium.
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Martialis
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Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 22966Post Martialis
Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:21 am

Introduce an outworld; there's no need to continue feeding in-tube.
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nerdythang

Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 23171Post nerdythang
Sat Jun 17, 2017 7:33 am

If I introduce an out world, how on earth will I get them into the new formicarium when it arrives?

Thanks!

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Nathant
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Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 23174Post Nathant
Sat Jun 17, 2017 8:21 am

I would also like to add that Prenolepis imparis has been seldom kept in captivity- but most people find that they do best in 65-68 F temperatures, and shouldn't let them over 70 long-term. Again, they are seldom kept (until as of late) and that statistic might be able to be proven wrong, so don't rely on it completely but keep it in your head.

I keep P. imparis as well (7 queens) and have got them to the pupal stage so far after catching them last April- they are fun to keep so far becuase of how slow the brood develop! :)

My journal: http://www.formiculture.com/topic/5156-nathants-prenolepis-imparis-journal-updated-6417/

As you can see, my room has been through some fairly intense heat waves and they are seemingly unaffected, or at least so far.

nerdythang

Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 23175Post nerdythang
Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:04 am

Great write-up of your progress.

Mine seem to be doing well....only one queen, but six workers so far. Stressing about overcrowding seeing as the formicarium delivery is about 3 weeks out! :(

Did you get any workers yet?

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Nathant
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Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 23176Post Nathant
Sat Jun 17, 2017 11:30 am

nerdythang wrote:
Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:04 am
Great write-up of your progress.

Mine seem to be doing well....only one queen, but six workers so far. Stressing about overcrowding seeing as the formicarium delivery is about 3 weeks out! :(

Did you get any workers yet?
Nope, I just checked today and there were still pupae for all of my queens (but a lot of them..)

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idahoantgirl
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Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 23211Post idahoantgirl
Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:02 pm

Ok, so number one, 10 workers is a very low number to introduce to a nest. With such low numbers, your colony would have a lower survival chance if moved into a nest. Most people suggest 25-50 workers. If your worried about overcrowding, get a bigger tube, and fill it with less water. Number two, Do introduce them to an outworld. It is WAAAAY easier to feed/ care for them. It won't stress the colony out as much as it would to pick the tube up, take out the cotton, ram a cricket leg in there, put back the cotton... ect ect. Don't worry about it making it harder to move to a nest, since only 3 workers at the most will be out foraging at a time. It would be easy to brush those couple workers up and stick them in the other end of a nest.
hope I helped,
IdahoAntGirl :)
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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Nathant
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Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 23227Post Nathant
Sun Jun 18, 2017 7:45 am

I agree, I would give them an outworld. With my short experience with keeping ants, I already hate feeding my ants in test tubes as it is very messy, especially with liquids.

nerdythang

Re: Prenolepis imparis

Post: # 24811Post nerdythang
Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:11 pm

I made an outworld out of a Tupperware container. I yet to see them leave the test tube, despite a blob of honey calling their names.

What should I feed them at this stage? Should I look for a dead insect outside and introduce it to the outworld? My workers seem very puny still :(

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