Complete Circle Of Life?

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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TensorTom
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2019 12:19 am

Complete Circle Of Life?

Post: # 55728Post TensorTom
Wed Feb 06, 2019 12:26 am

Hello AC Family!

I have a question for my first post. Has anyone given thought to or attempted a completely self-sustaining terrarium? Basically meaning that you would never have to feed it? You would need nitrogen-rich soil, plenty of herbivores, and some population control (Mantis). I'm not sure how practical this would be but there's something cool about the notion of "If all humans disappear tomorrow, this terrarium will keep going and going." Are there any herbivore insects that reproduce frequently enough to keep an ant colony fed? Perhaps also a plant that regrows quickly enough to keep them fed. Assuming all of these were in place, one could rig a self-replenishing aquifer. Waste disposal is another issue. Maybe a natural solution to that as well?

Love the youtube channel.

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
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Re: Complete Circle Of Life?

Post: # 55751Post JoeHostile1
Thu Feb 07, 2019 10:14 am

I have a poison dart frog vivarium and there are thousands of springtails in there. If the ants are able to catch them I’m sure the population of spring tails could feed an ant colony. The vivarium is full of plants and the springtails eat decaying plant matter and in fact if the ant colony was big enough then the ants may provide enough food for the frogs as well.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

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