My Messor Barbarus colony :D

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AntAnett
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Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50141Post AntAnett
Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:01 pm

Is gypsum so easy to destroy by all ants? If I wanted to have Lasius niger in gypsum nest would it be OK?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiM_PNwB9wuId1eRfE0WDA/videos

AntsLuxembourg
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Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50157Post AntsLuxembourg
Thu Sep 13, 2018 12:50 am

I think lasius niger should be fine. There aren't many ants which can work there way through gypsum but messor barbarus can. They got some bigger workers which take care of breaking open the seeds for the colony. :P

But I could also be wrong. Perhaps research that with the gypsum before you do it. Just to make sure.
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

Need help or want to help? https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18153#p70566

Currently not keeping any ants anymore.

AntAnett
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Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50195Post AntAnett
Thu Sep 13, 2018 10:25 am

Now I have two colonies of Lasius niger. The second one was added for free to my order from local online shop. There are about 7-8 workers. They have smal outworld now, connected with fresh test tube. They are doing fine, eatting cricket leg. I've learnt preparing test tubes with chambers made from styrofoam. My both colonies of Lasius niger have more or less the same conditions now, old small plastic t-tube, smal out world and fresh glass t-tube with styrofoam chambers. All they need to do is swith test tubes...

Messors are doing well, sitting in their test tube. In few days I will give them fresh T-Tube too, also with styrofoam chambers. I think my problems are over now, cause even if my first Lasius niger colony will die, I really can't do anythibg more for them. If they are to live, they must cooperate, there isn't any other way.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiM_PNwB9wuId1eRfE0WDA/videos

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UnrealSparks
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Location: Turin - Italy

Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50206Post UnrealSparks
Thu Sep 13, 2018 3:25 pm

Hi! I guess you are quite new to antkeeping right? :)

I'm not an expert myself but I can tell you I've been keeping Messor Barbarus since May (they had 25-30 workers when they arrived) and until now they haven't been chewing through the silicone tubing, not even a single bite (I use a 10-8mm tube). Even with majors they have done no damage and I haven't got a single escapee yet. I keep them in an acrylic formicarium with a section filled with sand, where they've built their nest and they've been growing exponentially in the past 4 months reaching an incredible 150+ workers count with currently lots of brood. :D

I've also been keeping Lasius Niger since July, so I'm a bit less experienced with it but I can tell you once the first worker was born they quickly reached 10 or so. Now I'm waiting for an other "worker wave" almost ready to hatch from the 10+ cocoons I've counted in their test tube.

If you have any question or want to know more details about how I raise them feel free to ask. ;)
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

AntAnett
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Location: Poland

Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50268Post AntAnett
Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:47 am

I can't wait to actually reach at least 100 workers of each species... I like Messors more, cause they are more active and they are brave also, they always check what I've done in their world. Lasius are scared and hiding most of the time, and they are stubborn, so stubborn... When I wanted Messors to change theyre home, it was easy as pie. And with Lasius... I still can't force my first Lasius colony (I have two Lasius niger colonies, since yesterday, when the second one arrived) to move to fresh test tube! And the old one is dirty, moldy and disgusting... :P But my new Lasius niger colony (from yesterday) has about 10 workers or so, and they are at least getting out of their t tube to forage. I've given them fresh T-tube also, but, I don't think they will get there any time soon. They rather feel OK in the old one, but I want them to at least get used to the existance of other possibilities.

And about messor, they are brave and curious about everything in the Out World, but they are always scared when I uncover their nest. They don't feel safe enough. That's why I rather don't uncover the nest. They are taking larvas and are ready to get away, that is not a good sign. I think I will give them new test tube with chambers, they will feel better prehaps.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiM_PNwB9wuId1eRfE0WDA/videos

AntsLuxembourg
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Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50272Post AntsLuxembourg
Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:40 am

As I told you before Messor Barbarus is very sensitiv to vibrations. They feel EVERYTHING. Mine were luckily pretty calm but as soon as I touched the setup they were kind of stressed. Hopefully they will be calm as soon as I get them inside their new setup in 2019. I will keep things slow to avoid them to be too stressed.

Btw I will show my colony which I got from a fellow GAN Farmer :D
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

Need help or want to help? https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18153#p70566

Currently not keeping any ants anymore.

AntAnett
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:28 am
Location: Poland

Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50285Post AntAnett
Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:44 pm

My messors have gotten a fresh t-tube today, with styrofoam chambers. They are visitting it quite often, but I don't know if they like to move there or not. I don't care much were they will live, for both t-tubes are clean and have water. Only I wish them to choose ONE t-tube. They are not huge colony they don't need more than one t-tubes. The new one has chambers, that's the only difference. What I really love about them is they're way of behavior, when they decide to do something, they do it quick. I wouldn't be supprised if tomorow morning they would live in new test tube. If they decide to leave the old one I will have to close the hole in the box somehow.

Now one question about honey. I've heard they are not much honey lovers, but I try to give them some from time to time?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiM_PNwB9wuId1eRfE0WDA/videos

TheRealAntMan
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Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50302Post TheRealAntMan
Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:24 pm

AntAnett wrote:
Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:44 pm
My messors have gotten a fresh t-tube today, with styrofoam chambers. They are visitting it quite often, but I don't know if they like to move there or not. I don't care much were they will live, for both t-tubes are clean and have water. Only I wish them to choose ONE t-tube. They are not huge colony they don't need more than one t-tubes. The new one has chambers, that's the only difference. What I really love about them is they're way of behavior, when they decide to do something, they do it quick. I wouldn't be supprised if tomorow morning they would live in new test tube. If they decide to leave the old one I will have to close the hole in the box somehow.

Now one question about honey. I've heard they are not much honey lovers, but I try to give them some from time to time?
It is not recommended to feed harvester ants sugars especially honey as it may be potentially harmful to them. They can get all their needed carbohydrates from the "bread" of the seeds they eat.
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

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UnrealSparks
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Location: Turin - Italy

Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50304Post UnrealSparks
Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:36 pm

TheRealAntMan wrote:
Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:24 pm
AntAnett wrote:
Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:44 pm
My messors have gotten a fresh t-tube today, with styrofoam chambers. They are visitting it quite often, but I don't know if they like to move there or not. I don't care much were they will live, for both t-tubes are clean and have water. Only I wish them to choose ONE t-tube. They are not huge colony they don't need more than one t-tubes. The new one has chambers, that's the only difference. What I really love about them is they're way of behavior, when they decide to do something, they do it quick. I wouldn't be supprised if tomorow morning they would live in new test tube. If they decide to leave the old one I will have to close the hole in the box somehow.

Now one question about honey. I've heard they are not much honey lovers, but I try to give them some from time to time?
It is not recommended to feed harvester ants sugars especially honey as it may be potentially harmful to them. They can get all their needed carbohydrates from the "bread" of the seeds they eat.
Yes, I also never feed them any honey or sugarwater since they're not a big fan of it.
They absolutely go crazy for canary seeds tough :D
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

AntsDakota
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Location: South Dakota

Re: My Messor Barbarus colony :D

Post: # 50315Post AntsDakota
Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:25 pm

AntAnett wrote:
Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:38 am
I think I will keep them in garage, There isn't any warming system there, but my house has styrofoam around. So there will be cold, but not below zero.

I watch my colonies everyday, once a day for a short moment.

I've heard Messor Barbarus are able of cutting through gypsum and they also can cut through the tubes. I hope during a winter they are resting, and no wondering how to escape... I will not visit them everyday then...

For recording I use cheap microscope from Wish application. It says it's 1000x but it's really about 200x. It connects to smartphones and tablets via WiFi. It's OK, I've bought it cheap on Wish app, and I was going to use it for ants, it's OK for ants, so I like it. But If I really wanted to have 1000x then I would be very angry :D

One more thing, do I have to cut seeds for Messors? I mean they don't have a lot of workers, so maybe they need help with that..?
Only check on them once a week.
"God made every kind of wild beasts and every kind of livestock and every kind of creeping things;" (including ants) "and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25

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