I need assistance with my Cataulacus queen.

[JaydenScheepers]

I have tried to keep Cataulacus in the past, however it failed miserably. The queen drowned in a drop of water in the middle of the test tube, I was so sad to discover she had died.

I got so lucky today, I was in the kitchen making eggs, then when I finished I went outside to turn off the gas, and when I turned to go back in I saw a queen walking on the ground. I'm so excited, I will do lots of reading today, because I REALLY don't want to fail again. I know I said Odontomachus are my favorite ants, but these Cataulacus ants are just so beautiful to look at.

If there is anything about these ants you can tell me please do, I will appreciate it so much.

[JaydenScheepers]

https://imgur.com/gallery/4Nzd76u

This is the setup I have for her now, I tried to quickly add some wood to make her feel more at home. Hopefully she'll like it, went I get back I plan on searching for hollow sticks, then I'll take my time to properly sanitize them to keep her safe and stick it in there (pun not intended).

Also if anyone knows ant keepers who have successfully kept them or even failed and documented them, then I would like to go through their experience so I would appreciate it if you can send the link.

[JaydenScheepers]

https://imgur.com/gallery/xo9wdHX

Alright update on my Cataulacus granulatus, when I checked up on her she came up from under one of the peaces of wood inside the test tube and went for the exit. When I was preparing her mealworm I saw she was trying to squeeze through the exit cotton, so I decided to connect her test tube with an out world. Later I came back and saw she sat inside the connecting tube, witch has a smaller space than the test tube. So I think what she wants is a very small space, not the wood. I'll look for some small hollow sticks and sanitize them, see if she would like that.

[SolenopsisKeeper]

https://imgur.com/gallery/xo9wdHX

Alright update on my Cataulacus granulatus, when I checked up on her she came up from under one of the peaces of wood inside the test tube and went for the exit. When I was preparing her mealworm I saw she was trying to squeeze through the exit cotton, so I decided to connect her test tube with an out world. Later I came back and saw she sat inside the connecting tube, witch has a smaller space than the test tube. So I think what she wants is a very small space, not the wood. I'll look for some small hollow sticks and sanitize them, see if she would like that.

You can try straws. A lot of psedumyrmex will nest in plastic straws, and sometimes paper straws.

[JaydenScheepers]

https://imgur.com/gallery/xo9wdHX

Alright update on my Cataulacus granulatus, when I checked up on her she came up from under one of the peaces of wood inside the test tube and went for the exit. When I was preparing her mealworm I saw she was trying to squeeze through the exit cotton, so I decided to connect her test tube with an out world. Later I came back and saw she sat inside the connecting tube, witch has a smaller space than the test tube. So I think what she wants is a very small space, not the wood. I'll look for some small hollow sticks and sanitize them, see if she would like that.

You can try straws. A lot of psedumyrmex will nest in plastic straws, and sometimes paper straws.

Good Idea I'll try that. I have heard that Cataulacus likes walking on wood and doesn't really like walking on any other material. So what I'll do is I'll give her a plastic straw on one side, and a hollow twig on the other, and see which one she prefers.

[JaydenScheepers]

Holy crap these girls have good eye sight. I am observing her, waiting to see if she likes the straw, and my arm is maybe 30 cm away from the test tube, so I quickly brought my arm over to do something, but I did keep my distance from the test tube because I know they can see well for ants. But when I swung my arm she flinched, that instantly caught my attention.

[JaydenScheepers]

I was starting to get real worried, but I finally saw she ate a little bit.

[JaydenScheepers]

Are Cataulacus granulatus polyligiousness?

[SolenopsisKeeper]

Are Cataulacus granulatus polyligiousness?

Not alot is on antwiki, so i think it is best to keep them apart. Some highly monogynos Camponotus however have been made polygynos.

[JaydenScheepers]

Are Cataulacus granulatus polyligiousness?

Not alot is on antwiki, so i think it is best to keep them apart. Some highly monogynos Camponotus however have been made polygynos.

Yeah, sometimes some monogynos ants accept 2 founding queens. However one of my C. granulatus queens has three eggs now, so I don't want to risk it.