Questions and Feedback on Care of Tapinoma sessile Colony

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TheBookLover29
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2021 5:15 am
Location: Connecticut, USA

Questions and Feedback on Care of Tapinoma sessile Colony

Post: # 99428Post TheBookLover29
Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:18 am

Hello,

I have a colony of Tapinoma sessile.

I acquired the colony from an existing colony, which had at least a dozen queens and probably at least a thousand workers. I collected two queens and around 30 workers.

It has now been around 6 weeks since I acquired them, and they have been doing well. I only recently managed to identify the species, after spending a while researching them and looking at a worker under a microscope. New workers have emerged, around doubling the number of workers.

I was hoping some of you may have suggestions and feedback on my current care of them, and how to continue.

Here is what I have currently been doing:

I have been keeping them in an AntsCanada test tube portal, connected to it are two test tubes. One test tube is the nest, which is set up in the normal way (water, then cotton ball, then empty space where the nest is), and the other test tube I will switch up, with various food sources. I originally put in the other test tube a honey water mixture, but it rotted very quickly, so I no longer do that, instead continuing to put the cotton part of a q-tip soaked in honey directly into the portal, on top of a piece of paper towel at the bottom of the portal, allowing me to prevent the honey from smearing everywhere. Now, I have the second test tube filled with a colony of aphids. I originally noticed that my colony was eating them, and I was somewhat surprised at that, but after some research, realized that ants will eat some aphids for a food source, especially if a colony is large enough in comparison to the space given, or if species of aphids are provided that produce a higher quantity of honeydew. As a result, currently I am leaving the aphids as their only source of protein. The colony of aphids I replace every now and then, mainly when they almost all die, either from the leaf I provide the aphids dying, or them all being eaten, which happens when I provide a smaller number.

Now, here is what I am wondering about: First, should I provide another source of protein for them, and if so, what should I provide? And is there something about my current set-up that seems at all concerning or needs to be changed?

In addition, does anyone have suggestions on potential later formicariums that would accomadate the species? The species is polygounous, and apparently will mate within the colony sometimes, meaning in the distant future my colony may have more than the two queens it currently has. Further more, I don't want a particularly large set up, and as they can create colonies with over two thousand workers, I am planning on later on trying to keep the food supply at a level that they won't increase to those levels.
In addition, I read that my species will change nest sites frequently, it can be every 21 days. How should I set up a long term formicarium given that? Currently, I don't really need to worry, as it is easy to provide fresh test tubes, and even necessary.

Also, I need to figure out how to do an outworld. This species is both a highly opportunistic nester, and once when I needed to have them switch tubes, they tried to nest in the portal, including trying to nest partially in the gap between the lid of the portal and the part used to connect test tubes, even though there was plenty of light and was exposed (luckily, they decided to move, although I did kind of help convince them to move...). In addition, while I am not overly concerned about them nesting in the outworld, I am worried about preventing them from escaping. The species is both very small, able to move across water, fast, and considered escape artists. I've read stories of people who used an "escape proof barrier" and Tapinoma sessile were able to cross it, and are able to climb vaseline barriers easily based on what I have read. Many people have had their entire colony escape, and while none have escape my set up yet (except two ants individually when I was opening the portal to feed them (though I re caught both)), I don't want that to happen.

So... Any suggestions?

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Questions and Feedback on Care of Tapinoma sessile Colony

Post: # 99430Post SolenopsisKeeper
Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:23 pm

TheBookLover29 wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:18 am
Hello,

I have a colony of Tapinoma sessile.

I acquired the colony from an existing colony, which had at least a dozen queens and probably at least a thousand workers. I collected two queens and around 30 workers.

It has now been around 6 weeks since I acquired them, and they have been doing well. I only recently managed to identify the species, after spending a while researching them and looking at a worker under a microscope. New workers have emerged, around doubling the number of workers.

I was hoping some of you may have suggestions and feedback on my current care of them, and how to continue.

Here is what I have currently been doing:

I have been keeping them in an AntsCanada test tube portal, connected to it are two test tubes. One test tube is the nest, which is set up in the normal way (water, then cotton ball, then empty space where the nest is), and the other test tube I will switch up, with various food sources. I originally put in the other test tube a honey water mixture, but it rotted very quickly, so I no longer do that, instead continuing to put the cotton part of a q-tip soaked in honey directly into the portal, on top of a piece of paper towel at the bottom of the portal, allowing me to prevent the honey from smearing everywhere. Now, I have the second test tube filled with a colony of aphids. I originally noticed that my colony was eating them, and I was somewhat surprised at that, but after some research, realized that ants will eat some aphids for a food source, especially if a colony is large enough in comparison to the space given, or if species of aphids are provided that produce a higher quantity of honeydew. As a result, currently I am leaving the aphids as their only source of protein. The colony of aphids I replace every now and then, mainly when they almost all die, either from the leaf I provide the aphids dying, or them all being eaten, which happens when I provide a smaller number.

Now, here is what I am wondering about: First, should I provide another source of protein for them, and if so, what should I provide? And is there something about my current set-up that seems at all concerning or needs to be changed?

In addition, does anyone have suggestions on potential later formicariums that would accomadate the species? The species is polygounous, and apparently will mate within the colony sometimes, meaning in the distant future my colony may have more than the two queens it currently has. Further more, I don't want a particularly large set up, and as they can create colonies with over two thousand workers, I am planning on later on trying to keep the food supply at a level that they won't increase to those levels.
In addition, I read that my species will change nest sites frequently, it can be every 21 days. How should I set up a long term formicarium given that? Currently, I don't really need to worry, as it is easy to provide fresh test tubes, and even necessary.

Also, I need to figure out how to do an outworld. This species is both a highly opportunistic nester, and once when I needed to have them switch tubes, they tried to nest in the portal, including trying to nest partially in the gap between the lid of the portal and the part used to connect test tubes, even though there was plenty of light and was exposed (luckily, they decided to move, although I did kind of help convince them to move...). In addition, while I am not overly concerned about them nesting in the outworld, I am worried about preventing them from escaping. The species is both very small, able to move across water, fast, and considered escape artists. I've read stories of people who used an "escape proof barrier" and Tapinoma sessile were able to cross it, and are able to climb vaseline barriers easily based on what I have read. Many people have had their entire colony escape, and while none have escape my set up yet (except two ants individually when I was opening the portal to feed them (though I re caught both)), I don't want that to happen.

So... Any suggestions?
There is no reason for them to keep aphids that can’t produce honeydew(They need living stems)

Vaseline is crap. Use fluon for small ants like Tapinoma. Baby powder won’t work as well due to their size and weight compared to the baby particles. Some later formicaria I would suggest are acrylic nests. They are pretty secure and work well for small species. Wouldn’t recommend them for anything medium to large tho. Where are you located? I can provide some shops based on locality
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

TheBookLover29
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2021 5:15 am
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Questions and Feedback on Care of Tapinoma sessile Colony

Post: # 99431Post TheBookLover29
Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:45 pm

SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:23 pm

There is no reason for them to keep aphids that can’t produce honeydew(They need living stems)

Vaseline is crap. Use fluon for small ants like Tapinoma. Baby powder won’t work as well due to their size and weight compared to the baby particles. Some later formicaria I would suggest are acrylic nests. They are pretty secure and work well for small species. Wouldn’t recommend them for anything medium to large tho. Where are you located? I can provide some shops based on locality

Thank you! For production of honeydew, you are saying that the stems have to be actively attached to the living plant, right? That makes a lot of sense, thank you. Also, thanks for the suggestion of using fluon, I will look into acquiring some.
In addition, for an acrylic nest, do you have any suggestions of what I should look for? Specific features or qualities the nest should have? Also, do you have any suggestions for brands?

As for location, I live in Connecticut (USA)

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Questions and Feedback on Care of Tapinoma sessile Colony

Post: # 99433Post SolenopsisKeeper
Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:09 pm

TheBookLover29 wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:45 pm
SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:23 pm

There is no reason for them to keep aphids that can’t produce honeydew(They need living stems)

Vaseline is crap. Use fluon for small ants like Tapinoma. Baby powder won’t work as well due to their size and weight compared to the baby particles. Some later formicaria I would suggest are acrylic nests. They are pretty secure and work well for small species. Wouldn’t recommend them for anything medium to large tho. Where are you located? I can provide some shops based on locality

Thank you! For production of honeydew, you are saying that the stems have to be actively attached to the living plant, right? That makes a lot of sense, thank you. Also, thanks for the suggestion of using fluon, I will look into acquiring some.
In addition, for an acrylic nest, do you have any suggestions of what I should look for? Specific features or qualities the nest should have? Also, do you have any suggestions for brands?

As for location, I live in Connecticut (USA)
For this particular species, I would recommend Buckeyes Myrmecology or ausants. Ausants is expensive to obtain. In the US tho, and can be as much as 80$ for a nest that costs 30$. You want nests to have a good rep. Don’t look at website reviews, ask around the community about the quality. If you don’t want to spend money you can do a simple tubs and tubes setup which should work great. As for the aphids, yes, they need a living stem attached to the plant or else they will start to wander or fly away.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

TheBookLover29
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2021 5:15 am
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Questions and Feedback on Care of Tapinoma sessile Colony

Post: # 99455Post TheBookLover29
Mon Jun 05, 2023 11:59 am

SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:09 pm
TheBookLover29 wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:45 pm
SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:23 pm

There is no reason for them to keep aphids that can’t produce honeydew(They need living stems)

Vaseline is crap. Use fluon for small ants like Tapinoma. Baby powder won’t work as well due to their size and weight compared to the baby particles. Some later formicaria I would suggest are acrylic nests. They are pretty secure and work well for small species. Wouldn’t recommend them for anything medium to large tho. Where are you located? I can provide some shops based on locality

Thank you! For production of honeydew, you are saying that the stems have to be actively attached to the living plant, right? That makes a lot of sense, thank you. Also, thanks for the suggestion of using fluon, I will look into acquiring some.
In addition, for an acrylic nest, do you have any suggestions of what I should look for? Specific features or qualities the nest should have? Also, do you have any suggestions for brands?

As for location, I live in Connecticut (USA)
For this particular species, I would recommend Buckeyes Myrmecology or ausants. Ausants is expensive to obtain. In the US tho, and can be as much as 80$ for a nest that costs 30$. You want nests to have a good rep. Don’t look at website reviews, ask around the community about the quality. If you don’t want to spend money you can do a simple tubs and tubes setup which should work great. As for the aphids, yes, they need a living stem attached to the plant or else they will start to wander or fly away.
Thank you! If I do a test tube set up, do you have suggestions on how to best do that, and how to do the tub?

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