Ive caught Ponera. We're in for a wild, probably short, ride.

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AntLove5Ever
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Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
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Ive caught Ponera. We're in for a wild, probably short, ride.

Post: # 23635Post AntLove5Ever
Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:21 am

Oh boy. I've come to an important point in my antkeeping life. Im going to try to keep a challenge ant. Ponera (or hypoponera im not sure). These ants are challenges because of how delicate and picky they are. Colonies that are started from a queen in captivity with no workers are very often unsuccessful, but I found her and I very much want to keep her, so we will see where this goes. However, I have many questions, and most of my research has brought up conflicting answers, and I can't seem to find much info on them.

1) What is the usual egg to worker time for Ponera Pennsylvanica? (most likely what it is based on how common it is around me)

2) What foods have worked for others who have successfully raised colonies? So far she has accepted honey.

3) How many workers do their colonies usually have?

thanks for your help!

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Ive caught Ponera. We're in for a wild, probably short, ride.

Post: # 23650Post Batspiderfish
Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:38 am

Definitely Hypoponera at this time of year. These ants are mostly predatory, so a frequent and fresh supply of small, soft-bodied insects (Drosophila melanogaster) will be essential. You should have one test tube that is a nesting space, attached to a small, contained foraging space. The nest test tube should have some kind of clean substrate in it, like coconut fiber.

I've raised Ponera pennsylvanica past the founding stages, but it turned out that she was unfertilized. :cry:
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Ive caught Ponera. We're in for a wild, probably short, ride.

Post: # 23654Post AntLove5Ever
Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:38 pm

Batspiderfish wrote:
Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:38 am
Definitely Hypoponera at this time of year. These ants are mostly predatory, so a frequent and fresh supply of small, soft-bodied insects (Drosophila melanogaster) will be essential. You should have one test tube that is a nesting space, attached to a small, contained foraging space. The nest test tube should have some kind of clean substrate in it, like coconut fiber.

I've raised Ponera pennsylvanica past the founding stages, but it turned out that she was unfertilized. :cry:
For future reference how can one differentiate between ponera and hypoponera? maybe a cricket leg would work, because I do not have access to fruit flies at the moment. I already have her in a bare setup, but there is 1/2 in of space, should I disturb her with a move, or is it early enough she will not care? I was told by an anonymous source in DMs that she should not have an outworld, and feeding her in a tube is going to be easier because of how tiny she is. Thoughts on this, and will sand (store bought and baked) work for substrate? I suppose an outworld is nice because it will mean live food is not inside her nest, which would be scary to her most likely.

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Ive caught Ponera. We're in for a wild, probably short, ride.

Post: # 23655Post Batspiderfish
Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:44 pm

My advice is the only advice I have to give. I wouldn't recommend anything that the queen would be unable to drag back to the nest and chew to a pulp. I also don't recommend giving her live food, only food that has been killed (either by crushing or freezing). I'm not sure what you mean by "bare setup".

Hypoponera (without) and Ponera (with) can be differentiated by a tiny spike under the petiole.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Ive caught Ponera. We're in for a wild, probably short, ride.

Post: # 23659Post AntLove5Ever
Tue Jun 27, 2017 3:31 pm

Bare being no substrate in her test tube.

AntsSA
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Re: Ive caught Ponera. We're in for a wild, probably short, ride.

Post: # 23674Post AntsSA
Wed Jun 28, 2017 9:13 am

Not necessarily I feed my three queens small little flies I catch in my natrual setup with phiedole in. They have been with me for 2.5 - 3 months and I think one has larvae but she doesn't let me see her babies
Keeping.
lepisiota capensis colony
Cardiocondyla sp.
Founding
Messor. Sp. X 4
Myrmicine Sp. X 2
atopomyrmex Sp. X 2
Ants SA
:lol: :lol:
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https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC404jNiUH33dFnxqSZajoPg

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