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Hello!

If found an Atta Mexicana queen!

I know those are fungi farmers, and I have a lot of questions about “getting started”

First and foremost, are they semi claustral?

Second, when does the queen release the spore for the fungi? (I say this mainly because she went about an hour in a jelly jar with some 3 leaves and I want to know if she could have already realesed the spore, and if I must get some of the leaves she cut in the two “caballitos” (which are tequila glasses, small for a glass but I joined two, there will be an image further on)

Third, should I get her different kinds of plant?

Fourth, what space is necessary for such a queen?

And finally, a name suggestion and some advice in ant keeping (I could use it)

P.S. I also found 3 (it seems) solenopsis queens, housed in test tubes, any advice?

Thanks for your time!

https://imgur.com/a/frKUyhD

The housing!

Please feel free to add suggestions!

The Lawnmowers.Lucky.I've Always Wanted Atta.

Congrats on capturing your queen!!!!
(know that you have some people jealous!)

One of my 3 dream species are leaf cutters of any variety, that doesn't fit well with Ohio though.

The only thing I have to add is that you should make sure that the space between both of those containers allows for fresh air for the queen. Maybe consider another container for their container to reduce airflow to the fungi but still allow for oxygen to reach the colony, if that fungi dies the colony dies.

Please don't be afraid to share pictures and difficulties you face along the way, I at least will be here to read it, I'm super interested lol.


I think you should name your queen "Atta Girl", count me as a vote for another name. (Just voted that)

https://imgur.com/a/xBjoaWN

images of the housing and the shoebox!

Oh by the way is it normal for a queen ant to be so still? (She is alive alright)

BlitzAnts wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 14, 2018 2:23 pm

Oh by the way is it normal for a queen ant to be so still? (She is alive alright)

Queens stay still because the don't have energy to waste whilst in the founding stage. Leave the queen alone and check on her every time you have to give her a leaf/plant, which should be every 1-2 weeks.

Guess what?

I found another Atta Queen!

And a cementery of smashed atta queens

It would seem that a nuptial flight took place near my soon-to-be school, and there were lots of dead Atta Queens, I suspect they were smashed by hordes of millennials looking for avocados

Luckily I found two alive!

Unfortunately I only was to take one, mainly because I do not have any more ”caballitos”, so yes...

But anyways, I housed her with my last two caballitos and I put in 4 types of leaves (of course those were not complete, otherwise they would have been too big)

P.S. How should her be named? The first name suggestion will be elected!

Hi Blitz I'm from Queretaro too. I've got 3 Atta mexicana "chicatana" para los cuates. I found a forum dedicated just to leaf cutters http://www.leafcuttingants.com/forum/index.php Also I've been watching a lot a videos about ants, since this is would be my first ant colony.

Any chance you could tell me what videos?