test tube setup/hydration

Show us your formicariums and ant setup, ask formicarium-related questions, or share your experiences with building an ant home. Here you will also find formicarium requirements for specific ant species.

Moderator: ooper01

Post Reply
fighter512
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:20 pm
Location: Buckeye, Az

test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 52865Post fighter512
Wed Oct 24, 2018 11:07 am

So still fairly new to the antiverse. I had a few questions hopefully could be answered.

I have what i believe is 2 Crematogaster sp. queens in a 2 test tube setups.

1) Is plastic or glass test tubes better for a setup? (despite being able to see in/scratched up)

2) how do I tell if the chamber is getting enough moisture/humidity?
- it looks dryish, but there is a bubble that formed and looks to be growing.
- shes pulled off some cotton from the reservoir side and left it in the center of tube

3) She seems a bit clumsy or sluggish perhaps. Should I worry?

4) How would be the best way to use a heat cord for a test tube setup?



Thanks in advance for the responses :)
A little more insight, this is about one queen, the other hasn't laid any eggs and just seems to wander in the tube. Mainly hangs out by the reservoir. The queen in question had a few eggs that grew a bit and became clustered, she may have eaten those except for 1 or 2, but laid 3 in the last week. Those are closest to the reservoir, which led me to ask if the tube was humid/hydrated properly.
3 Brachymyrmex Patigonicus - founding (1 with cluster)
1 - pheidole sp. - founding
7 - Crematogaster Sp. - founding (2 with eggs)

7/27/19

fighter512
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:20 pm
Location: Buckeye, Az

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 52869Post fighter512
Wed Oct 24, 2018 12:03 pm

Here are some pictures I forgot to post :)

The first 3 are of the Queen with brood.

Image

Image

Image

This one hasn't laid yet, probably won't since its close to hibernation time.

Image




Last but not least I wanted to say they were caught in the beginning of October. 3 weeks in their royal chambers :D :D
Caught after the remnants of Hurricane Rosa. (Buckeye, Az - Sonoran Desert)
3 Brachymyrmex Patigonicus - founding (1 with cluster)
1 - pheidole sp. - founding
7 - Crematogaster Sp. - founding (2 with eggs)

7/27/19

AntsDakota
Posts: 1283
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:22 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 52873Post AntsDakota
Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:46 pm

fighter512 wrote:
Wed Oct 24, 2018 11:07 am
So still fairly new to the antiverse. I had a few questions hopefully could be answered.

I have what i believe is 2 Crematogaster sp. queens in a 2 test tube setups.

1) Is plastic or glass test tubes better for a setup? (despite being able to see in/scratched up)

2) how do I tell if the chamber is getting enough moisture/humidity?
- it looks dryish, but there is a bubble that formed and looks to be growing.
- shes pulled off some cotton from the reservoir side and left it in the center of tube

3) She seems a bit clumsy or sluggish perhaps. Should I worry?

4) How would be the best way to use a heat cord for a test tube setup?



Thanks in advance for the responses :)
A little more insight, this is about one queen, the other hasn't laid any eggs and just seems to wander in the tube. Mainly hangs out by the reservoir. The queen in question had a few eggs that grew a bit and became clustered, she may have eaten those except for 1 or 2, but laid 3 in the last week. Those are closest to the reservoir, which led me to ask if the tube was humid/hydrated properly.
If she is laying eggs she is perfectly happy. It really doesn't matter if you use glass or plastic test tubes. It all works the same. If the cotton is slightly damp she should be fine. Although I would assume desert ants could survive much drier conditions than your average ant.

That is also a Dorymyrmex sp. (I believe bicolor) queen.
"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

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 52904Post JoeHostile1
Thu Oct 25, 2018 8:14 am

As far as glass or plastic test tube. The downside of plastic is it’s easier to scratch. The downside of glass is that the water inside the testube can cause the glass to remain cool. So the ants probably prefer plastic since that will be warmer, but the ant keeper prefers glass because it’s easier to see the ants.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

fighter512
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:20 pm
Location: Buckeye, Az

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 52910Post fighter512
Thu Oct 25, 2018 1:06 pm

Thanks for the input and ID. I wasn't too sure what they were.

Now being desert ants, and inside a/c. I got thermometers and the outside area where I keep them is about 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and another thermometer within the space they reside, also under a towel. That one reads about 78-80 depending on the sun (east facing room).


Would using a heat cord (15w) be good? And if so how should I place it, and for how long to leave it on for?

Thanks again ant fam!
3 Brachymyrmex Patigonicus - founding (1 with cluster)
1 - pheidole sp. - founding
7 - Crematogaster Sp. - founding (2 with eggs)

7/27/19

fighter512
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:20 pm
Location: Buckeye, Az

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 52952Post fighter512
Sat Oct 27, 2018 2:51 pm

Maybe you guys can help again or Antsdakota has some insight for this newbie. :lol: I can't find any care sheets on dorymyrmex bicolor. Any help is appreciated. I got a heat cord from petco, should I use it for them or would it be too much? It's the 15w cord they sell.

Thanks!
3 Brachymyrmex Patigonicus - founding (1 with cluster)
1 - pheidole sp. - founding
7 - Crematogaster Sp. - founding (2 with eggs)

7/27/19

ClashOwenBash
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2018 1:58 am
Location: Oxfordshire, England

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 52999Post ClashOwenBash
Sun Oct 28, 2018 3:32 am

AntsDakota you have been requested!

All I know if you were wondering is they are a desert ant and are built for speed on long legs so they have the least amount of contact with the hot surface sand. They build nest entrances in a funnel shape. Just going by my logic but I wouldn't heat the colony but that's just my opinion.
Ant-keeper going into his 4th year of loving ants!

fighter512
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:20 pm
Location: Buckeye, Az

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 53876Post fighter512
Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:31 pm

Well I haven't posted in here in a while, and I have some updates!

While the other queen hasn't laid any eggs yet, the other queen has laid eggs. Roughly around 4-7? well I looked today and most have hatched into larva. I can't wait to see the first nanitic(s) appear! :D :D :D

Hopefully by keeping them heated until she has a few nantics, and then hibernate would be ok to do?
3 Brachymyrmex Patigonicus - founding (1 with cluster)
1 - pheidole sp. - founding
7 - Crematogaster Sp. - founding (2 with eggs)

7/27/19

fighter512
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:20 pm
Location: Buckeye, Az

Re: test tube setup/hydration

Post: # 54047Post fighter512
Sun Nov 25, 2018 12:40 pm

Well, been a while and as her eggs finally are developing and I'm sure she hadn't eaten any. She finally as a worker, and I can see there's another one or 2 ready to enclose. Also a few larvae in there too. 11/23 is when I noticed the first worker.

Still winging on the care of this species. If anyone has more information that would be great. here are some pics of the new addition to the family.

Should I feed them anything at this point or wait a little? Plus hibernating this species? Thanks all!

Image

Image
3 Brachymyrmex Patigonicus - founding (1 with cluster)
1 - pheidole sp. - founding
7 - Crematogaster Sp. - founding (2 with eggs)

7/27/19

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests