The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

Just wanted to say hello to everyone on this forum.
I'm new to Entomology and ants but I'm learning everyday. I currently have one Camponotus lignipurdes queen with about 18 total eggs. I found my queen on the side walk in the first week of June. I attempted to cultivate a colony last year but I was such a novice that I captured a Camponotus major worker, haha. This year though I studied and now I have my very first colony. I didn't have any pyrex test tubes so I used an alcoholic test tube plastic shot glass, it did the trick but because of the colored plastic, the queen is hard to see in photos. I do admit this fun and very interesting. Anyways just wanted say hello and introduce myself.


Mr Zilla

Hello and welcome. I was hit hard by the ant fever but on a low budget and wasn't gonna let that stop me. I started out using old pill bottles haha. The color may be better to keep it darker for your queen they dont like being disturbed especially camponotus. I now use sections of vinyl tubing plugged with ear plugs works good for me as test tubes haha.

Welcome to the forum.

Do you mean the European Camponotus ligniperda?

nightxwolf88 wrote:Hello and welcome. I was hit hard by the ant fever but on a low budget and wasn't gonna let that stop me. I started out using old pill bottles haha. The color may be better to keep it darker for your queen they dont like being disturbed especially camponotus. I now use sections of vinyl tubing plugged with ear plugs works good for me as test tubes haha.

hey just to let you know to be careful with the vinyl tubing as test tubes. I tried it with one of my queens and it flooded for no reason and completely wiped out the coloney

Batspiderfish wrote:Welcome to the forum.

Do you mean the European Camponotus ligniperda?

Yes. Camponotus ligniperda

idahoantgirl wrote:

nightxwolf88 wrote:Hello and welcome. I was hit hard by the ant fever but on a low budget and wasn't gonna let that stop me. I started out using old pill bottles haha. The color may be better to keep it darker for your queen they dont like being disturbed especially camponotus. I now use sections of vinyl tubing plugged with ear plugs works good for me as test tubes haha.

hey just to let you know to be careful with the vinyl tubing as test tubes. I tried it with one of my queens and it flooded for no reason and completely wiped out the coloney

hmmmmm maybe because the vinyl has flex I'm sorry to hear that. I haven't had trouble yet but my budget will soon allow for an upgrade to some nice ac test tubes and portals

I am sure it is Camponotus but the species ligniperda or ligniperdus is from europe and asia, maybe I didnt identify the species correctly? I wish I had a better camera so I can show everyone here.

Antzilla wrote:I am sure it is Camponotus but the species ligniperda or ligniperdus is from europe and asia, maybe I didnt identify the species correctly? I wish I had a better camera so I can show everyone here.

Hi, welcome to the AC world.
Yeah, Camponotus ligniperda are way far from where you are in Canada. When ever you get a pic, description and measurement, you should try for an ID. some times ants need a little different care according to the species. great job thus far though, and good luck.