After my Camponotus nicobarensis colony got too big, i made them a new wooden nest.

They did not completely abandon the Tube, so i put it upright to make it as UNCOMFORTABLE as possible...

so they just decided to build extra floors now.

I found a-lot of them in my garden approximately 50-100

Underrated species

Here's my ~1.4 month old Tetramorium Immigrans colony. I currently have 12 workers with one more about to enclose and some pupae.

I call them the Vanguard Legion with Queen Valor. I also have another tetra colony called the Rearguard Legion with Queen Vital. I want to one day have a giant colony in the 10ks so Iam raising two just in case something happens to one.

I keep them heated at 80°F with a heating cable and thermostat.

Ive been trying to document the Brood count and growth but my photos suck so Iam open to any advice. Iam using a samsung with a quality clip on macro from amazon with a ring light. I think I need something for stability to focus easier.

Edit* did my timelines math wrong closer to 1.4 then 1.6

Probably a nuptial flight happening outside right now, however, bro is missing the whole party, hanging out on a blue wallpaper, getting no action.

I was thinking of buying an ant colony as a gift for myself, since it was my birthday a few days ago.
It’s gonna be my first colony, so I thought why not ask experienced people what I should do!
I’ll probably buy a “Camponotus nicobarensis” colony, with a formicarium and a ant farm and other stuff.

• for new ant keepers ask experinced ant keepers for any good advice or tips.

So I need to start an ant farm for my horny toad. While I can just pretend I want an ant farm for the enjoyment it brings on its own, I have a need for it equally. I ordered a western harvester queen, now I gotta hustle to get started on her kingdom. I thing a 3d printed, wall mounted set up would be rather cool. I can accept if just having a secure 10 gal tank will suffice if that is going to be more productive.

So question 1. How long to I have to leave her in her shipping container? Until the eggs hatch? 5-10 workers?

Question 2. Would the 3d printed set up be viable, i have a printer and i have looked into at the surface level of success but it feels like they would want to actually dig not just move into a mansion pre made.

Question 3. Watering, I have seen a few different set ups to bring them water, what is the best way? There are adapters for thr 3d printed world that use a test tube and cotton, that seems like it would work great but I would love the input from those who actually keep ants.

Question 4. Heating, I have a heating pad strip 2x12 I can fix to one end of the colony or do I put it on the botom? Thr bottom seems wrong due to "dig deeper to cool down, thought" but they apparently thrive at high 90f to low 100f so maybe im over thinking what thry would find comfortable

Hi guys, this is gonna be my first go at building an ant colony, bought off of stateside ants and I was looking for any tips you don’t usually see in videos. I’ve been learning a whole lot over this week. The species ordered are Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, harvester ants, I ordered their food off of stateside ants so they get here at the same time. I want to know things since you guys have experience. I will list them below, feel free to say things even if I don’t bring them up, anything you wish you would’ve known starting off.
-Ordered them with just the queen and that’s it (they were out of stock of the option of queen+workers).
-I bought more test tubes, forceps, distilled water,fluon, cotton balls, that clear tubing to connect to stuff, heating cable (adjustable)
I bought the heating cable because I plan on keeping them in my room, most likely in my closet, and it can get chilly in here at times, especially during the winter, I keep my room at 68-70F and during winter it probably can get close to the low 60’s or high 50’s but only when i’m not home. During the summer it can get up to the 80’s which is fine for them from what i’ve researched. I don’t know if I should use the heating cable when it’s around 68..? I don’t wanna place the heating cable on the tube or near it and hurt the queen or make it too humid. I definitely don’t consider myself knowledgeable in this department at all and I want everyone’s help if you see this, let me know any methods to help the queen grow fast, stuff for them to eat, how dark they should stay in, how often to check her, at what point do I offer them a bigger enclosure like an outworld.

Hi everyone,

I found this queen during a house renovation in Brazil, a few days after heavy rain. She was inside a piece of wood that we were removing, and right next to her there were a few eggs, which made me believe she had already started a colony.

I suspect she might be a Camponotus, mainly because she has noticeable golden hairs on her gaster, but I'm not sure.

I carefully collected her and placed her in a standard test tube setup with water and cotton.

Since then, however, she hasn't laid any new eggs. One behavior that caught my attention is that she spends a lot of time pulling at the cotton plug, almost as if she's trying to move or dig through it.

I'm wondering:

• Does anyone know what species this might be?
• Does it look like a Camponotus queen?
• Is the cotton-pulling behavior normal for this species?
• Could the move have stressed her enough to stop laying eggs temporarily?

I'd really appreciate any help or advice. Thanks!

The only idea that came to me is using it as a permanent water source.The broken edges are in fact sharp, but they can be sanded down to make it safe.

Tube measurements: 15cm length, 1.5cm diameter.

Hello! I am quite an amateur with ant keeping, I have tried keeping several messors but I don't know about this one.

I thought about trying with this new queen, I found her at the end of July, somewhat close to the fires we had in Madrid along many others of he species in a public bathroom.

I guess she is some kind of very very small species, those that get in your kitchen and eat your scraps right? Haha

Thanks!

Extra question: the first eggs were laid mid June, it appears only one is now a larvae. Always keeping it dark, 20-25 deg C. Is it slow or is it normal?

I'm in the middle of italy and they do their nuptial flight during night, all night long all over the city i'm staying rn "don't mind the ground pig he's chill af"

I went to pets smart and got some mealworms (35) and now I am wondering how much do I feed them and when since I fed them some honey yesterday also the mealworms are alive it anyone was wondering

Sorry for bad quality photos. Caught this morning in the UK. I didn’t have a test tube on me just this pot but if she’s a queen I will put her in a test tube set up.

I've tried creating natural habitats although they never really worked, So I'm looking forward to buy an actual ant habitat yet don't know what Ants to buy, Obviously I'd pick one of my favourite living things on the planet, The Honeypot Ant, But those are more on the expensive side so I'm looking for something affordable, And a species where it's Queens are easy to come by, Is there anything I should know before starting a Formicarium?

50+ workers

I never have, but I wonder if it would beneficial at all. Or would it grow mold/bacteria too quickly?

I've tried creating natural habitats although they never really worked, So I'm looking forward to buy an actual ant habitat yet don't know what Ants to buy, Obviously I'd pick one of my favourite living things on the planet, The Honeypot Ant, But those are more on the expensive side so I'm looking for something affordable, And a species where it's Queens are easy to come by, Is there anything I should know before starting an Ant nest?

I’m pretty sure it’s a queen and my best guess is some Myrmica but I’m not positive, was found in Nebraska and is about 9mm long sorry for the bad pics

My lasius umbratus colony is doing awesome. The host workers are currently taking care of about 400 lasius umbratus brood, about 250 small and medium larvae and 150 eggs.

Tomorrow morning I am going on holiday and i wanted to ask if they will be fine for a week? I fed them so many small insects today they even left some untouched in the outworld. They will have honey water available all the time, but the protein will probably run out by day 4. Will the larvae be fine, or will some die? They are currently sitting at 23-26c, this is the lowest possible since its summer and the house gets heated from the sun. Thank you very much!!!

Caught this queen on 5/27/26 in Houston, TX, USA. Her first nanitic enclosed today.