ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Jazz]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here, I've been spending a lot of time in the forum, trying to learn how to make my first formicarium.

I´m going to get a y-tong to do the nest and a glass or acrylic terrarium or aquarium to make the foraging area.

Being a beginner, I was thinking of getting Myrmica Rubra. The shop recomends it to beginners and says they are relatively easy to keep and aren´t as shy as the Lasius niger.

I would like to ask a few questions, if you don't mind:

1: What is the best way to keep the nest moist? Water in a well carved on the stone on the top, or a recipient on the bottom with a leg of the stone in it?

2: Does the stone need to be all wet, or just half the chambers? Does the water need to be surrounding all the chamber, or just the bottom?

3: Can I fill the foraging area with sand or wood or dirt, and avoid the ants making the nest in it?

4: Do I need to ventilate the nest?

5: If I buy the ants now, what do I do regarding hibernation? I read on the shop site that central european species hibernate from November untill March. How do I make them hibernate? Is it mandatory to them to hibernate? Should I get a south european species, that only hibernate for to months, and with warmer temperatures? I'm from Portugal, it doensn´t get very cold here.


Sorry for all this questions and my bad english.

Thank you for all the help!

[Jazz]

Can anyone help me with this?

[odesssus]

hi jazz if i was you i get an ant from your own country have you thourt about catching a queen your self?. any way the nest must be vented or it will get moldy and fungus will grow . in the foraging area put sand or mud but only center meter deep. it depends on what ant you get as to how wet the nest should be ask seller or if you catch a queen read up in a book.

[Jazz]

Thanks for the help!