ANTSTORE World of Ants

[trevstonbury]

Good afternoon everyone,

I have purchased the following from the shop, which arrives yesturday and looks amazing (thanks antstore!);

I do have a few questions though regarding bits highlighted in bold below.

Finally does anyone know any good guides online that explains setting up a farm/arena similar to what I have purchased - thanks everyone!


ANTSTORE Starter Kit - farm-arena 30x20
Content:
1x glass ant farm 30x20x1, 8 cm (plate distance 12mm) with 2x 8/10mm socket connectors.
1x glass ants Arena 30x20x20 cm with 2x10mm drillings
1x glass-aluminum lid (stainless steel mesh)
1x 1000g sand / clay mixture of natural - This should be used in the farm and dampened, correct? I don't want it to hard for the ants to dig... What is the different between sand/loam and sand/clay?
1x 50g clay granules - I read somewhere that you can put a layer of water at the bottom with the granulate before adding the sand/loam... that correct?
1x 200g decorative sand - This should be used for the Arena? What makes the ants stop digging in it?
1x 50cm hose 10/14
1x 6-10mm rubber stopper
1x 9-13mm rubber stopper
1x 10mm hose adapter jack
1x forceps pointed
1x plastic tweezers Standard
1x plastic pipette 3ml
1x paraffin oil 10ml
1x sugar 10ml honey solution
1x Ant dish twofold
1x bowl "around" 30mm
1x 10ml drinker
1x drainage pipe
1x red foil A4
1x User Manual

[Shiver]

1x 1000g sand / clay mixture of natural - This should be used in the farm and dampened, correct? I don't want it to hard for the ants to dig... What is the different between sand/loam and sand/clay?

Yes in the farm and I would imagine it is actually sand/loam mix, it's basically the same as clay as far as I know anyway. It shouldn't go hard.

1x 50g clay granules - I read somewhere that you can put a layer of water at the bottom with the granulate before adding the sand/loam... that correct?

You do add the granulate at the bottom but you don't have to add water to it (you can if you want), instead you add the 1x drainage pipe, usually with cotton wool at each end and then you can pipette/syringe water into that to soak into the granulate as needed. (check your leaflets it should be shown in them).

1x 200g decorative sand - This should be used for the Arena? What makes the ants stop digging in it?

Keep it dry they won't be able to dig into fine sand like this when it's dry.

[trevstonbury]

Hi Shiver,

Thanks for your exellent advice!! I am nearly set up and ready to order my ants, though now im not so sure its the best time to order, perhaps best to set up the formicarium and wait till spring? What do you think?

Kind regards

Trevor

[Shiver]

That's for you to decide if it were me I would order a modest sized colony (between 10 and 30 workers) and keep them in the test tube until spring until numbers increase and they are ready for a bigger home (easier to hibernate in the tube as well)

[trevstonbury]

Good idea Shiver!

I am yet to decide on a specific species...any recommendations in regards to the type/size of the Formicarium I have bought?

[Shiver]

I would say a Northern European ant but again it's completely your choice. Lasius niger are the most popular for beginners, Formica fusca are bigger but a lot more "nervy", Myrmica rubra which are active, good beginner ants but mind the sting!

[trevstonbury]

I had a colony of Myrmica rubra that I found nesting near an old tree when I was a kid.....remember their stings lol. Antstore is out of stock at the moment though

posting from 13:41 - Edit Uta - please use the edit function!

Formica fusca are tempting though I have heard they can be fairly inactive at times and shy....... Any other suggestions?

At the moment I think ill go for Lasius niger or wait to see if Myrmica rubra comes back in stock

[DigiSERBIA]

I would say Messor capitatus is available at the moment, or Lasius niger or yea no camponotus my mistake EDIT ! ! !

[Shiver]

It might be a bit tight for a Camponotus Queen/colony in a thin style farm :/ never kept them that way, far to beautiful to risk not being able to view fully! Ytong all the way where they are concerned for me but up to others how they do things.

Yeah my Formica fusca have been a bit inactive for a couple of months now but they aren't too shy out the nest, inside the nest the slightest vibration and they go mental!

Perhaps Formica sanguinea which are in stock, never kept them myself though so not sure how long it'd be before you need to give them a bigger nest (easy enough to add another nest to the style you have though)

I'd get a bit more experience before you try Messor species, I know they are meant to be easy but I know several people who have had many failed attempts at keeping these, again I have no personal experience to base this opinion on.

Lasius niger are cool, I'll always have a colony of these on the go!

[trevstonbury]

I managed to get a small colony of Myrmica rubra 11-24, just come back in stock .

Do I get the Formicarium ready and hook them up or do I hibernate them................a quandry!!! What to do!

[Shiver]

I usually make a temporary home until they are successful enough to warrant a full formicarium!

This is my current Camponotus cruentatus setup (Queen and 7 workers, maybe only 6 when this picture was taken 10 days ago)

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It's a plastic container from a Chinese takeaway attached to their test tube via 10mm plastic tube, the same stuff you get a length of with a starter farm/arena

Lots of PTFE as you can see because there is no full lid so I don't have to shake them about to add/remove food.

[trevstonbury]

Nice, I think that sounds like a plan! I think i'll set something up like this!!

Nice socks btw! haha