ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Yourpredator]

Hi I want to get the Formica sanguinea ants and I have a few questions before I do (This is my first time keeping ants):

1, I live near a forest and there is tons of them everywhere in huge mounds would they be cramped in a normal tank? Would I would have to get a huge tank?

2, I don't know how I would set up their tank either... I was thinking of Logs and leaves dotted around.

3, If they are too hard for starter ants what ants should I buy I would like something easy and active and interesting

Thanks for your help guys! Please reply soon

[Kiam]

I do not know this species but i think you should start with a lasius niger species because there really easy to keep and you'll learn alot or some other species like myrmica rubra or lasius flavus

[badman]

are you planning on buying a queen or collecting one from a nearby nest? If the latter I don't think this is a good idea. Collecting a queen from a wild nest is not as easy as it sounds, you could end up killing it which will destroy the colony.

But if you can find any fertilised queens after mating flights thats fine.

I don't know anythign about this species, but it seems to make sense that you would start with this species of ant as it's natural habitat is all around you and you can collect food and suitable material for it's habitat.

When you start your colony will be small, so it will not be cramped.

[Yourpredator]

Thanks for reply guys!

This is the video that worried me, Some of the ant mounts are like this only after years and if they stand strong though.


So now I feel like Getting red ants sorry I don't know the proper name for them or I might try keep them ... I am so confused

Oh yea, I plan to buy them.

[web]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nTQS1e6XUo[/web]

[Kiam]

Please do not collect wood ants they are a protected species in the UK...

[miszt]

Formica are definitly not a starter colony, go with Lasius Niger or Myrmica Rubra/Ruginodis, to be honest, i'd really recomned you go with l.Nigers, although they may not seem as interesting, being the UK 'common black ant', they are fascinating to watch, and will teach you allot about looking after ants, without the risk of getting stung or dying (they are very hard to kill if u follow standard care, ie dampish farm, honey/sugar water & insects and a fresh water source)

[Necturus]

The ants you see in the mounts are most likely a protected (!) Formica species and it would be illegal to interfer with them in any way.
Also, determination of the right species is very tricky especially on partially red Formica sp., so please order a colony instead and spare the local wildlife.
For beginners i would suggest Lasius niger, Myrmica rubra or Formica fusca.
Also, hibernation is soon to start, so i suggest you wait till next year and take the time to read about this new hobby. theres quite a lot to it, and one shouldnt start without the proper preparation.
Greetings,
Necturus

Edit: only now seen the latest posts. Do not collect Formica rufa, as mentioned before, they are protect, and destroying one of those mounts that took years and decades to grow will definately get you in trouble.
I dont understand why you would want to collect it anyways. please show some respect to the animals, those colonys contain up to a million workers, and theres no chance of giving them the correct treatment in captivity.

[Yourpredator]

Just to clear something up I wasn't going to take the queen from the wild/Disrupt nest... i meant to buy em from the site. Thanks for replying I think I may try get the Lasius niger but I think they are already hibernating... I still think they will do thier nest though. Thanks for all the replys!

[fac383]

I have a F. sanguinea colony.

Currently, a Queen/14 sanguinea workers and 1 fusca worker.
The other 5 fusca died in transit.

I've kept them in a large basin, and they've nested in a hollow log filled with dry-ish sand. the foraging area is floored with some dry peat.
There are constantly 4 workers foraging everytime I take a look, and they've fed on spiders and hover-flies.
They are entertaining to watch when taking live prey, although there's not much teamwork to be obserevd, and they seem to forage around at a completley random method.
unfortunately i've got no idea how the queen is doing since she went into the nest 6 weeks ago.

If you did want my advice, then I'd go for a colony that grows faster and show more teamwork and enterprise than sanguinea do.

cheers