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Yes it's a queen from what I can tell.
It's a bit hard to see from the picture, but it could definitely be a Tetramorium sp. or possibly Pheidole sp.
If you are getting into the hobby, I strongly recommend picking up a macro lens kit for your phone. They can be found for under $20 on Amazon and really help you take amazing pictures.
Here's a picture I took with it using my Galaxy S6 Edge. These ants are quite small.
I think this is the best science-focused ant book as long as they have a higher reading level: Amazon link
I'd also love to know more about your wasp keeping!
I 10000% recommend Journey to the Ants by E.O. Wilson and Bert Hölldobler, I got this when I was in 8th grade and it is by far my favorite book on ants and their behavior/biology
Dang. That one seems better and cheaper than the one I got: https://plugable.com/products/usb2-micro-250x / https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XNYXQHE. Can yours be mounted like vertically? You can see my videos and photo(graph)s from /r/ants/comments/o6rx78/a_very_tiny_black_worker_ant_discovered_outside/ (still unidentified!).
NAVADEAL Connecting Ant Farm Castle with Tubes, Habitat Educational & Learning Science Kit Toy for Kids & Adults - Allows Study of Ecosystem, Behavior https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H2DWD1Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_eMp2AXghS9DD5
I have two of these but I had to put tape over all of the holes to keep escapees in. If you have a light board you can set the castle on top when you want to observe.
Honeybee Democracy is a great book about this subject in bees, and there are a lot of parallels with ants. There's just been much more studies in honeybees than any other animal.
Anyway, they come to the same conclusion the other commenters are saying. The "queen" is really an egg laying machine that is as subject to the will of the colony as a whole as the rest of the ants are.
Thinking about spraying Ortho home defense around my house tomorrow.
0.05% Bifenthrin, 0.0125% Zeta-Cypermethrin
Since they are indoor safe supposedly I guess I could use it now too
Ortho 0220910 Home Defense Insect Killer for Indoor & Perimeter2 with Comfort Wand Bonus Size, 1.1 GAL https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7KSXHX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_Eo1TFbHAJKNVE
"Journey to the Ants" is probably the first book I'd recommend for an ant enthusiast. Along with its larger, drier, more expensive cousin "The Ants", it is the magnum opus of the most important two myrmecologists in the field. Really the gold standard for ant books, and for science non-fiction generally: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Ants-Story-Scientific-Exploration/dp/0674485262
This book is great for his age, it’s about some common species in US and their behavior at an appropriate reading level
Dr. Eleanor's Book of Common Ants... https://www.amazon.com/dp/022635167X?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I use my phone, Samsung Galaxy s22 ultra and a 15x macro lens that i got on amazon in a 10in1 lens kit for $20. Here's the link. 10in1 lens kit I use pro video and record in 8k. I use an external aputure light instead of my phones flash. I keep the zoom at 4x or lower. The focus is set so I can get as close as possible and still have a clear image.
Fingers crossed. Do you think the problem is they are unhappy with their enclosure? Any guesses as to what type these are? I'm eyeing this on Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/NAVADEAL-Connecting-Habitat-Educational-Learning/dp/B00BAPQMFG/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=1WJAMCEZ1UAH2&keywords=Ant%2Benclosure&qid=1664958762&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjMwIiwicXNhIjoiMy44OCIsInFzcCI6IjIuOTUifQ%3D%3D&spref...
This was the one I got
1 tsp boric acid
9 tsp sugar
1 cup water
mix thoroughly, spread around in problem areas
should sort it out in a day or two.
Hello, I'm a bot! The movie you linked is called Legion of Fire: Killer Ants!, here are some Trailers
I just saw this sorry. This is the one I use because I can sit 3 or 4 of my formicariums around the edges of it. Are you ants still just the tube or is it connected to an outworld? heating pad
The maybe 3quid temp and humidity sensors off ebay are quite helpful for peace of mind on the humidity front. The small black cheap ones work fine.
Make sure you get the right unit for temp though, I got Fahrenheit instead of Celsius once by accident
http://www.myabandonware.com/game/simant-the-electronic-ant-colony-197
Fantastic game. I've been working on an emergent AI framework with an end goal being to make an improved version of this SimAnt.
I mean the ants are able to navigate throughout their nest using pheromone trails and their memory. If they can find the chamber with the queen and find any other chamber, they will also be able to find and memorize where the entrance is. This is an interesting site on how ants find food, I suggest they use similar methods inside their nests. Through the combination of pheromone trails as well as olfactory and tactile cues they can navigate perfectly throughout their nests.
Although it's difficult to find out how they actually find the exit, because you would have to experiment on an enclosed nest. And if they can't find the entrance anymore, they can just dig a new one. :)
I have mine in an acrylic nest I bought on amazon. I can't find the exact one on there anymore0 but this link is very close in size and design. https://www.amazon.com/Habitat-Included-Educational-Install-Experiments/dp/B08YXPX4W2/ref=mp_s_a_1_81?dchild=1&keywords=acrylic+ant+nest&qid=1633699678&sr=8-81
They have a plain water tower and one with red hummingbird feeder nectar. I feed them ever 2 or 3 days. Usually it's it's a Grub worm, and a roach or mealworm. Ive tried different fruits, vegetables and seeds but they havent been interested in anything but insects. The grub worms seem to be their favorite. I keep the humidity test tube full. Oddly they don't like any extra heat. I've tried a heating cable and a heating mat and they always move far away from it. So I keep them at room temperature, about 70-72f and they do very well. They are active throughout most of the day with around 50 workers in the outwworld. At night they stay huddled in the nest with only a few in the outworld. I've kept this same routine for the majority of the time I've had them and they seem to be thriving. Fluon has kept them from even attempting to escape since pretty much day 1. I have a mixture of sand, soil, crushed tree bark as a substrate for half the outworld and organically preserved peat moss as the other half. I've made several video posts showing them since I caught them if you want to get a better idea of the formicarium they're in.
I usually buy them in bulk - you can get feeders by the hundreds for 50 dollars or so from shops like Josh's Frogs and Dubia Depot. However, if this is your only colony I would recommend buying these 50 Dubia Roaches from Amazon.
Dubia roaches are nutritious feeders that are easy to care for. All they need is a box, egg crates or toilet paper tubes for housing, vegetables and a source of water. This way you can keep them alive and healthy for many months, which they should be able to feed your colony for if you can keep them alive. The downside is that they are tough shelled and hard for your ants to kill, so you need to cut or tear them open before feeding them. You can freeze them before to be more humane. I've had many of my colonies boom in brood from almost nothing once I start to feed them more. While, being Camponotus, your ants won't explode in population, regular and large feedings should still have a big impact on their brood count.
Use this or something like it: amazon link
Don't use terro crap.
It takes a few weeks. Place the gel where you see them foraging. Allow them to gather as much of it as possible so they can bring it back to the colony.
I am a fancy scientist, and I just bought several of these cheap Amscopes for ant ID in my lab: https://www.amazon.com/AmScope-SM-1TZ-Professional-Magnification-Pillar-Style/dp/B005CERPWA?pd_rd_w=lpTMy&pf_rd_p=f278c130-2ab3-495e-99d4-1c61f24b71c9&pf_rd_r=2JPM3ZQ0Y81F390C04CH&pd_rd_r=25d71268-d65c-472d-ad70-1c06778b8ac8&pd_rd_...
And I use these relatively cheap lights with them: https://www.amazon.com/AmScope-LED-6W-Powerful-Gooseneck-Illuminator/dp/B007LBELH4/ref=pd_aw_fbt_img_3/137-5161004-2088126?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B007LBELH4&pd_rd_r=8f675d0d-8c48-4b86-b3a0-4661f5c62e1b&pd_rd_w=3CEud&pd_rd_wg=k36xP&...
There are a lot of good book suggestions in here. I would also recommend "The Superorganism" by Bert Holldobbler and E.O.Wilson. It is a large and technical book as well, specifically on how colonies of social insects - mostly ants - organize from separate individuals.
I have a mustletech one that I found in a grocery store clearance section, but this is pretty close to it that I found on Amazon: Pro Supps XXIII liquid Amino Diet Supplement, Berry, 32 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008U8EURS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SlyzDbQCQD1VF
Thanks, I used this pencil box: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BQGTW44/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and some sand.
Google play searching system is weird. Here is the link
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https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ariel.zanyants
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Thanks!
amazon. I have it in a bucket lined with aluminum tape to reflect the lights around like a beacon.
Yeah, that stuff is extremely mild. You may want to get something that's made for exterminators. I doubt you'll have trouble buying any, and they usually sell it on Amazon. It sounds like you know what you're doing. Be sure you leave the bait out and don't kill any ants that are feeding on it. I recommend this stuff.
Thanks for the advice!
Sorry I don’t think I was completely clear, I’ve only been keeping them in the dark for the past week so they settle in without too much disturbance as the place they were before was a little more busy, but as soon as there is ANY light the queen goes nuts and tries to charge out of the nest into the outworld.
Do you think they will be fine with just the red acetate on top of the nest area to just lessen the intensity of any light?
I’m currently keeping them in this tank so the only moisture they have is from the water test tube, but they have constant access to water.
I’d read on a care sheet somewhere that chopping the seeds is good for smaller colonies that don’t have majors to get into the larger seeds but I’ll try the smaller seeds for now
And the agar agar packets I assume are these?
nice pics. I counted 13 eggs in the top pictures.
note about macro photography. to change the focus you'll need to move A BIT closer or farther away. if you're using android and the camera keeps changing your focus and driving you nuts look for an app called "Open Camera", it's a free up that in macro mode locks the focus and allows you to turn on the led light as a torch/lamp.
There are specific glass cutting drills, so make sure you use those and go very slowly. Also it helps if you can spray it with water as you cut as it helps to reduce the friction.
Personally, for outworlds, I use food containers. Most of these are a clear acrylic so it's easy to view and have lids as well that fit.
Ones like [these])https://www.amazon.com/ME-FAN-Large-Air-Tight-Storage-Container/dp/B078TTSRJJ/ref=sr_1_50?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1523300326&sr=1-50&keywords=food+containers) work well and are fairly easy to drill holes into. It's also easier to put a band of fluon as there are no square corners that the ants can crawl up.
I bought a mini-fridge for my first two queens this year. This may not be an option for everyone, but I found one for $25 used on Craigslist. I used a cheap digital thermometer to ensure my temperature was right, similar to this one:
Taylor Precision Products Digital Refrigerator/Freezer Thermometer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00875TVYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fgh8zbDD3BFWG
I'm currently keeping them at 45F. Also, depending on the species, there is evidence that ants can survive much lower hibernation temperatures. Even below freezing. This, however, mainly applies to ants that typically don't nest underground, such as camponotus species. I'd imagine you would be safe with any temperature above freezing with any temperate species though, some of the hibernation tutorials I've read even suggest temperatures from 35F-50F.
im guessing between 2-3 inches i believe long the tube its in is 25x150mm
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UGSFB6O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sorry for the delay been crazy the past 2 weeks
Don't bother getting a new camera - try this out https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CSJ50HY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I bought this a couple months ago and it takes some good macro pictures/video for only being $15.
Sucks on the containers - I know the feel when they are running around and you have nothing to catch them with.
Not sure where you're located but amazon has them in quite a few countries: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Laboratories-Crickets-Ounce/dp/B01BI6QMLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499724175&sr=8-1&keywords=can+o%27crickets
They have their original body liquids. It's just like other canned food, only crickets, worms, etc. I've found them quite convenient.
I recommend a heating cable. Just place it under the old tube, but make sure it is only a single strand because when the cable is close together it gets pretty hot.
I got 60 when I bought mine and I'm currently using about half those. Buying in bulk tends to be cheaper over time as well. The ones I carry on me as "just in case" tubes haven't gotten pretty cloudy due to scratches and oxidation and a few have even cracked a bit just from being carried around constantly. I think I've managed to straight up lose two of them to top if all off. Not a terrible investment and they can be used for other things as well.
Here is what I'd probably get in your case OP. I'd soak them in soapy water and thoroughly wash them out first before I'd use them. This one is pretty good as well if you're not looking for any large species like camponotus. Down side to these would be they're a little small in terms of diameter so they wont really plug and play with most formicariums you can buy.
Personally I'd go with the first option. Its pretty proven and the smaller tubes will probably run out of water quicker. Oh, and its a lot easier to get queens into a larger test tube. I really need to get some larger containers for captures.
I bought the test tubes on Amazon here's the link Test Tubes They're 5.5 inches long, which provides lots of nesting room, and 1 in diameter, which suits the Camponotus queens, and any other species well, I felt that the smaller test tubes with half an inch diameters were too tight for the large camponotus queens, and then all the brood, and soon to be workers so that's the reasoning behind that choice. The 1 inch diameter should be small enough though for cotton balls to fit nice and tightly into the test tube like shown here. So yeah I just bought these they look good so far, everyone seems to like the caps, which I only have on in case they somehow manage to dig through the cotton, which at this rate queen 3 the one in the middle in the column on the right who has been non-stop gnawing at the cotton might reach over the week of me not checking. I made sure they're loose though to provide air flow.
Well I'm no expert myself, and from what I've seen people doing I might be putting too little water, assuming I'm going to keep them in their until they have around 50+ workers, this is my first largish batch of Camponotus queens, so I'm going to see how much water is left over after they're ready to move into their formicarium for future use.
I use Drosophila hydei flies which are incredibly easily and are a good size for the ants. https://www.amazon.com/Producing-Flightless-Drosophila-Hydei-Culture/dp/B00JJWEPG0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481157498&sr=8-2&keywords=josh%27s+frogs+drosophila+hydei Since I have a bunch of ant colonies I also bought this: https://www.amazon.com/Hydei-Fruit-Culture-makes-cultures/dp/B00U9R87YU/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481157531&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=josh%27s+frogs+drosophila+hydei