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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 10:43:34 GMT 1
Hi there, i am very interested in starting a ant colony I've been reading through the guides and have found them very helpful. I was wondering if i could start a ant farm with a large tuba wear container and if i would have to keep the foraging area separate?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 12:02:25 GMT 1
Yes that would be a perfect first set up, the ant farms come with tubes for connecting the farm to the foraging areas. Welcome to the hobby
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Post by Myrm on Jun 13, 2012 12:28:48 GMT 1
Hi Frosty Welcome to the forum and thank you for supporting us by joining. The great thing about ant keeping is that almost anything can be used to house them in. Your tupperware box would be pefect. There is no requirement to have a separate forgaing box, but if you can provide one then I say do it.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 12:36:13 GMT 1
Thanks for the reply, would this be ok, and would it be ok to just use soil out of the garden or would it be better to purchase some sand and clay pebbles? Attachments:
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Post by Myrm on Jun 13, 2012 12:45:36 GMT 1
Hi Frosty
Yes, that container would be great. I used one of them before for one of my early ant farms.
As for using soil from the garden. A lot of people seem to worry about this far too much and seem to forget/ignore the fact that ants in the wild are living in the vary soil they are asking if it okay to use. Soil from the garden, as long as you have not treated it with an insecticide is fine; as I said, ants live in it in the wild. Some people recommend heating the soil first to kill any mites or microbes. Again, I totally disgaree with this and personally think it a nonsensical suggestion. I have used garden soil for many of my ant farms and have never had any proplems with it. I do sift it to make sure there are no ants with it, but other than that I use it just as it comes.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 13:34:38 GMT 1
I've filled it about half full with soil and compost as you can see in the picture will that be enough, and should i add water with a watering can or with like a spray bottle? Would this set-up be ok as a foreging ground aswell? Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 21:41:21 GMT 1
Also would the Myrmica rubra be ok to start out with?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 21:43:22 GMT 1
I like to use a spray bottle to mist the soil.
Myrmica rubra is a good species if you don't bug them much[or they will sting]
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 21:54:58 GMT 1
Ha ha for some reason i wanted a species that could sting .
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2012 19:54:11 GMT 1
So just to make sure will the container be big enough for a foreging ground and a nest?
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