TRAP Jaaaawwwww!

[Galapoheros]

I wish I never had put them in there. They are digging and covering up the mosses and small ferns. Would have been great for an Antfarm. One filled with peat. They do go to the honey every once in a while. I put a few drops in a depression on the rock. I'm tired of them in there. They are getting by somehow. I bet there are larvae now, but I can't see what's going on. Still digging. Every day. I found an area on one of my hunts that has some Trapjaw colonies. Should be the same sp but they were bigger and many to a colony. Don't know, could be a diff sp. Definitely bigger. I may order one or two Antfarms but I would have to mess up that terr to get those suckers out of there .

 

[dtknow]

Do they like it moist? Maybe let things dry a tad and then offer a moist dark narrow place to hide...they just might move in. This is used to capture ant colonies in the wild...if workers find an area more suitable than where the colony is presently they may move the whole colony there.

 

[Galapoheros]

Do they like it moist? Maybe let things dry a tad and then offer a moist dark narrow place to hide...they just might move in. This is used to capture ant colonies in the wild...if workers find an area more suitable than where the colony is presently they may move the whole colony there.

That's an idea. But, I'm afraid the mosses and the orchids might die. The ants seem to handle the high humidity pretty well. I really think I have only two choices: Let it roll or take everything out. I might as well let it take it's course. I've had bigger problems . I read about the springtail hunting too. That's why I really thought the termite idea was going to work. I may go get a few of those larger ones I found in a different, local town and compare them. They seemed allot bigger but I won't know until I actually compare them. Man my sleeping hours are screwed up....going to bed.

 

[Waspman]

Any new updates or findings on these guys?

 

[Ant Worker]

Wow, I must say, very nice find! The species is Odontomachus clarus. One of the more common Odontoachus's sp. Very nice ants indeed, I would love to keep a colony of them. I currently keep ants, but have yet to find some Odontomachus, maybe this summer on vacation?

I would recommend vising the following ant forum for more care on them:
http://queenant.proboards82.com/

I'm a moderator, B-Rabbit.

Trap jaw ants are known for being a bit hard to find their pray, try lots of different insects, and try syrup, sugar water, or honey. I've never had an at I can't get to eat it.

More photos, and updates would be greatly appreciated!

 

[insect714]

Just thought that I would add this article about trap-jaw ants that appeared in yesterdays paper here

 

[Canfire]

Thats crazy how fast they can close those jaws, they even send them flying!!!!!

 

[angus]

hello Gala...

i dunno much about ants, but your colony and the tank looks very nice...and sounds its very interesting to hv a ant colony...maybe its a new target on wild collecting next time...lol..and hope u can keep upadte we about how the colony going..:clap: :clap:

 

[Steven Gielis]

Any updates on this species?

 

[Galapoheros]

Wow, I was surprised to see this thread pop up again. I have seen several Trap colonies while looking around and exploring. They are much more common than I had thought. Not being an "ant" person (I do think they are interesting though), I had been seeing them for years but didn't realize they were trap jaws. A couple of weeks ago, I found larvae and queens under rocks. The ones I had in a 10 gal finally died off which I was hoping would happen. They were just taking up too much real estate. I don't know what they were eating but they lasted for months and I think I only had between 20 or 30 of them in there. They killed a small T. I couldn't keep anything else in there. Next time, they are going in an Antfarm, if there is a next time.

 

[zinto]

I think I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but here is a link to a setup that makes it very easy to not only keep ants, but to monitor them as well. I've kept several species in this setup, and there's a lab here at the University of Arizona that has a crap load of colonies set up like this. It works very well. The only adaptations I would suggest is to put the test tubes toward one end of the container allowing a "garbage pile" to build up on the other end. Good luck!
-Nick

 

[Galapoheros]

I think I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but here is a link to a setup that makes it very easy to not only keep ants, but to monitor them as well. I've kept several species in this setup, and there's a lab here at the University of Arizona that has a crap load of colonies set up like this. It works very well. The only adaptations I would suggest is to put the test tubes toward one end of the container allowing a "garbage pile" to build up on the other end. Good luck!
-Nick

That's pretty different. Pretty cool. There is so much I want to try. Getting out of hand. Need to regroup.

 

[nepenthes]

You can make a plaster set up really fast and easy







Hey you should send me a specimen! JK

Test tubes would dry out and they wouldn't want to move as fast and could possibly loose the colony. But thats a risk you might want to take? I start all my colony's out in a test tube.



Hope they do well!

 

[Galapoheros]

Those are very interesting setups! I sometimes find colonies of big ants that have dark heads and brownish abdomens under rocks. Maybe kind of yellow... anyway, seems like they'd be perfect for these setups. I've never seen a real big colony. They make a large chamber under rocks where they all hang out. I'll try to get pics next time. I also find colonies of ants that are VERY thin under rocks and they too make a chamber under rocks. They are allot faster than the others I mentioned and rusty red. Sorry, I don't know much about ants so can't give any sp names. But I understand the interest in them.

 

[kahoy]

how about using a tube connected to the water on the tube? so that if the water looses, you can easily refill it. btw, you need to find a substitute for the testtube if you want to use that method.

 

[nepenthes]

You don't want it constantly full of water, other wise the water would break down the plaster. I only fill it once or twice a weak.

this is a petri dish set up I'm sure you could get creative with one of these, this is a fungus growing ant native to south western United states.And the white stuff is Hydrostone.

(not my picture)

 

[Ant Worker]

You can make a plaster set up really fast and easy







Hey you should send me a specimen! JK

Test tubes would dry out and they wouldn't want to move as fast and could possibly loose the colony. But thats a risk you might want to take? I start all my colony's out in a test tube.



Hope they do well!

Oh hi! Didn't know you were a member here, how did you find this forum? I'm B'rabbit on jen's message board if you remember me ;D

 

[nepenthes]

Joined Saturday. See you around!