Wasp colony
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Sceliphron
Arachnopeon
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I've kept a colony of Polistes dominula in an inverted kritter keeper with the nest in one corner.
What species of wasp are you planning to keep?
What species of wasp are you planning to keep?
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How does this work? Do you allow them to build their nest inside the Kritter Keeper but keep it open so they can come and go or do you keep them confined and "feed" them through the lid?
Sceliphron
Arachnopeon
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I would stick to a larger tank if you're going to confine your colony, probably a 10-20 gallon aquarium depending on how large you expect the colony to grow. I've personally never experimented with yellowjackets or hornets before, but heard they are a lot less peaceful than paper wasps, so I would collect the colony with care.
My colony was a very small paper wasp nest that was completely confined to the kritter keeper. I fed and watered them through the lid, and provided materials for them to expand their nest with. A full documentation of my project is here: http://thepolistesproject.wordpress.com/
As for collecting them, as long as the nest is manageable (up to around 10-20 individuals), I would just wait until dusk for all the workers to return to the nest before spraying it with a mist/spray bottle full of ice water to disable the wasps, then quickly collecting them in ziploc bags/vials before carefully dislodging the nest to transfer into the enclosure.
My colony was a very small paper wasp nest that was completely confined to the kritter keeper. I fed and watered them through the lid, and provided materials for them to expand their nest with. A full documentation of my project is here: http://thepolistesproject.wordpress.com/
As for collecting them, as long as the nest is manageable (up to around 10-20 individuals), I would just wait until dusk for all the workers to return to the nest before spraying it with a mist/spray bottle full of ice water to disable the wasps, then quickly collecting them in ziploc bags/vials before carefully dislodging the nest to transfer into the enclosure.
The nest is about the size of a Melon. Would it be too dangerous to transfer?
---------- Post added 07-21-2014 at 08:16 PM ----------
Thought it was smaller.
---------- Post added 07-21-2014 at 08:18 PM ----------
i have a nice exo terra 18x18x24. It might be too small.
---------- Post added 07-21-2014 at 08:16 PM ----------
Thought it was smaller.
---------- Post added 07-21-2014 at 08:18 PM ----------
i have a nice exo terra 18x18x24. It might be too small.
Sceliphron
Arachnopeon
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That's pretty big, I'm assuming it contains at least a hundred individuals?