New ant farm and questions

[typhon]

Hello there everyone, my first post on this forum (I won't be making a introduction post, since I really don't like making those)



Anyway I'll be building an ant farm soon (already got the design in mind), but I'm a begginer in what concerns ants, and so I have a few questions:


1. I was considering to buy the species Messor minor Hesperius. Do you think it's a good species to start with?

2. When adding sand and loam to the formicarium for the first time how should I proceed exactly ? Should I also add some water ?

3. How often should I water it afterwards ? (I know there is good post about it in the forum, but I can't access it yet)



This will be my first ant farm, if you don't consider my failed attempt with a gel one.
I will post pictures of the ant farm once I start building it.


Thank you for your time.

[Wood~Ant]

Hi Typhon and welcome to the Ant Hill.

I have only kept Messor barbarus and M. structor  myself, but I see no major problems keeping M. hesperius as I think we had another member who kept them and they did well.
If you add dry sand and loam into your set up, water it just enough to make it damp as dry sand can collapse and bury ants alive.

How often you water it afterwards is a matter of how hot the weather gets, as I find in the height of summer I need to spray droplets of water twice a week, but much less during cooler spells.

You will find plenty to read on the forum, but never be worried about asking questions as that is how we all learn more about the hobby. 

[typhon]

Thank you

Another thing, do I add the water after I put the sand/loam mixture or before?

if after do I just pour water or is there any special technique?

[Honeydewman]

Use a manual water sprayer and spray as a mist.

[Jenny]

Welcome to the forum Typhon  
As suggested above,  use a plant sprayer if you have one as this won't endanger your ants from getting flooded.  The alternative is to gently trickle the water across the top surface and let it soak in slowly as to not disturb the ants.

Depending on what type of set up you have in mind, you could moisten the sand/loam prior to putting it into the formicarium if it makes it easier, but only wet it enough so the grains hold together to let the ants form tunnels. You only need to spray as a top up thereafter. Messors prefer it to be on the dry side especially where their seed storage is, but they also like to be able to dig their tunnels.
Enjoy your visits here

[sapsey]

Welcome to the forum Typhon I have also recently joined. The forum is full of useful information and as you have seen everyone is keen to help with advice.

Good luck with the M. hesperius .

Rich.

[typhon]

Alright, thanks to everyone for the kind welcome and help.

[krautman]

Hello. I think the best way is to keep the out world dry, use sand and loam mixture and just make sure they have a water supply. I use cotton wool soaked in water in a small feeding dish as the ants will drown if just water is used. I have my Messor Capitatas in a Ytong nest that is connected to the out world by tubing. I have made it quite long (nest), and moisten one end only so that the ants can choose for themselves where they store the seeds or raise the brood. I find that they keep the seeds in the dry area and raise brood and chew the seeds in the more moist areas. (They use the moist areas to soften some of the seeds first). By doing this stops any seeds going mouldy and germinating especially in the foraging arena. Hope this helps.