Keeping Semi-Claustral Ants – The Ant Pod

Listen to the best ant keeping podcast on the Internet: The Ant Pod!

In this episode of The AntPod, hosts delve into the intriguing realm of keeping semi-claustral ant queens, with personal stories and experiences from Lynn and Jake. Semi-claustral queens, unlike fully claustral ones, require feeding and care from the moment they are captured, presenting unique challenges, especially for beginners in ant keeping.

Lynn shares her initial attempts with the Manica Rubida species, describing both her failures and eventual successes. Her initial struggles included acquiring queens from unreliable sellers leading to early queen deaths.

However, her persistence paid off with successful colonies in subsequent years, notably with the species Myrmica rubra and later, Myrmecia. She also ventured into maintaining newer species, highlighting the complexity and continuous learning involved in ant keeping.

Jake contributes his experiences, particularly with semi-claustral species. He emphasizes the trial and error involved, noting the importance of treating all ants with care similar to semi-claustral species, due to his uncertainty about their exact nature.

The discussion also covers the importance of early-stage care where many ant colonies fail. The hosts agree that the founding stage is crucial and fraught with the highest risk of colony loss. They explore various setup techniques for semi-claustral queens, advocating for a balance between enclosed spaces like test tubes and more open, adjustable setups to meet different species’ needs.

The podcast also touches on dietary needs, with a consensus on providing a balanced diet of proteins and sugars, and the timing of feeding to support the health and growth of the colonies. They discuss the technicalities of setting up environments conducive to ant growth, such as the use of different substrates and the advantages of incorporating elements like bamboo tubes or gypsum inserts for humidity control and texture.

The episode is rich with technical advice, personal anecdotes, and practical tips, making it a valuable listen for both novice and experienced ant keepers interested in the nuances of raising semi-claustral queens!

The conversational style, combined with expert insights, provides listeners with a thorough understanding of the complexities involved in this fascinating hobby!


What Is The Ant Pod? 🤔

The ant pod logo

The Ant Pod is an audio podcast dedicated to the magical hobby of ant keeping! Originating from the creative mind of the extremely popular ant keeper Ant Holleufer (Alexander Holleufer), The Ant Pod has quickly become the most popular podcast of its kind!

In every episode of the podcast, Alexander is joined by a different set of hosts and ant keeping personalities, such as famous YouTubers, TikTokers, ant nests makers, and ant sellers. In a nutshell, everyone with a passion for this amazing hobby!

They get together to talk about everything ant keeping, from the most basic ant facts, to some of the most insightful information you can find out there! Experience what it’s like to own an ant keeping business, to care for exotic and extremely hard-to-keep ant species, or simply to learn something new about the hobby of keeping ants as pets!

So, what are you waiting for?! Give a listen to the most popular ant keeping podcast on the entire World Wide Web, and listen to some extremely interesting conversations you definitely cannot miss!

You’re not just listening to a podcast, you’re becoming part of a community that shares your passion for these fascinating creatures! Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of something truly extraordinary!


The Ant Pod Hosts

Ant Holleufer: Youtube, Instagram, TikTok

Anty Matters: Youtube, Shop

Ninuturu: Youtube


Real-world impact!

Thanks to the BRUMA Ants Plus subscribers and our partner Ecologi we are planting lots of trees all around the world! Click on the Ecologi logo to see the real-world impact of this amazing community!


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