Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

HOLY CRAP! talk about setup goals

And the clip doesn't do it justice. We're playing with them at the minute.

Just think of the absolutely monstrous fungus that must be below the soil.

wow!! Thats amazing, nice video!

Welcome to the real world, Guys!!
This is what 20000 eggs a day does. So when we are looking at pods and desk top setups, we need to be aware that in order to sustain the colony in this setup we are actually stunting its growth considerably. I would expect a colony to reach this size, without any restriction on its growth, after around 3 years. From my point of view that film shot by Jamie, shows what we are actually dealing with.I would say it is almost certainly the largest display colony in Europe just now, cant be many bigger around the world. From a management point of view, however, the ants need to be given another rope or two with a greater distance to cover, in order to occupy more of the colony in food collection. This would make a difference but would actually speed up its growth. This colony is no where near mature or fully grown, probably around 15% of the size of a big one in the wild!!

It's definitely worth going in with your eye open. My colony is rapidly expanding. Fortunately my hobby is all about continuing to facilitate this. I have one spare next box at the moment but after watching this video and Jamie's comment I'm already thinking about how I can expend my set up. Good fun. Where will it end?

Richard: Darling, would you like to see a film of how our colony will look in 12 months?
Richards wife: Yes, dear, That'll be nice. I'll be through in a minute.
A minute later.....the film is playing.
Richard: There you are darling, I thought we could convert the spare room for some feeding tables and some......
Loud rustling noise...
Richard: Darling, why are you packing that case.....

Ha ha I could see this discussion. Funny enough I seemed more taken aback than my wife

RichardP wrote:It's definitely worth going in with your eye open. My colony is rapidly expanding. Fortunately my hobby is all about continuing to facilitate this. I have one spare next box at the moment but after watching this video and Jamie's comment I'm already thinking about how I can expend my set up. Good fun. Where will it end?

I've just had an epiphany!!
So, take a small colony and watch it grow into something huge. Richard is an accountant. People in business take a small investment and watch it grow into something huge. The hobby of Leaf Cutting Ant husbandry and the practise of Accountancy are one and the same. No wonder Richard is obsessed. He is able to apply the same mind set yo his ant keeping as he does to his financial management. Its all about the bottom line and growth. Return on investment (of money in accounts and of time in his ant keeping). Richard, your shrink has spoken, consider yourself diagnosed!

Acromyrmexbob wrote:

RichardP wrote:It's definitely worth going in with your eye open. My colony is rapidly expanding. Fortunately my hobby is all about continuing to facilitate this. I have one spare next box at the moment but after watching this video and Jamie's comment I'm already thinking about how I can expend my set up. Good fun. Where will it end?

I've just had an epiphany!!
So, take a small colony and watch it grow into something huge. Richard is an accountant. People in business take a small investment and watch it grow into something huge. The hobby of Leaf Cutting Ant husbandry and the practise of Accountancy are one and the same. No wonder Richard is obsessed. He is able to apply the same mind set yo his ant keeping as he does to his financial management. Its all about the bottom line and growth. Return on investment (of money in accounts and of time in his ant keeping). Richard, your shrink has spoken, consider yourself diagnosed!

That's very good that.. how much do I owe you?