ANTSTORE World of Ants

[mpir]

It's very unlikely that they will mate. First there is a thing called incest. Only few ant species practice it. And some species will only mate in air.

About having more queens: I guess it is better to have more than one queen in nest when founding a colony. If one dies or is unsucessful you have "back up". Having more than one queen in nest doesn't necesery mean that the colony will grow faster. Lots of species where there are polygin queens only one lays eggs. Or more than one queen is tolerated but eventually all but one are killed. This varies from species to species. Just having more queens doesn't mean a bigger colony faster.

[sithmaster676]

@ mpir
i didnt really wont an extra queen for the reason that the colony grows faster i just wished to have an extra one so that like you said is one dies there is another to back the colony up:)
and do you know how long a myrmica rubra queen lives for as i havent been able to find out:)
Sithmaster676

[Sced]

Its is up to you whether you want more than one queen.
If you have more than one queen your colony will grow faster, and you could take one queen out and start a new colony while the other one survives.
I'm pretty sure they cant be mated within the nest, but once out of the nest they might, im not to sure maybe someone can back me up on this?
I havn't use the website yet, but I plan to do in the future. By reading the reveiws it seems to be a good site. I dont know about if you can get extra queens from antstore.

[Sced]

The queen can live around 6 years and the works 18 months

[sithmaster676]

@ sced
thanks for the reply:) you can get extra queens off antstore but you must send them an email instead of doing it in there shop:) i think i will buy an extra queen just to help out the other queen
do you have a mymrica rubra colony as well if so what is your experience on them
Sithmaster676

[Sced]

It's ok
No I don't have a mymrica rubra colony, but I have read diarys on the internet. There a good ant species thoguh

[sithmaster676]

@ sced
oh by the way u said it i thought you had mymrica rubra o well no matter:)
what colonies do u have then at the moment i only have 1 colony of lasius niger but you would know that if have read some of the previous posts on this forum:)
i will do more research into keeping mymica rubra:)
Sithmaster676

[Sced]

I have lasius niger at the moment
But I'm gonna get Pheidole pallidula as a birthday/christmas present :]

[sithmaster676]

@ secd
thats a big step going from lasius niger straight to Pheidole pallidula as they need a lot of room and care i beleive:)
i think i am going to try and keep mymicra rubra as they seem to be roughly the same as keeping lasius niger but i will buy 2 queens in a colony but i wont get these until after hibernation as then when i get them they will be active straight away so april time will do best and mine to will be a late christmas present:)
Sithmaster676

[Sced]

Yeah that sounds good.
Yeah they need alot of room, but my bedroom is always warm so I wont need to heat them or anything

[sithmaster676]

hi all
yeah they do need a lot of room but will be interesting to watch what have you got planned to keep them in? if i were you i would use an old fish tank that would do the job great i have my lasius niger colony in an old 3 foot by 1 foot fish tank and they love the room but because that is so big i have to keep it in my shed:)
do you know how much room mymrica rubra need or would the starter set be ok for them?
Sithmaster676

[Sced]

Yeah I reckon the starter set will be big anough
Yeah im getting a plater nest with an arena for them, big enought for them to start with

[needforfreedom]

On my plan to keep "Formica fusca" I have drawn up plans for a tank aprox 100x100x100 cm (keeping it simple) made entirely from glass. My plan was so fill this one quarter high with Loam with a hollowed log in the middle. And dry wood chip as a thin layer on top. Im planning on keeping these ants in entirley controlled conditions with daylight lamps installed above the tank.

I have to admit I havent taken mould ect..

Suggestions Appreciated

[sithmaster676]

sounds good needforfreedom i hope that works out well for you:)
@ sced i to do beleive that will be big enough to start with but this species grows in size quickly so you might have to change the nest sooner than you think
Sithmaster676

[Sced]

You plan seems very good needforfreedom, it would cost quite alot won't it?
Sith, yes when the colony gets too big I plan to order two of the same nests as the one they would be currently in, and join them together and keep doing that if nessecasry.