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Azzer: My new colony (minus the ants!) (1. Jul 2005 17:22)

Last week I ordered a bunch of new stuff from the Antstore, and have now set everything up as I'd like in preperation for the ants (which I ordered yesterday - fingers crossed they will arrive next week - I am getting a small colony of Lasius Niger).

I just thought some people might be interested to see the setup I have. It comprises of *two* "Ant Display Standard", plus a glass basin ("30x20x20 + 2x drilling 10 mms"), and some piping.

I used an 8/3 sand-loam composite throughout. I topped this up with some extra "lawn sand" when I was filling the basin (reducing the loam ratio, but this is only the feeding area technically).

The two colony areas *and* the feeding area all have a 10-20mm high layer of clay granules (varies throughout). I then filled all three areas (two colony one feeding area) with water slowly up to the same level as the clay, allowing the clay to soak the water in - adding a little more water so that there was some "standing water" left visible at the bottom (as it will slowly soak up through the sand). The sand/loam was then poured in on top in the two colony areas, and carefully through the feeding areas as I was setting this up with some "pipe work" (see below).

I used a short piece of the "10/14mm" pipe to connect the two colony areas together - the pipe itself is filled with the sand/loam, and each side of the two colony pieces that connect to eachother are piled right up with sand (see pictures below) - it is my hope the ants will tunnel all the way through and use both colony areas to nest, with tunnels going through the sand-filled tube.

I used two more lengths of the "10/14mm" pipe to connect the "outer sides" of the two colony areas to the basin - note that I had to use pieces of "8/10mm" pipe to connect to the basin itself - I achieved this by inserting the 8/10mm pipe a small way in to the ends of the 10/14mm pipe (is is a very tight squeeze - it will not slip off), and then inserting the 8/10mm pipe through the two 10mm holes in the glass basin.

I used a few spare lengths of tube within the basin itself just as small "tunnels" that have an entrance either side just to give the feeding area a bit more "interest" to the ants.

I wanted to set everything up before I ordered the ants themselves as I want time for the water to soak through, to check no large "cracks" appear in the sand as it dries out (and if they do I will settle them down) and make sure I am satisfied with everything.

After all that, here are links to the pictures, roughly in order of me filling the basin up (so you can see how the tubes connect/where the tubes go under the sand);

http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_01.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_02.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_03.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_04.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_05.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_06.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_07.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_08.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_09.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_10.jpg
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_11.jpg

I will post back in future times with progress on the ants, and more pictures if I can when/if they actually start using both colony areas as one large colony.

Martin S.: (1. Jul 2005 21:06)

Dear Azzer,

thanks for yor photos, but you have put many tubes in the ground
http://www.bushtarion.com/pics/azzers_antfarm_05.jpg
I do think, that the ants do not use this tubs, because the will go direct into the ground.

Greetings Martin :D

Azzer: (1. Jul 2005 23:08)

They are purely for in the feeding area, not for making a nest - I did something a little similar before with a past colony, and I found that it made them a bit more interesting to watch when they are exploiring the feeding area looking for food sources - watching them disappear in to a tunnel and reappear out of the other end - just a bit more fun! :)

Martin S.: (2. Jul 2005 08:20)

OK, you can show us later photos with the ants.

Greetings Martin :D