robbsrod: Myrmica rubra (28. Jul 2008 23:16)

i am buying a colony of M yrmica rubra with 10 queens and upto 1000 workers!!

can someone tell me what size of farm and basin i should have

i already have a farm thats 40x30 and a basin 30x20

SirJet: (28. Jul 2008 23:20)

Wow, that's a huge colony! No idea, I'm new to all this but I'm sure the experianced hands will help you out ^^

klasi: (28. Jul 2008 23:23)

Hello,

I've got an colony with 4 queens and 300 worker.

My Rubra's don't really need an area only in the night because they are in the night more activ and the most do they eat in the night.

mfg klasi

SteveUK28: (29. Jul 2008 09:43)

ok well mine has 6 queens and im estimating around 400-500 workers.. i have them in a ytong that is 17" x 8 " and the foraging area is 12 x 7 x 8.
They are only occupying perhaps 20% of that ytong. I will be thinking of expanding next summer.

They grow VERY quickly, and with 10 queens i cant even imagine how more quick they are gonna grow.. also your gonna need like LOADs of food... my eat at least 4 crickets a day plus any other little bugs i give them.
Good Luck.. and i cant wait to see some pics.

robbsrod: (29. Jul 2008 17:05)

rite im gonna buy a plastic fish tank for the basin as i think mine is far too small, i dunno wheather to buy a big thik farm with the 27mm drillings??

i will get loads of pics when i get it on the go........

advice? :)

JimmyVe: (30. Jul 2008 00:26)

Hello Robbsrod and welcome,

When you don't know how big the colony is going to get in a few weeks/months, like in your case with 10 queens, it is best to make a farm that is easy to expand.

@ Klasi : That depends on the temperature, this species is more active when the temperature is not to high. When it gets about 30°c (out side) they will be much less active and more active at night.

robbsrod: (30. Jul 2008 00:47)

cheers jimmy, what kind of farm is easy to expand? im not sure about ytong because i dont know what it is!

gabranth: (30. Jul 2008 01:20)

ytong is a type of soft concrete that you can carve into to make a nest for the ants then glue a sheet of glass onto

http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_info.php/info/p447_Ytong-nest-big-10-cm.html

SteveUK28: (30. Jul 2008 09:58)

to see a complete guide on what ytong is and how to make one see here!
:drink06:

JimmyVe: (30. Jul 2008 17:24)

You can expand all kind of farms if you like, as long as you keep that in mind when you make your first farm. I mean if you make a farm from a y-tong, make sure you can expand it buy keeping that in mind you can make a tunnel to 'nowhere' that you just need to pop open to expand it to another y-tong nest. (or something like that) I hope you understand. ;)