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charles17: moving ants (8. Jun 2006 08:37)

is it a bad idea to move ants that have already been in a nest for a while?

i didnt have any loam available, so i decided to make the nesting material out of paper... i pulverized paper in a blender with sand until it became this mulchy mix... then it dried and turned into this attractive white material. the ants have not been digging, so theyre just huddled up in one hole. theres a queen, about 5 workers, and shes recently started laying a lot of eggs.

but i think the paper is starting to develop mold. im not sure, it might just be the paper oxidizing or something. but assuming i can find a source of proper soil, i think i need to take them out, get rid of the paper nest material, and put in the loam soil.

what do u ppl think about how i should go about doing this?

JimmyVe: (8. Jun 2006 13:07)

you can put a test tube in the formicarium and they probably move to there (put water in the tube, but make sure they can not drown in it)

If it's better in the tube than in the paper they move there and you can take the tube out.

if that doesn't work you have to take them out yourself (with a small painting brush) be carful with the queen... ;)

Good luck

charles17: (10. Jun 2006 11:59)

oy... are there any sort of devices that can help with this moving of ants?

JimmyVe: (12. Jun 2006 18:39)

Not that i know off. maybe a spoon if you are going to dig them up, but be careful.