tomorrownight: Re: Brand New Lasius niger Set Up (6. Sep 2009 14:50)

hey, thanks for that, the care sheet is down though i think at the moment.
cool thanks for answering those, but:

a) do i need to connect up the farm, or should i just leave them in the basin?

b) they never venture outside of the testtube to collect any food, is that an issue (they did the first day but havnt in 3 days)

c) do they need an aditional water apart from what is in the test tube?

d) how many workers can the queen make before she dies/starves (if they dont feed her anything?)

e) if i collect eggs, cocoons etc. from wild nests (some one said about that on here) should i add those to the test tube or inside the basin or what?

f) are any of the other british species more active or do they all take a year in the testtube?

g) a bit off topic, but how many british species are there?

thanks alot

insanebe: Re: Brand New Lasius niger Set Up (6. Sep 2009 21:23)

A) if you put them in the farm they will bury themselves and you wont see them for 3 years lol

B)This is normal and is why you wont see them for 3 years if you put them in the farm, this is why everybody uses ytong with a glass plate connected to a basin and why people keep them in the test tube for the first year they are easier to look after, observe etc

C)no

D)Usually 1 to 2 batches of eggs i think

E) i wouldn't do this, so i dunno

F)If your thinking of an ant that will produce a 100 workers in a year from scratch there isn't one :P (far as i know), some ant species form colonies with multiple queens like Myrmica Rubra

G) no idea some are extinct

SteveUK28: Re: Brand New Lasius niger Set Up (7. Sep 2009 09:44)

Lol just about all your questions have been answered here and around the net already loads of times... One thing about ant keeping is that you need to do some research yourself.

The Care Sheet should be up and working now.. at least one of them anyways..

As we have said already your colony is tiny so your not going to see them out feeding.. they will only do this at night while your sleeping.

They will not need any more water apart from what is in the test tube.

The workers will feed her now, so you dont have to worry about that...

If you did collect cocoons or anything id put them into the basin so they dont get stressed out.. but as Lasius niger grow quick enough there really aint any need.

There is lots and lots of british ants.. But i think they only ones that come close to breeding as fast as niger is multiple queen colonies of Myrimica rubra and some Formica. spec.

You really should go do a search dude as there is lots and lots of info out there, not just on this site..

tomorrownight: Re: Brand New Lasius niger Set Up (7. Sep 2009 19:31)

yeah ive read SOOOO much recently on the net about ants, however there isnt anything about how to keep ants in this way. The caresheet will be really useful but is still down, (it says it will be ready in a couple of weeks time.)

its been good watching them, i collected a few other ants for the other farm i have and theyve been really good to watch, there must be more to ants than hormones and instincts you know...

thanks for getting back to me though!

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