SteveUK28: (31. Jul 2008 09:58)

it has to be said i handle both my rubra and my ruginodis colonys almost everyday and i never got stung.. the only time i was stung was when a rubra working had gone for a walk on my desk.. and i didnt know and my elbow must have been too close and she got me.. but it was just an itch.. didnt hurt at all lol.. I guess ive been lucky lol or my ants like me ;)

miszt: (31. Jul 2008 11:08)

lol I shuld probly have read the whole post, didnt realize there where only a few workers

MrNixy: (31. Jul 2008 14:13)

Pleh easy mistake to make miszt, I got stung 6 times by only 4 workers once. A small amount can actually hurt alot if they are in a bad mood.

gabranth: (31. Jul 2008 14:23)

i find that Myrmica ruba's sting isn't as powerful in captivity as it is in the wild

SirJet: (10. Aug 2008 02:33)

I've carefully removed the moss and found that the ants were nesting outside the test tube among the moss. With the moss gone they soon moved back inside the test tube. Once inside, I connected the test tube to the side of the nesting box. So far they are huddled together at one end of the tube, hopefully they will move into the nesting box once they're ready.

JimmyVe: (11. Aug 2008 20:08)

I'm sure they will. ;) Good luck and keep us informed.

SirJet: (13. Aug 2008 20:14)

Thanks Jimmy ^^

They did move into the nesting box within a day. I woke up one morning and the tube was empty.

However, they have proceeded down the starter tunnel and made for them and blocked the entrance up. They've been inside the tunnel for about 5 days now without food or water. I have cardboard down both sides of the nesting box so they are mostly in the dark, but when I take a short look I can see no movement at all, just mostly motionless ants. I saw only one ant move recently.

Will they be ok in there without food and water? The tunnel looks well blocked, so they'd have to dig their way out.

I noticed they also dug a smaller tunnel straight down from the starting tunnel to the clay arrogate below.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/496/picture017mc8.th.jpg

JimmyVe: (14. Aug 2008 19:46)

I think they will do just fine. If there is no brood that needs protein they will not need a lot of food. Also small colonies come out at night (they feel saver than). As long as they are alive i don't see any problems. ;)

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