jon2thefish: (17. Jul 2007 20:58)

Hi Sithmaster

I like the idea of feeding the queens in keeping up their reserves. What do you suggest feeding sugar/Honey/water or some protein like a fly or cricket, I'm right in thinking in the wild the queen would cover herself up and just use her wing muscles and possibly some of the eggs to keep going, but hey im happy to speed things up and keep the queens happy.

I hear what you say about making them happy with the covering. All tubes are in a shaded room with no direct light, but i'm afraid this is part of my experment. The open covered tubes have a water source, peace and quiet so i'm gonna hold fast of that suggestion for the moment.

Miszt suggested getting a syringe to top up the water supply, so ive got one on order.

Thanks for the info m8, any other thoughts please give us a shout

miszt: (17. Jul 2007 21:05)

Your queens will need both protien and honey water, i put one dead fruit fly and a very tiny drop of honey near the top of the test tube for them, u need to be able to clean the honey away easily so dont put it to far in, however you dont have to feed your queens at all, they fatten up before the mateing flight, but theoretically they should be stronger and build the colony faster with a supply of food, maybe something u can add to your experiment?

Keeping them dark will imo make them happier, but at the same time it will make them photosensitive, which will make the colony stressed if they move into for eg an uncovered farm or ytong nest, I usually keep them covered, but i've decieded this year they will be kept sumwhere shaded but not dark, means i can check on them without causing them to much stress reguly.

The ones you have in the dark should be fine being checked every 2-3 days, just not in very bright light

jon2thefish: (17. Jul 2007 21:30)

lol i got my job cut out now feeding 28 queens, yip looks like ive been greedy. Well a challenge it is now. i better buy some bananas tomorrow, its beena a few yrs since i try collecting fruit flies i might consider getting a wingless species.

Might see the difference between Queens which are fed and Queens that arnt. Then again i might start stretching my experiments a bit thin.

Photosensitive thats what i was thinking with regards of coverin some and not others.

The end of the day these animals are in my care and i certainly dont want them to suffer. So i hope people will speak up if they think i'm being cruel.

Trust me to start running before walking...lol did i mention i breed freshwater sting rays :D

miszt: (17. Jul 2007 21:43)

u really breed freshwater sting rays?! i want one! lol

jon2thefish: (17. Jul 2007 21:59)

Oh dear i often get into trouble going off topic in forums hahahaha :-# , i'll post some pics into off topic heading

jon2thefish: (18. Jul 2007 10:17)

Took me awhile but i check every queen over. Good lord nearly every single one had eggs. As you see from the picture the tubes are split into 5 sections:-

Covered completly with paper towels
Covered a good 2/3's with paper towel
Covered completly with tinfoil
Covered a good 2/3's with tinfoil
No cover (out of direct sunlight/lighting)

Every Queen has been given a file and i'll see now how they progress.

Unfortunately i did find one dead queen, from my lack of experience i cannot say why she died. Looks like i must put this down to nature.

The average egg cluster was between 4-8. out of the 24 queens. 5 queens had no eggs. With one queen having approx 12 eggs and another queen having about 17 eggs.

Within each group half were fed last night with a cotton bud that had been placed into sugar water for a few minutes. Nearly everyone took to it straight away. I squeezed off the excess liquid and placed into the tube and the cotton wool replaced.

Q1 How long can suga water be left in. Will suga and water go off or will it just dry out?

ashhad1: (18. Jul 2007 10:49)

I would change it anyway just in case but glad to know your queens are doing good except 1, but that happens
keep us informed :D

sithmaster676: (19. Jul 2007 07:55)

in Norfolk yesterday at around 7 pm the lasius flavus mating flights were so close to happening i watched all of the nests at a time in my garden, and the flying ants were leaving the nest but not flying they all started to swarm but then it got a bit to cold and all went back into there nests.
so im quite unlucky but hopefully today will be the day.
Sithmaster676

jon2thefish: (19. Jul 2007 08:19)

Fingers crossed Sithmaster

ashhad1: (19. Jul 2007 08:49)

were i am its sunny in morning today but its gonna be heavily raining around lunch or 2pm
I sometimes Hate this weather

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