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con7con: How Am I Doing? (15. Nov 2014 21:13)

Hello, I recently acquired a Lasius niger Queen with 3 workers and so far kept her in her tube. The tube contains water and I have provided the ants with a drop of honey water and a small housefly which I crushed, both of which I placed into the tube. The ants instantly took to the honey-water and seemed to feed it to their queen and they seem to have moved the fly further inside the tube but it could simply of slid when I moved the tube. I am planning on moving the queen and her brood into the ant farm at around 20 workers.

Anyway, I was wondering if there is anything I could be doing wrong and anything that i should be doing? Thanks.

SigHunter: Re: How Am I Doing? (21. Nov 2014 09:44)

since it is november, Lasius niger should begin or already be in dormancy right now, lower the temperature in steps over a few days (put them in the attic or cellar) and keep them at 5 - 8 °C till the beginning of april. they don't need to be fed during this time and since your tube still has water left it is moist enough