jhousele: more beginners questions (4. Dez 2006 22:45)

Hi

Having bought a labyrinth starter set a little while ago, we still haven't got around to buying ants. Is now a bad time? I notice lots of questions regarding hibernating ants on the news group, so would we be better waiting until spring? Also, the labyrinth has a tube with a large hole sticking out of the front that is not featured in the picture or description... what sort of cap should go on this to prevent the ants escaping?

Thanks

Jon

Sced: (4. Dez 2006 23:26)

Hello jon

It can be good to buy them now, so they can settle in and get used to there enviroment. It also is possible to season your colony, so they wont go into hibernation. Though, i'd only do this once.

mpir: (4. Dez 2006 23:34)

Hi,

Of course, you can buy ants now. If you do so I would advice you to keep them in hibernation till app. the end of March. This means that ants will be very passive and hardly ever move. Not very spectacular for beginner. There is a chance that ants may not survive hibernation. So it's up to you to decide. Patience is a virtue in this hobby. :wink:

JimmyVe: Re: more beginners questions (4. Dez 2006 23:43)

Also, the labyrinth has a tube with a large hole sticking out of the front that is not featured in the picture or description... what sort of cap should go on this to prevent the ants escaping?

Hi Jon,

What do you mean by that ? Do you have a picture from it, maybe than i can tell you.

You can buy them now, but i agree of keeping them in hibernation until late march. What kind are you thinking of buying ?

Greets

sithmaster676: (5. Dez 2006 08:01)

hi jhousleif
i am correct and understand what you mean by a big hole sticking out of the front i think it is for placing moist cotton wool into for the ants to drink from :)
im not entirely sure
Sithmaster676

sithmaster676: (5. Dez 2006 20:08)

i wish to get a colony of myrmica rubra fro my garden as i believe the colony has around 12 queens how many queens workers and brood should i take from the colony
Thanks
Sithmaster6776

Sced: (5. Dez 2006 20:12)

Good luck with that sithmaster, but to warn you you will get stung lots of times, so be careful.

JimmyVe: (5. Dez 2006 20:14)

If you are taking a colony from your garden you better take as much of the colony as you can.
With 12 queens there is a change (if you take 6 off them) that the rest of the colony stays alive. but i prefer to keep them together.

Greets

sithmaster676: (5. Dez 2006 20:29)

k thanks a lot for your help i was thinking along the lines of getting only 4 queens and around 70 workers and about 30 brood of various stages so that the original colony survives ok
thanks
Sithmaster676

JimmyVe: (5. Dez 2006 21:16)

you can do that, i think it is going to work, but i don't have experience with taking hole colony's from nature, i only capture queens.

Greets