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Viperskin: Camponotus herculeanus (8. Jun 2008 14:14)

Hello!
I am absolutely new here and just got my first ants - Camponotus herculeanus (?) 6 queens(?)..
Now working at enclosures.. Is it OK?:
20X20X12 cm boxes, 8 cm soil/sand mix, 18X6 cm flat wood pieces from the
place where the queens were found with small holes under.. Moisture is high, sould I keep it so??
..Little water with cotton tampons.
What they need as food??
Have I missed something?
thanx

JayB1983: (8. Jun 2008 14:42)

Hi Viperskin!

Congratulations you found 6! Queens! :)

Camponotus herculeanus likes it dry, but give access to water, like you already explained. They don't need food at the beginning, but you can try and serve them some fruit flies or little insects. As my queen arrived she took some honeywater, too. Just mix some honey with a bit of water and serve it on a small plate.
The best thing would be, if you get some test tubes and prepare them for the Ants. A little bit water into the tube, perhabs 3-4cm, then a piece of cotton down to the water, very close to the surface, so that the cotton gets a little bit wet. Don't push it into the water.
Put the tubes into the boxes make them dark and the queens will move into there.

Good Luck...:)

Viperskin: (8. Jun 2008 17:28)

- Thanx,
..do you mean that I should not add some water regularly to the substrate,
just give them some wate in test tubes?.. Is it good for eggs and larva??

JayB1983: (8. Jun 2008 18:00)

For the first weeks, till they have workers, its better to keep them in test tubes. So you can watch them grow. If the tube is dark they like them. Do you want to keep all ants? If you let them dig in the substrate, you won't get them out there so easily. But if you want to keep them in the substrate forever, you can do.

Viperskin: (8. Jun 2008 23:20)

- I think its rather high humidity inside.. Is it a big problem??
Temperature is about 22 C..
So, first workers appear not earlier than 1 month??

badman: (9. Jun 2008 00:51)

tampons? lol, good idea

miszt: (9. Jun 2008 01:25)

I hate to tell you, but Camponotus herc are one of the slowest developing species, development time can be upto a year or more from egg to worker, its possible for workers to develop over summer, if the brood is looked after perfectly, but they are very slow to develop even so

Viperskin: (11. Jun 2008 22:22)

- so, got few eggs from one queen, she made a nest on the wet soil/sand under a large piece of wood.

I ve put all other in test tubes, they are on the wet soil in large boxes, its dark inside because there is little soil on them, closed with cotton.
Will they go out and leave eggs if I open tubes when they got eggs?? :?:
thanx

ashhad1: (11. Jun 2008 22:35)

if im correct the queen would always protect her own eggs and if she moved nests she would take these eggs with her

JimmyVe: (12. Jun 2008 15:55)

Yes you are correct. ;) If nothing weird happens the queen will take there eggs and protect them.


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