ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Riffshooter]

What temperature can these ants be kept at? And would anyone recommend a heating device? I live in the UK btw, cheers for an help guys!

[mati]

Hello Riffshooter,
what I have observed from my colony is that this species loves warm spots. Whenever I turn on the lamp (40W) they gather, bring their brood outside or even move the whole colony to a new nest.
Hence, I would definitely recommend a heating device of some sort.

Recently, I don't have a thermometer but I guess it's around 25-30 degrees celsius in the pond. (That was what I measured when I had one.)

Regards and best of luck with your ants,
mati

[Riffshooter]

Cheers! As well do you give them slaves? Because i know they can survive without them however does this make the colony more efficient as this is their natural bahaviour?

[mati]

...whether the colony becomes more efficient, I do not know. Although I would guess that especially in the beginning the colony benefits from each additional worker.

I gave Serviformicae in the first and second year. Most of the pupae were allowed to hatch, some were killed/fed. Whether this was due to lack of food (which I doubt taken my feeding frequency ) or due to the colony regulating the number of alien workers I cannot say for sure.

I definitely was able to observe different behaviour when I gave the pupae. This brood and Serviformicae already existent in the colony were separated by the sanguinea workers. Maybe to impregnate them with the colony's odour?
In a later state, they live and work together as if from the same species.

This year I did not add foreign brood, though. I want to get a rough estimate regarding their lifespan.

I don't know about your proficiency in German, this is the link to my diary.