ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Psynapse85]

Hi.
My Lasius flavus workers started at last to explore the outworld. I have a queen and some 15 workers in a colony tube and some of them is starting to explore the water cottons...but they stay there and dont come to the tube to give water to the others...I have already 3 dead workers near the honey water cotton (I think because I left the honey solution too much time there and got fermented honey water by the smell) and some behind the water one...What can I do?
Also, I give them insects and they dont get interested...I dont have pupae evolving and Im afraid to kill the colony...

Temp: 26ºC
Air Humidity: 40%

Ty experts

[JimmyVe]

Its still a very small colony. I'm sure they eat from the insects and sweets but these ants are not very big and with such a small colony you dont see much difference. Keep refreshing the insects (small pieces). Keep an eye on the brood, it should change (eggs to larvea ....) within the next month.

[Psynapse85]

Its still a very small colony. I'm sure they eat from the insects and sweets but these ants are not very big and with such a small colony you dont see much difference. Keep refreshing the insects (small pieces). Keep an eye on the brood, it should change (eggs to larvea ....) within the next month.

I have 2 groups of workers. One inside the tube, near the queen, that are always there. Other near the cottons...that is always there too. There is no comunication between them and they dont touch the dead flys or moths...My concern is about the queen that doesnt drink water or eat...

[ashhad1]

Lasius flavus tend to forage at night so you wont notice if they have eaten/drunk. Dont worry about it collonies of this size dont tend to do much at all especially this species is very timid like jimmyve said. All i can say is patience xD and the queen will be well fed even if it doesnt look it and your ants are communicating its just not that obvious
if you want to put your mind at ease then put a small peice of damp cotton outside the tube so that they can drink from it at anytime. Though the end of your tube should be filled with water and clogged with some cotton wool which shud be damp.
hehe hope i helped xD

and P.S: post a picture of your ants and setup wud be interesting and others could possibly answer your question better once we know how it looks like xD

Good luck with your ants and remember patience is key in raising ants. I learnt it the hard way :/

[Psynapse85]

6 workers dead by now, 0 pupae and You say dont worry?

[ashhad1]

hmmmmm well i didnt know this info, so far it sounded like you were doing fine. if 6 workers have died already and no brood then it shud be little worrying. Im not quite sure what you should do as i dont own this species myself. I hope a more experienced ant keeper posts here >.<

[JimmyVe]

I keep these ants myself, never had any problems with them. The should be easy to keep.

Temperature is good, humidity also, food is okay.... It seems like you have done that well. Than there is only the setup left. What kind of setup are they in ? Can you post a picture ?

Worst case scenario they can be sick.

[Psynapse85]

I have the outworld with boiled mixture of sand, just 1/2 cm to look natural. Everything is dry. In one corner of the outworld, I have the cottons, one for water, another for honey water. Insects I give them 2/2 days (I have carniv plants, so I have too many bugs). Only the rebel ants, that stayed out of the tube died. The others, always stay with the queen and survived.

I thought it was the honey solution that got fermented by the smell (heat?) but I switched to sugar and another 3 were half dead today. Now, im putting water by a needle, drop by drop, inside the tube, and pure honey, to see the difference, since I dont have ants out of the tube anymore.

Dont have mould or anything. I have a formicarium with moist connected, but they are not using.

Im going to put some pics.

[highered]

You have got their nest covered haven't you? I know that sounds obviously, but if they can't retreat to a dark part of the nest they will probably die of stress and would eat any eggs they have. Apart from this, everything sounds fine. 26 C is alittle hot for these ants, maybe try the heat alittle further away making about 20 C. I can't think of anything else.

[Psynapse85]

They are in a tube, inside an outworld and the outworld is covered with magazine paper. Our lasius and messor live very well with our temperatures (Portugal temperatures in May +- 26º and rise in Summer), since I can see them in my garden doing fine.
The tube ones are making me crazy.

[highered]

Oh ok, sorry I didn't look at your flag, I thought you were in England. Sorry I haven't got any more ideas though.