Hey Ant Fans!
I am very new to ant keeping. Just got my 1st colony about 2 months ago. But first a little bit more about me. I am 27, from the netherlands and currently in school again. Always loved ants, being amazed by how such a small, tiny, fragile creature can survive. So in the beginning of this year i found a youtube channel about ant keeping. It amazed me. before i was sure i wanted this i watched a whole lot more vids, went outside to see what the world had to offer. I needed to be really sure i wanted to become an ant keeper. So on a hot summer afternoon, after feeding the ants in the garden a peace of apple (wich the loved and it was shortly after filled with ants eating from it), i order my own colony online! the next few days was spend with making an out world.
Then the day came i got them. Monday the 12th of august. It was like Christmas for me. Opening the box with all the things needed in them!!!! MUAH!!
Ofcours there was my queen, with about 10 workers. i think i have stared into the testtube for about 30 minutes. so then it was time to connect all the pieces. I had orderd a plaster nest and a couple of tubes. after setting it all up in my room i waited for the next day to set them loose in the outworld. i had a few freshly killed fruitflies (first time ever i was happy i had them in my hous) on a milk lid. On another lid a few honey drops and a test tube, i got from a friend, filled with water and a cotton bal.
Then came the moment to set the ants loose. early in the morning i open the lid from the test tube and waited on what would happen. it took them a few hours to find the honey, water and fruitflies. In the evening i noticed that 1 of the fruitflies was gone and moved in the test tube. So i knew they were happy and feeding the larve. It took them about 1 week to finaly escort the queen to the big nest, wich they are settled in now. I missed it happening tho!
So after 1.5 month now, there issent a lot of breed. nut much eggs, larve or pupea. Tho i started to feed them cut up crickets today to hopefully boost there protiens. they are now with about 20 worker, 5 pupea, 7 larve and a small amount of eggs. I hope the new amount of protiens will boost them before hibernation! (when ever that starts)
If you have any hints, tips, advice or questions!!! Feel free! tho keep in mind i am new and not an expert at all!
hopefully it issent tomuch of a message to start with. Please tell me what you like to know/hear about my colony. I will update when ever there is something to update!
Cheers!
Ruben