ANTSTORE World of Ants

[jartok]

Do i need to drop temperature with my Messor barbarus queen at night only thing i can do it turn the heatmat off and that will drop the temp too 20c instead of 31 its at now and then turn on again in morning which i think will be to much of a change . or just provide another tube in cooler part ?

[SteveUK28]

31... that seems a little too hot anyays... im pretty sure it should only be like 26ish

[jeoff82]

Well in their natural environment its not gonna be 30c at night and probably will drop so I dont see this as a problem. Also I bet it goes above 30c in their native countries too. Anyone know where in Europe they come from?

[jartok]

there southern spanish i believe so hits like 40c there in heat of summer the sand says 35 but im guessing air temp is around 31 , need try fix thermostat

[jeoff82]

I wouldnt worry about those temps too much then mate, it gets proper hot in spain sometimes. At night in Spain at the min its dropping to 14c, 25c in the day. Iv heard messor barbarus are also native in Africa so I think they handle high 30's and 40's pretty well.

[jartok]

shes proper pain had her since september and still larvae no workers teking longer then should be

[jeoff82]

same as me mate, just queen at the min. I keep the heat mat on all night and day and also use infa red light which heats the tank to around 30c. 50w light and 12w heat mat. She dug her nest in the corner on the heat mat side. I got a Niger queen delievered today with no eggs or brood too!

[jartok]

Well least i know its not just me - im selling niger queens with 15odd works they grow pretty fast although mine had brood

[jeoff82]

How much you selling them for dude?

[jartok]

sent pm

[Phasmid]

31... that seems a little too hot anyays... im pretty sure it should only be like 26ish

+1 absolutely
I don't think it gets above 30c a couple of inches underground somehow. If you are going to give that much heat or more, you must give her the option of moving somewhere about 25c. I did not offer that much heat untill there were a good few dozen workers.

[jartok]

i set another tube up and its cooler there so she can move if she wishes

[SteveUK28]

Thanks Phasmid... I did say that from experience.. i have 2 colonies of messors.. both never go about 28 EVER... lowest night time temp is 12.. And they are doing fantastic..

Just for the record... Raising a messor queen from scratch is also pretty difficult.. they should be left along somewhere dark for a fair few weeks/months.. untill there is at least first workers.

[thecowmaster]

these last summers here in Portugal, the temperature has getting to 46c, and I have seen lots of messor barbadus nests, and they dind't got fried.

[jartok]

good she seems comfertable ive offered her cooler place now so hopefully will get some workers soon