ANTSTORE World of Ants

[AntsNational]

Hello,

My queen hasn't eaten her brood since the disappearance of the one larva. I'm not too worried as they're about to enter pupation. You can read more on my journals on my website as well I will be posting on both websites.

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[AntsNational]

To anyone out there, the colony has a larger worker, the initial small worker and a lot of eggs. They seem to be a bit picky, for some reason they enjoy a honey and milk mix... What are some natural insect food that I can give them?

[Shiver]

Found them a bit picky too, have a Queen and 7 workers, they'll take a small dead cricket occasionally but takes them ~24 hours to do so..

[AntsNational]

So to update,

I update my journals more frequently on my website but the queen now has 2 workers, 5 pupae, and a bunch of tiny larvae. This colony is starting to take off.

[AntsNational]

Quick update:

The pupae are starting to darken. Here are two pictures from a few days ago.

[AntsNational]

I have connected the test tube to one of my outworlds. The ants LOVE it. I only attach outworlds once camponotus colonies reach 3 workers. This way they are more inclined to attend to the brood than to forage. Once there are 3(+) workers I allow them to forage. As of right now there are 4 workers and about 4-5 more pupa and a bunch of larvae+eggs. I am pleased that this colony has started to pick up, my choices with them were correct. A friend of mine had started a colony as well but the queen died several months ago

[AntsNational]

The colony is at 5 workers now, and things are really picking up. Larvae seem to be growing twice their size every day. I've attached an acrylic foraging area for the ants to hunt and forage. Great to see this colony moving forward

[Eman]

My colony already have over 30 workers!

But I don't know why, the eggs, pupas and larvae numbers decreased, they are not foraging and I'm have been giving them mealworms, but they don't like it, I have been giving them that for the while, and they simply don't take it. Gotta catch more fly's, that I know they love !

[AntsNational]

Mine are doing quite well at 12 workers and a healthy amount of brood. At this point the ants are slowing down their colony production as winter is arriving. They will hibernate soon. Mine are not picky with food, but try maggots.

[ProXi]

Somehow my colonie is doing better to.
I also have 12 workers, but no brood.
I hope it's because there are going into hibernate.

[AntsNational]

I think so, the time is fast approaching. I have brood in mine but I think that this will be the last batch before hibernation.

[echani]

HY everybody!

I am having quite a problem with my new colony and need some advice. MY GF knows that I adore ants and was planing one day to have an ant farm of my own. But I was hesitating because of my studying away from home. But non the less she bought an Camponotus cruentatus queen with cca. 10 workers and an coocon (i think becouse it has a little dark spot in it, not quite sure) for my birthday half a week ago. I was and still am very happy but on the other side quite worried for the well being of the ants.

She only bought the queen and workers witch arrived the weeks ago, no starter kit or anything to help me start so I am currently scrambling to make a make shift nest and arena. I currently keep the ants in an open test tube in an makeshift arena (Tupperware box) i gave them a spider and a crushed fly, some honey and soaked gaze of water. The temperature is around 23 (i know that it is quite low for them) and quite high humidity of 50-60%. The ants are staying in the tube nearly all the time. Only an ant or two go out for a minute or so, and they don't even mind the food. So they are pretty inactive (I hope it has nothing to do with the transport)

What I am thinking is that since it is pretty late and cold they are already going into hibernation so I must lower the temperature gradually. And I don't need to bother with getting them to move in an ytong nest or a nicer arena. I will keep cooling them down and eventually plug the test tube and let them hibernate. And than use the time in the winter to make a nest and an arena for when they wake up.

Do you guys have any advice for me, am I doing everything right, do you have any concerns?

[AntsNational]

It seems like they're doing fine, have you initially fed them some honey/sugarwater after the trip?

[AntsNational]

Hibernation season has taken effect on this colony. No new eggs are being produced & there are only small larvae. The small larvae can sit out the hibernation season. The colony will resume activities in the spring. Worker count is 20-30 workers now!

[AntsNational]

The ants have been busy since the last hibernation. They've outgrown the test tube stage and will be moved into one of my custom nests. Photos will come soon.