ANTSTORE World of Ants

[fernando_regio]

Hello im thinking of starting to grow a Messor barbarus colony, im in Portugal and the temperatures here are not so bad and low in the winter for them, and off course i like very much the harvester kind of ants. Is it enough to buy a glass ant farm basin 40x30x20 for starting?

[JimmyVe]

For starting that is enough, these are big ants so they need space.
The temperature wont be a problem there (Over here it is...)
Did you kept ants before ? Messor barbarus is not the easiest ant species to keep, but i now they are very nice. I keep them myself.

[fernando_regio]

Thanks for the answer. Well im a very begginer, i have know has we speak a Lasus Niger queen very young waiting for a ant farm and arena to start the colony, she is laying her first egs know, and i have some questions about that species too. I baught the Lasius Niger because some german sites online tould me that they were probably the best species to start with, but in terms of temperature is not so great to Portugal we will see how it develops here, for the hibernation period its kind of a problem cause im in a apartment and the temps here in the winter are at the worst 10 degrees and i have no way of puting them outside, but hey i can halloways put them nere a window and open it, for at least to months it should be enough. For the Lasius Niger i have a question if you dont mind, in the summer is there a problem when the temps here reaches the 30 degrees?
Has for the Messor barbarus, ok i have read that they are kind of difficult to grow the queen, but in the south of Portugal there are sites reported with this ant species, so has for the temps that should not pose a problem, im in Lisbon by the way, iv read also about humidity and stuff, what can you tell me in your experience with this Harvester ant species about raising proparly them? And by the way, the litle things i have to buy with the arena package, . Thanks again!

[fernando_regio]

Feel free to give me any tip you think is proper for the both of them, im am very interested.

[JimmyVe]

Hi Fernando, (by the way, welcome to the forum)

I understand what you saying, Lasius niger is an easy species to start but for you maybe not (the temperature during hibernation). Normally it is not a problem if it is more than 30°c for them, but make sure they are not in direct sunlight. If it is possible they should be in hibernation for about 4-6 months. (if it is a small colony maybe you can put them in the fridge 5-10°c for hibernation)

Maybe it is easier for you to keep Messor barbarus they like that kind of temperature but if it is possible they like hibernation for +-2 months. What you need to know about them, i guess the most imported thing is to leave the queen alone, i mean, make sure she is in a dark place (cover up the tube are nest where she is in) and don't look at here more than once a week, otherwise she will get stressed.
Make sure you feed them grains and insects, give them a little honey or nectar (or something else sweet) and that they have access to water al the time. (that i do for al my ant species)

What do you mean with the arena package ? The starter set ?

I hope this helps you a bit.
If you have more questions I'm glad to answer them, if it is possible.

Greetings

[fernando_regio]

Hi Fernando, (by the way, welcome to the forum)

I understand what you saying, Lasius niger is an easy species to start but for you maybe not (the temperature during hibernation). Normally it is not a problem if it is more than 30°c for them, but make sure they are not in direct sunlight. If it is possible they should be in hibernation for about 4-6 months. (if it is a small colony maybe you can put them in the fridge 5-10°c for hibernation)

Maybe it is easier for you to keep Messor barbarus they like that kind of temperature but if it is possible they like hibernation for +-2 months. What you need to know about them, i guess the most imported thing is to leave the queen alone, i mean, make sure she is in a dark place (cover up the tube are nest where she is in) and don't look at here more than once a week, otherwise she will get stressed.
Make sure you feed them grains and insects, give them a little honey or nectar (or something else sweet) and that they have access to water al the time. (that i do for al my ant species)

What do you mean with the arena package ? The starter set ?

I hope this helps you a bit.
If you have more questions I'm glad to answer them, if it is possible.

Greetings

When i said the arena package i ment the glass ant farm basin, the one who is the two of them in one basin, the thing i want to know is what exactly do i have to buy, for exemple for the basin 40x30x20 what are the quantity of sand loam and clay for it, for off corse growing up the colony Messor barbarus there, buyng a monitor humidity and the obvious temp monitor? etc...
I´ve been reading the forum witch is very helpfull and how to humidify the ant nest with the tube to the clay in one corner of the ant farm. Thanks again for your help.

[fernando_regio]

Has for the fridge, yes in my "dont know how" at this time, i thought about it lol but didn't know if it was doiable, but men i have a small fridge, for know that is a solution because im starting from the very beggining with the Lasus Niger with a starter kitt from other store and i can put them in there in the first winter, for the rest i will have time to think it better and find a bigger fridge lol. Has for the Messor barbarus i understand the queen is the stress kind (seems human ) ok i will put something black surrounding the side where she is in the farm, no problem in there, cause with the queen Lasus Niger i have know she is still in the test tube and in the box where she came, i only see once in a while if she is ok and nothing more, i will do the same thing with the Messor barbarus, with a litle more carefull treatment. Im only waiting for now to receive the ant farm and arena to mount this Lisus Niger colony and let the queen do her business in the enviroment to prepare the Messor barbarus colony.

[JimmyVe]

Hi,
Okay now i know what you mean, but i don't have any idea how much sand loam and clay you need, i only use Y-tong (Look here Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar) i think it is better/easier and you have a better look at the nest area to. Nice to see how they work 'underground'. And it is easy to keep it wet to.
I have a mini thermometer and mini hygrometer (like you can find here http://www.antstore.net/shop/index.php/ ... --Regulate) in each farm.

Indeed now you can place here in the fridge (in the winter, hibernation for Lasius niger is over now) but when the colony is bigger that is going to be a problem, maybe you have a basement where you can put the colony in winter time.