ANTSTORE World of Ants

[R3dFox]

ok these are really rubbish pictures lol and i should have turned the flash off. but i was in a rush, doing my breakfast at the same time lol.

[sithmaster676]

looks good
but have you covered up the test tube that they are in as the colony doesn't like light getting in it will aggravate and will disturb there natural cycle so just place some tin foil or sand around the test tube
Sithmaster676

[JimmyVe]

Looking good. And a lot of games in the background so if the ants get bored they can play.

Good job, but like sith sad, make sure to cover up the tube as long as they are in there.

[mpir]

Hey

I wouldn't bother with covering up the test tube. You want them to move out of there, right? So the thing is, if you want them to move the display part must be appealing and the tube not.
Anyway, they will most likely move only when the water in the test tube dries out.

[R3dFox]

yea i was about to ask wether keeping the tube uncovered would make them move quicker.

what would you suggest to make the farm more appealing?

[sithmaster676]

how many ants is there inside your colony ?
in mine there are 13 ants (including queen) and some eggs and larva but i have had these since last November before hibernation and last year i did not cover them up with anything and due to this the queen didn't lay any eggs and only started when i decided it would be better to cover them up
so i think it would be best if you did cover them up as small colonies will be in no rush to move as a test tube is the perfect home:wink:
Sithmaster676

[JimmyVe]

mpir has a point there, if you like them to move you don't need to cover it up, but if the colony is as small like seth's colony they probably don't move until they really need to (like when there is no water left in the tube) and Lasius niger is really tuff if it comes to moving. They don't like doing it.

[R3dFox]

lol. Im not to sure on the size of my colony. i cant really get a good enough view to count but i would say proberly around 10-15 or so, including the queen.

From what i can see she has no eggs or larva either.

Im sort of stuck now. im thinking:

1) i can leave the nest uncovered and hope the move cause of light and lack of water

or 2) i cover the nest, so the queen feels more comfortable and starts laying eggs. then the colony grows and they have to move to find a bigger home.

Which do you think will be the quicker option? and if i do cover should i just wrap tinfoil around the tube?

[mpir]

my advice... cover the tube but only the part where the ants are. So you will be able to see when the water in the tube is coming to an end. For this time ants will feel ok and queen will lay eggs. My queen was never covered and she layed eggs all the same. When the water will come to an end uncover them and so they will be even more "motivated" to move. Yes, you can cover them with a alu foil.

good luck

[JimmyVe]

No comment to that.
I think that is the best way.

Keep us informed.

[R3dFox]

well...i covered them...used a bit of paper cause ive got no foil at the mo lol.

also, to aid them in finding the farm and moving there i played a little trick on them. i put a piece of food in there for them, waited till they all came out to eat, then picked it up with the tweezers and put it into the farm, with the ants on it. so that way they have to find their way back, and they know that there is food waiting down there for them.

seems to work so far, alot of ants going back and forwards between arena and farm now so looks good.

[JimmyVe]

Keeps them busy.

[R3dFox]

was helping my nan move house yesterday and while tidying up found a nice big dead spider. So i wraped it up and took it home, cut it up and bit and put it into the farm. Seemed a bit crispy so it had proberly been dead at the house for a while lol. But the ants seemed to like it, when i woke up this morning (about 20 mins ago) it definatly looks like they've moved it. proberly trying to get it back to the tube

[JimmyVe]

In deed, if it is not to big they will carry it 'home' (not al ant species do that)

[R3dFox]

Just got home from my weekend out lol and yea, they definatly been trying to move it. but its quite big and i doubt they could drag it up the tubing back to the testtube, especially up the vertical climb lol.

dont know if they have eat everything off it, or if their still interested in it, but the ants seem to be paying alot of attention to the farm area which is a good sign.

ive got to spay the soil but i dont want to if there are ants running around, i dont want to risk drowning any of them.

i spose my colony is not doing to bad, in the 2 or 3 months ive had them only 2 have died, and one was my fault lol whoops.