ANTSTORE World of Ants

[mzfckr]

Hello everyone,
this is my first post.ok i have some questions.after 2-4 weeks i will buy my first colony and all that ant-stuff.i think the best for me is Myrmica rubra colony( queen + 11-25 worker ) and i will put them into this
http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_in ... assic.html
glassfarm/arena .how do you think , this glassfarm will be good enough for this colony??? this glassfarm need ventilation ??? if yes how to install it?how much teaspoons need to one teacup to be a good sugarwater?do they need lighting?do these ants have special risks?

i will be glad to hear advices .


Mzfckr

[miszt]

will be fine

Its should be ventilated enough already with the lid

You need only a tiny amount of sugar, put ~half a teaspoon of sugar in the dish, then a few drops of water, then place the sponge on top, you need to clean the dish every 2-3 days and add nu sugar solution to stop any molds growing. You also need to give them dead insects, the larave need protien to grow, or you can use a Protien jelly, they have some on here, or do a search of this forum, theres a recipe, but insects are better

tbh you would be better giving them Honey, as it contains minerals n vitamins they need, otherwise you should also add somthing like Fish Flakes to the solution

These guys do Sting, so dont be tempted to poke around them to much, one is not to bad, kinda like a Nettle sting, more annoying than anything, but a few is not nice at all, put them in, and leave them alone they are aggresive! Sumtimes called The European Fire Ant, but dont worry, they aint half as dangerous

Dont worry about lighting, keep them out of direct sunlight

[miszt]

if you have any more questions, do a search of the forum, theres LOTS of posts about these ants that will answer all your questions i'm sure, if not post again

[mpir]

Good choice of colony. I keep them too.

Farm is a good choice too. No problem with that. Make sure you keep the nest area damp. Don´t put too much water in as it might flood the tunels and they might drown. I doesn´t need any speical ventilation, just leave the arena part open for a while. But don´t leave it open as even if you have PTFE applied they might get out.
It´s hard to say how many teaspoons for cup. Don´t put it too much. Try different mixtures and see which one they like the most.
Lights? No need. They prefer dark places.
Special risks? They can sting you if you bother them too much. But it is not very painful.

Keep the nest damp, feed them regularly and they should be ok.

Good luck

[mzfckr]

oh thanks for this information !!

but theres comes more questions ...
whats pTFE?nest was where eggs is right?and how keep it damp?drop drops in the tunnels ?how feed ants with honey?put in the dish without sponge??how can i give that protein jelly?WHAT IS FISH FLAKES???

Mzfckr

[Kiam]

PTFE is a substance that is supposed to make them fall when they are climbing up the tank and yes the nest is where the eggs is and you can sprinkle water on the nest to keep it moist or you can get a tube underneith and put water in there I dont think you should drop water down the tunnels if theres brood there for honey you just put some in the dish protein jelly i have no idea

Fish flakes are liek the flakes for goldfish that they eat ants do eat them to

[miszt]

PTFE is one option to stop them escaping, but i'd really recomend Vasaline, a 2cm band around the inside of the basin at the top will stop them getting out

[mzfckr]

ok thanks.but when i will get the ants in the tube i need to open the tube and put in the arena or dont open and wait something??and if i have PTFE aplied how long time wait to next aply?and ptfe need only for arena?? and how much bottles of ptfe need to aply all walls?

please write a list where all things what ant needs like arena,ptfe,etc. i will be very happy about that.


Mzfckr

[miszt]

unless you are planning on opening the Farm reguly, which u shuldnt do, u only need PTFE on the basin

Connect everything up, then Open the test tube when u receive them and put the test tube in the basin, they will find there own way into the farm

[mzfckr]

question about sand & loam.a need just put it in the farm and thats all?or i need them compress or something?i need feed them 1time per day?

thanks about this information !!

[JimmyVe]

(did not follow the hole topic, but i answer to your last questions )

In deed sand and loam would do the trick. Don't forget to keep it moist. Feeding depends on how big your colony is. If it is a small colony 2 times a week will do, if it is a big one 1 ore 2 times a day.

[mzfckr]

how i can keep it moist? i really dontknow anything about this and i dont want my all ants die so sry for these stupid questions and i need little help here.tell me about myrmica rubra hibernation.what temp they need and they need food or something and where i need to keep the basin??cause in latvia some winter we have 0c sometimes -20c and sometines even +10c.so i realy dont know where to keep them while they keep their hibernation.and i didnt understood what Kiam told about to keep the nest damp
please anserw!!!!


Mzfckr

[miszt]

do a search, depending on your setup theres diffrent ways to keep the nest moist, search for 'humidification' or 'humidity', you'll get lots of ideas

To hibernate your ants need to be about 8C, so the best option is probly your fridge, but dont just put them straight in the fidge, you need to warm them down slowly, about a month from room temp ~20C down to about 10C in about 6 weeks will be fine, how you do that depends on what options you have, probly best bet is to find the cooler areas of your house, get a thermometer and check the temp, and move them as appropriate to cooler and cooler areas, you want to start droping the temp from about the end of september, until finally putting them sumwhere at 8C, then you need to do the reverse from March until Mid April when they can be back at room tempreture.

You dont have to hibernate your ants, but they will live longer, and be allot happier and you will also get a population explosion when they come out of hibernation

[mzfckr]

when i need to drop their tempreture?and you can tell anything about myrmica rubra platning and what they need to plant good?and if their nest will be better in the sand caves or in the stuff what can be buy here at antstore?

[miszt]

it says in my last post when to hibernate

you dont have to have plants, and if you do put plants you run the risk of them setting up there nest in the roots