ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Sced]

I've had this colony for nearly a year, they did well for the first months and many new workers were born. About a few months ago a disease struck and 6 workers died, leaving the colony with 16 workers. thety had some larva, about 5-7mm in length, and today they still havnt became any bigger. I try to feed them as much as possible, but none of the ants forage so I find it difficult to feed them. The temperature is also ok. Does anyone know why this could be happening?

[JimmyVe]

Difficult to say Sced (sorry to hear about you loss) If the temperature is ok and the humidity is good and there is enough food that would to the trick. Maybe the also suffer from this disease. Did the queens lay new eggs ?

[Sced]

I think so, as the ants were getting little food they may have had to eat her eggs ( they have never eaten the larva though)

[JimmyVe]

hmm... wired case. Lets see, eggs are more likely eaten than larva but you have still enough workers to collect food. You kept feeding them so this is not an option, it is possible but i doubt it the queen eat the eggs. So you need to look closer to make sure there are eggs ore not.

When ants having a hibernation the larva stop growing and the queen does not lay eggs. But if the temperature is to high the will not hibernate. If you understand what i'm saying.
It looks like the are having a hibernation but that seems not to be possible with this temperature.

[Sced]

Hmm it could be, well Im going to put them into proper hibernation in october and hope that this solves the problem when they awake next year.

Thanks

[JimmyVe]

Could be, i hope for you and the ants. Maybe if some one who had the same 'difficulty' as you read this knows more about it and could help you.

[Hazuki]

can u maybe post a picture of your ants in your famr maybe you have something inside the famr that is hazardous to the ants or stunts their growth/ makes them loose apetite and starve? for example if u have a casted ant nest you shuld use gypsum instead of plaster of paris as ive heard plaster of paris kills them

[Sced]

The ants are in a y-tong, there is some mold in other parts of the nest but the ants have mad a good job at blocking it with stones.

[Sced]

I have a heat mat, i think that maybe the temp could be to low for them.
Just one question, how do I work it?
I have the mat, and also a temperature/time setting. What temp should i put it, and also how can i be sure if its working, does it automatically work when pulgged in?

[JimmyVe]

i would put them on 25°c (day). You should feel the heat mat glowing up. You can also put a thermometer in the farm so you can see how warm it is in there. (i use this one for it: http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_in ... -38mm.html)

[ducatiman]

does anyone know the ideal temp that Camponotus ligniperda should hibernate, i think its about 5c to 8c but i could do with some help

[uta]

Hello ducatiman and welcome here in our forum !

The optimal temperature should amount to 5 to 8 degrees.

Greetings

[Flan]

This ant can hibernate in temperature below zero( but don’t try it- she have to prepare her body for this). It would be great if you could hibernate them in +3*C.

I have Camponotus ligniperda too .
Good luck!

[ducatiman]

how old is your colony, are they doing well

[Flan]

I have my colony for 2 months. Queen is laying eggs since September(lazy).
Information about temperature is from my experienced friend.