ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Fiori]

Well this is the first ant colony (tetramorium caespitum), which is got from skippy (thanks for been so nice and honest btw). The only problem is, is that I kinda overestimated their size. Perhaps i've been watching too many nature shows and getting use to the scale I see them on a 26" tv, but i didnt think they would be so small. I'm not really bothered about how big they are but I had already built a y-tong, so now im kinda thinking that it may be too big for them. I've attached some pictures of 2 that I have made and this kind of celcon block has lots of little holes in which are about half the size of the workers so im afraid that im going to end up with a lot of ants stuck in alot of holes. I figure I can jsut keep them in one room, until I end up with a really big colony or I can make something else, so any suggestions would be nice

[Fiori]

Also to add to this, some of the ants look quite darkish and those that are near the eggs are like a light brown colour but they look about the same size. Are the lighter ones just younger and vice versa?

[Skippy]

...hmmm ,looks from bigger specie , for them is good to be in test tube (they are in one small packaged) ...
...then ,when colony´ll be bigger and able to be in ytong nest ,try to build nest with 2-3cm x 2-3cm x 0,5-0,7 mm small nest ,it is the best for tetramorium size ... for small colony is good to make only 5-6 these small chambers ,if you understand

Skippy

[JimmyVe]

Hi Fiori and welcome.

Looks like some fine nest you made, but they are in deed a bit big for you ants at the moment. Don't think the "holes" would be a problem for the ants.

In deed, younger workers are lighter than the older one, if they are a few hours/days (depends on the species) old they have the same color.

[Fiori]

Ok thanks skippy. I'll reserve the current y-tongs for a bigger species then. so do you think I should just put the test tube in a small box and add the food and water in their, as im guessing they will most likely stay in the test tube for awhile until they get hungry and thirsty

[Skippy]

I think it is better to keep them in covered test tube now ,because young workers of tetramorium are very small and tiny ,so they can move into soil (if soil will be in that small box) . A lot of them stay in tube now ,but some workers are agressive ,it is very funny to look on small agressive ant . Then ,when you´ll make that small nest ,they´ll move into by tiny pipe between nest and tube.
I think there are individuals to go into box for food ,for insects and small drop of honey water (insects are better)

Skippy

[Alby]

How much is big your nest???
for lasius niger or crematocaster what kind ytong nest is adeguate???

[Skippy]

How much is big your nest???

dont know for who is the answer

-sorry for bad EN

You everytime must build nest ,what is adeguate for that specie... how to research what is adeguate? ... try to look in nature ,what type of nest that specie making ... Lasius niger ,if you can see ... small colony making chambers like tetramorium (in 3D) 2x3x1 cm = in formicarium it could be 2x3x0,5/0,7 cm - for better view of all ants.
Crematogaster = individual cattegory ,because some species lives in ground ,under stones , some (exotic) on trees or in some fruits

Skippy

[Alby]

just so little?I was thinking to build a ytong nest of gypsum of 20X20X4 cm
using orizzontaly, with 5 or 6 chambers covered by a glass...is it too bigger???

[Skippy]

I think it is good size of formicarium for small specie. The most important is size of these chambers ,sizes were written in my overlast post

Skippy