ANTSTORE World of Ants

[mvannunen]

I was wondering.. I am planning on buying Formica Fusca.
I know they don't really need extra light. But they gonna be in my bedroom and my bedroom is almost always dark.

So i was wandering if i can put a extra light in the Basin?

But if I can wich is the best .... a light that doesn't produce alot of heat??

[darradar]

Yeah i would assume you can use a standard side lamp, and use a modified day bulb, you can pick them up cheaply, though others might say it is ok to use a normal bulb, this i am un sure of, i know my tarantulars do not like the kind of light omitted from a normal bulb, however though, could you position your ants nearer to the window, how ever small it might be?

But they gonna be in my bedroom and my bedroom is almost always dark.

or are you some kind of vampiric being that does not let the day light in..!!

[miszt]

if you dont want to heat the ants anymore, then u shuld go for an LED lamp much lower power consumption, but just as bright

[mvannunen]

well i get up early go 2 work and most of the time i get back it is already dark and most of the time i'm not in my room so...

but yeah i was also thinking of a maybe say 15 watt light bulb...
should i place it outside the basin or in the basin the basin dimensions are 35cmx25x25

=> edit Mod
Post from 6:53u.

yeah but a LED is not really like natural daylight

[darradar]

Deffo out side the basin, i would say, try one of those studant lamps the kind with a movable arm, so you can direct the light in, and a 15 watt bulb will be sufficient,

[miszt]

yeah but a LED is not really like natural daylight

depends what type you get, normal light bulbs are not like natrual light either, u need a full spectrum white LED, and you will have a close enough match

[tail__]

Ants aren't plants, they don't need any particular kind of light. Many of them (all queens, all workers of underground species, some castes of others) spend their whole life in darkness. Light is more for human, than for ants. Most ants of course use their eyes, but they do not need any special kind of radiation. Anything will be ok, only mind that the nest should not be in very bright light.

[JimmyVe]

If i may suggest something, if i was you i would use something like this;
http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_in ... -15-W.html

It is true that most ants live underneath the ground but i to prefer to give them a bit of light during day. Try to make it like there natural environment. Mine are in a room where there is enough daylight during day so i don't use it but if they where in a dark room i also would use a lamp.

[jimjam]

Just get a smple uv light set up hooked up to a timer, simple! I'm sure they would appreciate more of a natural source of sun light and a uv bulb is the next best thing! A normal bulb would be to artifical, they would feel like their being interigated!!

[ant dude]

lol u know how ants all feel do you??? the only thing we can do is assume how they fill.....but i agree yes uv bulb may just be better 4 them.... but ants are already being kept sortta artifically....

sorry if i come across rude lol

[Phasmid]

A daylight bulb should be sufficient as it gives off lots of heat (which is the main thing) and has very natural looking light. I would be careful with using a UV bulb as it is not important and you have to remeber that too much UV is harmful .

[ant dude]

did'nt know that to much uv light can be harmful 4 ants....

[Phasmid]

did'nt know that to much uv light can be harmful 4 ants....

Too much UV can be harmful to any animal. I'm not saying that a UV bulb will harm the ants, I'm saying that they don't need extra UV like reptiles and that having extra UV could be harmful to the ants . For all I know UV may have great benifits for ants or have no effect at all, but I doubt it.

[jimjam]

Yes but you can get different strengh uv lights. Just get a low uv lamp and hook it up to a timer for anout 5 to 6 hours! UV light can damage any reptile, mammal, insect etc just like phasmid said.

Just imagen sitting out in the sun all day with out sun cream....catch my drift? It does not have to be hot for you to get sun burnt etc it's the strengh of the UV rays!

[SteveUK28]

lol i use UV to filter my pond, so yeh UV not that great...