ANTSTORE World of Ants

[jimjam]

Hey everyone,

Has anyone ever tried to grow a mini rose bush inside a tank and have a small colony of aphids on the rose? I think it would be quite intresting to see if the ants farm the aphids.

May be quite a tall tank may be 60x20x60? And have a sand loam and compost mix for potting bed, and then add a layer of gravel so the ants cant dig? May be add some coulerful fish gravel show show? lol. Would i add a UV light for the rose to give it enough light?

What you reckon?

[SteveUK28]

Hi Jimjam,
Some ants to farm Aphids.. i believe there is a colony of Lasius that do it not sure which tho..

[Phasmid]

Lasius niger would be a good ant to try this with, I see them farming aphids where ever I go .
You should try first cutting a twig from a plant that is covered aphids and placing it in a tank with the ants and see if they start milking the aphids before you go into the trouble of trying to grow a whole plant in the tank .

[jimjam]

Hmm very true, it would save a lot of trouble just giving them a stick of aphids! Hmm will be intreting. My colony (which i should get any day now ) will be to young to do this in the summer but next year maybe. I am expecting around ten workers to arrive with the queen!

Thank you!

[SteveUK28]

Lasius niger grow very quickly jimjam.. so u might be suprised

[jimjam]

Yeah i know they do, well we will have to wait and see. Everything is prepaired for them!! If they do surprise me then i will be ready steveuk28!