ANTSTORE World of Ants

[SteveUK28]

nothing wrong with them lol.. Im just running out of space lol

[JimmyVe]

@mpir: yes, i think if you heat it up till 28-30°c it would go much faster. Also your colony is going to grow much faster.

If you have a y-tong nest, the easiest way to heat that up is with a heat mat on it, and if you like you can heat up the out world with a heat lamp. That is the way i do it and it works fine. You may do it another way.

[mpir]

@mpir: yes, i think if you heat it up till 28-30°c it would go much faster. Also your colony is going to grow much faster.

28-30°C ??? I'm not so sure if that is a good idea. I mean maybe it works and all, the colony does grow faster, but think about it. I know Messor barbarus is South European species, but it makes its nests in the ground. Meaning that it is well protected from the burning sun. Only one meter down in earth the temperature can be much lower. I know for example that some caves have constant temperature all year round like 10°C.

[kashmir79]

good point

i know Messor's like to have cool/dry areas to stop seeds from germanating.

[JimmyVe]

Okay i need to explain this part a bit better, my fold.

I meant in summer up to 28-30°c, but not the hole nest, just a part of it. They probably going to keep the larvae there (in the hot place). In deed they live in South Europe, in summer its sometimes 40°c outside there. Than the ants keep there brood underneath the ground but if it is colder, +- 30°c they sometimes bring the brood above ground (most species do that not only this one)

I hope you understand it better now.

[SteveUK28]

Jimmy how hot does it have to be for the queen to be laying eggs then.. is around 21-25 ok ??

[JimmyVe]

Well she start laying eggs after hibernation, so it could be 21-25°c yes.

[ant dude]

think i may get some of these ants

hey um do u guys think i should be ok with these ants, if i were to buy some???......if so wot seeds do u give to them....only heard of grass lol???this maybe be covered else where, an if it is i'm sorry

i fault i'll ask before buying them btw......

[kashmir79]

well they are not paticulary best for beginners, as others have said, but Messors can be quite Stressed easily, wich can kill them, you need to know to give them their own space.

but you should be ok if you have some species before hand

[ant dude]

thanks kashmir79

but how do u mean by giving them there own space sorry???

i have kept other species before yes but there all really centural european by stress easily i have heard mentioned before but, does this including noises aswell as vibrations or somthink??? as with my music an people shout now an then(parents usually lol)

[jimjam]

What camera do you use to take these photos skippy...the detail is unreal!

[JimmyVe]

It means that they need rest, don't bother them every day, especially the queen. If she is in a y-tong don't go and look every day. Vibrations yes, meaning, moving them allot ore loud noise (music, shouting). But no ants like much vibrations ore to be bothered much.

[ant dude]

hmmm dont think thses ants really would settle at all in my enviroment, not sure now tho

[SteveUK28]

as long as u didnt try what im doing ul be fine i think alex, That is dont just buy a queen.. get a few workers with eggs.. as for seeds i believe they go for just about any kind of small seed.. take a look in ur local pound shops they usualy sell bird seed and its nice n small

[Phasmid]

I didn't know that Messor barbarus could be so hard to keep . Messor barbarus were the third species of ant I ever kept and it was just a queen. So, as if they are trying to dissagree, I now have a lovely colony that is still going strong, even though I moved them, forcefully, about three or four times lol .