ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Phasmid]

i have read that Messor don't pass around liquids like other ants do, and as the nests are dry, how do they all get a drink?
when I remove the cover of the nest to look inside, condensation starts to build up on the plastic and all the ants start licking it desperatly as if they are dieing of thirst .

[Purifier]

Uhm what? Messor need water like all other ants. A special thing with Messor is that one part of the nest have to stay dry (for the grain) and the other have to be damp (for the brood).

[Phasmid]

I'm saying that the nest may be damp enough for brood, but not for the ants to drink, and as they don't carry water from outside to give to nest mates, the thirsty ants go mad for any condensation in the nest.
So, I'm worried that the workers and queen are not getting enough water to drink .

[Purifier]

Oh okay. Dont understand it on that way
I see the same behavior at my Diacamma. The have a big bird bath with water. But when they find condensed water on the glass they stay still and drink it....

I dont think that they havent enough water.

[mpir]

i have read that Messor don't pass around liquids like other ants do...

Where did you read that? I´ve had Messor barbarus for quite some time now and I´ve never seen queen outside the nest drinking. So she must have got water from other workers.

[JimmyVe]

I must stick with mpir on this one. In my farm of Messor barbarus there is no condensation only a water in the out world. My queen never gets out and she is still alive and kicking.
But like in most cases every colony is different.
If you keep there nest half moist and half dry and you give them fresh water to drink they will be fine, even if they keep drinking from the condensation.

[Phasmid]

Ok, thanks for the input everyone!:thumright:

[ducatiman]

i have a tip on how to get water into a sealed Y tong,basically what i do is use a medical syringe and needle,you poke the needle between the Y tong and the glass (through the silicone) and simply inject the water straight into the part of the nest you wish to keep moist.

Also i feed my M Barbarus Kio carp food,i use pellets that are high protein for my fish and figured that the queen needs high protein too, so why not try it,the pellets are about the size and shape of a cocoon and no very hard

[SteveUK28]

do u feed them whole or put them in some water to soften them ?

[ducatiman]

i put them in whole ,they seem to like them

[JimmyVe]

That is not bad, you can also try with fish flakes, some species like them to.

[ducatiman]

good idea ,i will try fish flakes aswell

[ducatiman]

has anyone tried messors with sunflower seeds,they are big,but they may like them

[JimmyVe]

No never tried that before, if you do, let us know.
But like you said, they are rather big, maybe to big for them.