ANTSTORE World of Ants

[mzfckr]

fleur, sorry i didnt mention something. search on google you will find it.

[Fleur]

I really like the behaviour and look of the Messor. I just have the issue with the hybernation. Maybe I can talk to my parents and they can keep the ants in the barn during the winter. I doubt they will be prepared to feed and water them though... I'd have to discuss that with them.
Also; transportation would be somewhat of an issue. I have a car, my parents live about half an hour drive away from my house, but some roads here are bumpy and it would stress them out and potentially shake up the nest or make it fall over during the trip. Pff... I just wish there was an easier solution to this.

The exotics are too difficult and I can't get any of them as Antstore has none, the European need the hybernation.

[miszt]

they dont need feeding during hibernation they are asleep!

[Fleur]

Really? Nothing at all? I figured they would not really be "asleep", just very slow moving and non-breeding. Then there's just the transportation issue to adress. Any suggestions?

By the way, I like the Camponotus ligniperda a lot too.

[tail__]

The ants that live here naturally are really small. Too small if you ask me. They are the kind that live in between pavements and sidewalks.

You mean probably Lasius niger, but there are many bigger species living in this climate, including very large Camponotus and medium-sized Serviformica, which are also easy to keep.

How much space do your ants take up in your fridge? My fridge is really small. Do you put them in a container of some kind or do you just put the entire farm in there?

I put only the nest part there, without arena, and this is really small (20X20X1cm). Generally miszt is right and they need some time, it can be 2-6 weeks, with medium temperature (ca. 15C) before putting into real winter sleep. In this period they consume very little food and aren't very active, so they don't need much care (they never need much, anyway). Don't you have any kind of balcony, cellar, attic or any other little piece of external space where you could place them for a few weeks in autumn? If not, taking them to parents barn is also a good solution, even if the car ride would be a bit stressful, it will not harm them in any way, if it is only once in a year.

[mzfckr]

yes, camponotos ligniperda is a very interesting but slower developers than lasius niger.they are big too.i reccomend them

[robby42]

hi fleur
you say that ant store has not got a lot of the ants you like in stock,but that is because of the time of year,when the mating season gets going you can get most of the species instantly,its just a case of waiting for the right time.

[Fleur]

@Tail__: I have balcony where do would fit. Thing is that it tends to rain here during autumn a lot and it is very windy. But, now that I'm talking about it: I can always get something like an old wooden rabbit enclosure or something and put them in there for the few weeks they need to adjust. Can you get a heater that will keep a temperature of steady 7 degrees? Because I am afraid that during the heart of winter it might freeze in my parent's barn...

@mzfcker: I don't mind slow developping. Actually I prefer them to be slow because I don't have the space to house a huge colony. More people that would recommend me the camponotos ligniperda? Anyone have any experience with them?

@robby42: I figured that would be the case. Still, I'd like to start (if ever) within a month or so. I want to make up my mind on the species and housing well in advance. It would be a great dissappointment if the species I choose ends up not becoming available later on.

[mzfckr]

make a search here and at dutch forum part there are a lot of diaries(haltungbericht).

[tail__]

But, now that I'm talking about it: I can always get something like an old wooden rabbit enclosure or something and put them in there for the few weeks they need to adjust.

I think the best solution would be keeping them on balcony for a few weeks in autumn, when temperature outside is 10-15C, and after such preparation putting them into fridge, to steady temp. ca. 5C, for 5-10 weeks or more. I do it this way, except for that I use unheated room instead of balcony. This way you won't need any special equipment and it takes only a few minutes.

[JimmyVe]

And you can catch a free queen if you are afraid of wasting money, and let them go free if you decide you don't want them anymore.

Never let queens back into the wild unless you put them back where you captured her. (So you don't harm the eco-system)

Here in Belgium and in the Netherlands most ants are very small, we don't have large Camponotus species. (maybe some rare cases)

@ fleur: Messor barbarus are in deed very nice ants, but they need hibernation (like all European ants) and they are very stressful, if you are planning to move them to your parents in winter time. Ants don't need feed during winter but you need to check up on them every once in a while. To see if the nest is moist enough.

Camponotus ligniperda are nice ants to, look here for a few picture of my ants.

There are lot more picture there from species i keep.

I think it is better to decide first which species you like to keep, every species need other things to survive.

[SimGee]

Hey there,

Hibernation of Camponotus ligniperda not only depends upon the temperature they have a kind of an inner clock. So it was possible to keep´em on the balcony in autumn/winter. I would suggest to put em into a styrofoam box, so they can´t get frozen. I guess it was not necessary to get a constant temp. of 5 degrees or whatever.

Btw. i would suggest Camponotus ligniperda too, very nice and really big.

Greetings
Simon

[Fleur]

Sounds like a plan then! It's spring now so if I start off in a week or two they won't be hybernating anymore I presume and I can get a good shot at starting a nice, healthy colony before the winter starts again. By that time they should be doing well enough to cope with it all I think.

Okay, so the species I'm seriously considering now are the ligniperda or the Messor barbarus.

Next decision is the habitat. I'd like to keep my ants in a Acryl Labyrinth Box like this one: http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_in ... Box-I.html

Is that possible/sensible? Or would you recommend a different setup for the ligniperda?

[JimmyVe]

If i where you i would go for the Camponotus ligniperda if that works out you can always take a colony of Messor barbarus to.

That is not a good farm to keep these ants. (in my opinion)
Okay now you are all thinking and yes i'm going to say it: i would recommend a y-tong nest. Easy to make (not expensive) and easy to keep moist.

[SimGee]

I don´t know the exact spaces of this "thing"... but for Camponotus ligniperda it´s too small i thing. In the description it´s said "Nur für kleine Ameisenarten geeignet" - "Only for the small ones"...
I´d prefer a basin with a Y-Tong nest. But if u take something like that you perhaps need a bigger box for the hibernation period