ANTSTORE World of Ants

[sianhilton]

Having problem with Pheidole pallidula.
My House temp is around 15-16 degrees C during the day and around 18 degrees in the evening.
I have had small colony for about 15 workers 1 soldier and the queen for about 2 months and although there is brood, the colony does not seem to be expanding. This must be temperature related? Therefore I have put heater mat under glass area where the y-tong is to and one side is covered with cloth down to the ground so that one side is heated.

Set up in Glass Y-tong
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Any suggestions? [B]

[miszt]

Firstly, i hope you've got a thermostat connected to the heat mat!

Best bet is to have one section of the ytong around 28C, and the other section around 22-25C, at 15C they will be hibernating!

This is why you must research before you get your ants

[sianhilton]

No I have not got a thermostat attached!
I had been keeping them in airing cupboad which was always 24-27 degrees C. I had taken them out of the cupboard about 1 month ago, thinking temp in the house was warmer than it was 22 degrees . My Mistake.

As the heatmat is only effecting 1 side of the Y-tong they will naturally move to the aea of the Y-tong which is the best temperature for them.

But I agree a more controlled environment is better

How would I fit a thermostat to this set up? The set up is quite small and I cannot see how this would be achieved.

Keeping 1 side at 28 degrees and the other at 22-25 degrees would mean 2 thermostats?

My research indicated they could be kept successfully at temp range between 22 & 30 degrees?

Regards

[mzfckr]

i can anserw your 2nd question. no, you dont need two termostats, because room temp will do the job on other side.

[miszt]

Best bet for a thermostat, would be to drill a hole, that is just big enough to insert the thermostat probe inside the nest, seal it up (dont use silicon, the fumes are toxic, cotton wool will do)

Do know that P pallidula will make short work of Ytong, they will chew threw it very quickly...

[JimmyVe]

15°c is much to cold. I keep mine at 26-30°c (in summer).

[sianhilton]

Jimmy do you any pictures of your set up?

[JimmyVe]

I have a diary here but is hasn't been updated for a while, there are a few nice pics.

Also here you find much more pictures.