ANTSTORE World of Ants

[FredeP]

Hello.

I have just got 2 a Lasius Niger colonies.
- I was thinkiing about, when will they have 100 ants, or more.
Cause how long can it takes?
My colonies are on 10-20 ants, and plus queens.
They are also not so active, and when will
they be more active? Cause they are just in their tube,
and help the queen with brood?.

Pleas help, and thanks.

P.S. I've got the ants from antstore.net/shop if any one ins care?(:

[SteveUK28]

Hi Fredep. Well if you search around the forum you will find the details your looking for. But as lasius niger grow pretty quick i'd say that as long as your feeding them reguarly then they will prob reach 100 ants by the end of the summer easily.

[tail__]

It usually takes circa 3 months in normal conditions to have 100 workers. Very small colonies of 10-20 workers need very little food, so they aren't foraging so much. Temperature is also important factor - most ants aren't very active below 20C. The colony is much more active when they are a lot of larvae, because they consume most food.

[miszt]

I have about 300 workers in a colony from a Queen last year, so they can grow very fast, it all depends on how you look after them, I wouldnt expect a first ant colony to reach its potential until you have a little experience, but you should have 100 workers at least by next spring

I answered, No, a colony cant be to small, they all start from somewhere!

[FredeP]

Okay ty.
- My colonies isn't so active, and the tempertur is on 25C? And sometimes 30C, and I don't know why the colonies isn't so active. Because the tempertur is fine, right?.
Help please (:

=> edit Mod
Post from 3:56pm

one thing more - they are just only in their test tube, and help the queen, because why are they out and find a new place, or finding food or water, or some think else?.

[miszt]

thats far to hot for lasius niger, 22-23C is good for them, early workers will spend most of their time tending to the brood and queen, as a rule, only about 10% of a colony will be out foraging, so if you have 10 workers, dont be suprised if you only see 1 or 2 workers out a day, if that

[ashhad1]

And the first workers of the first generation they will be very scared and timid and only come out at night, just wait a little until the next generation of workers hatch, then ul c a lot more activity.
But the rule would still apply that miszt mentioned

Keeping ants always needs a lot of patience but dont worry with lasius niger it isnt too long before they start 'blooming'

[tail__]

Yes the temperature is optimal, it seems that they simply aren't hungry, which is normal for very small colonies. Do you have any eggs, larvae or pupae? Have you ever seen any going out for food? Does have any of them enlarged abdomen? If yes, all is fine, you need only wait for colony growth. If not, try to give some SMALL dead insect (like fruit fly) directly into tube exit and check if they take it.

[FredeP]

My colony eat their foot, but not the sugar yet, but they will.. I hope?.
- But shall I have the teperatur on 25-30, or 21-23?
and thanks for help!(;
And yes, I have see they have eggs, larvae and pupae.
I have got them from antstore and bought that pack their was a queen + 4 - 10 workers.

And do any one think they might been in hibernation?.
hope you can help again!.

ps. I have see some ants going around out site the tube, but it's was only 1-3 ants.

[KiamCameron]

21-23 temperture

No they wouldnt be hibernating its nearly summer and they only hibernate at winter besides the temperture is high for them so they defenietely wouldnt

The workers are probably eating the sugar you just cant tell as they require a small amount and go out usually at night time.

[FredeP]

Okay.
But what I mean was, that do u think they have been in hibernation, then they where with anstore? Before I bought it. That I mean is, do u think the queen is from last summer?.

[ashhad1]

Any ant bought from antstore that needs hibernation gets it when there stored in antstore

[FredeP]

So u think it might has been in hibernation, and that queen is from last summer?

[FredeP]

Do any one know how long it will take before mig queen, will begin to create new youg queens, and youg males?.
And how long ít take for a queen from egg and to adult? And the same with males(:
hope u can help. plz.

[tail__]

In normal conditions, probably no less than two years. It is possible that adopting large workers from grown-up colony will speed up this, because the colony will think it is big if such big workers are present. At first the colony produces only male alates, because they are cheaper, and when it grows in consequent years relatively more and more females. Very old and very large colonies can produce even more females than males. Male Lasius niger is not bigger than worker and develops in similar time (4-8 weeks, depending on temperature). Female is many times larger and the larva must grow longer to reach proper size, but I don't know how long exactly.