ANTSTORE World of Ants

[JimmyVe]

Great pictures and great ants. Keep them coming.

[aka ant]

I sure will, thanks!
I found a small colony of what think are Ponera.
10-15 workers and 10 pupa, Im not sure if I have the queen since they all look the same.
Its hard to get a good pic because its wet in the tube.

pon3.jpg (38.77 KiB) 8831-mal betrachtet

pon2.jpg (20.89 KiB) 8591-mal betrachtet

[JimmyVe]

Yes the queen of that species looks pretty much the same as the workers. Check out if you see some new brood (eggs) the next days, than you know if you have the queen or not.

[aka ant]

How about a spider twice the mass of the queen? Should feed them for a week.

[JimmyVe]

That is a big spider. I'm sure they love it.

[aka ant]

Most of my colonies are doing great. The slave maker colony seems to be getting sick, think its from mold. I moved them a 3rd time into a testtube with the hope with will live.
Most brood of Tetramorium c colony are born pushing them near 500 workers .
Camponotus chromaiodes colony has a large batch of brood. Im not sure If I want to hibernate them for a short period or at all. I have had many problems with hibernation, Any tips on hibernation?

The setup I keep them in is great! No mold problems and only 1 death since I moved them in.

I built them a much larger setup that I hope to move them into next summer.
Not finished.

[JimmyVe]

Setup looks nice, what do you use ? Plaster ?

Tips for hibernation, slow down the temperature slowly. That way the ants can adjust much better to the cold. Make sure the nest stays moist during hibernation so the ants don't dry out.

[Skippy]

jimmy got true ... but what do you mean short period of hibernation? do you think hibernate them for small time? ... that is not good idea , I experimented this one at times when I started with ants only , and always it is not good , some species can get it as Lasius ... but Camponotus do not like it , your queen will not get too much eggs and she could to see like sick , then die (not always , but shotrter hibernation time - shorter life of queen which need that hibernation)

[aka ant]

ok, thanks! The setups are made from plaster of paris.

[Skippy]

remember ... nest from plaster of paris is useable only for small colony of Camponotus , which not contain media-majors yet , then you need to use some other type of material , because one day you can wake up and from your formicarium will be emental cheese

[JimmyVe]

@ Skippy: ? I never told to shorten the hibernation period. I only said to slow down the temperature slowly so the ants can adjust to the temperature.

[Skippy]

I´ve readen it over his pictures by him , not by you ... be careful

[JimmyVe]

okay, now i see it, i think i read over it.

Skippy is wright, don't hibernate them for a short period, you need to give them the hibernation they need. (like they would do in the wild) That is always better for your colony and your queen. She needs this period to rest so she can lay much eggs next season.

[aka ant]

I will keep them in my basement where the temperature drops to 10-15 C during winter.

[JimmyVe]

Seems good. Go check on them a few times, to see if they hibernate because 15°c is a little high. Also don't forget to check on the water, the nest must be kept moist.