ANTSTORE World of Ants

[spwl]

HI all

Today i found out something interesting. In preparation of going away for a few days on holiday i was tending the TN farm.

My colony is living in side a divided nutshell and have done that since day one. i occationally see a few of the ants outside fouraging . they live primarily of household sugar and houseflies. In the cleaning of their tiny farm i accidentially lifted the biggest nutshell part up a few milimeters. To my surprise it was heavily inhabitated by TN's of every age. I dont think the little accident did to much harm but i stirred them up and in that process i saw several vinged Temnothorax nylanderis. I was kind of surprised to see so many ants...best guess is close to 100 and large larvae/ puppae stages.


The vinged ones...seemed to live happily together with the rest. and i had absolutely no idea that they even were there since i rarely see more than 10 at any given time outside their cave.

Now the question is....if i see vinged ones again..should i isolate them ?..and why werent they trying to leave long before...to me it seemed like they were living in good harmony ...is a svarming time eminebt close ?


best regards

Stephan
Denmark

[JimmyVe]

I think you mean Winged ones ?
Well if a colony is strong enough they will produce winged ants. They only fly out when time is good. In captivity this time may never come (because they live "inside") so the winged males will die after a while and the winged queens stay in the colony, in some cases they will be killed by the workers in other ones they stay in the colony and do the job of a worker.

[spwl]

thank you Jimmy

yes i meant Wingen =) sorry for the funny-spelling.

So observing winged ants in a colony is a measure of some succes i take it. However if i cant reproduce the "open weather" i will not be able to breed my own quens and start a sister colony ?

However i really like this colony and wonder how i can make an additionally one from this one ?

[JimmyVe]

I read a few times about these ants having a flight inside in capivity but i don't have experience with it myself. You could try it, but its hard to let them fligh out.

[spwl]

as of right now they are flying in the farm . Just saw it when i was doing my evening round to the ants


Wonder if i should try and grab them and see if i get a queen or two

[JimmyVe]

There is no harm in trying that, if you don't catch them they will be killed by there own workers or will help with them.