ANTSTORE World of Ants

[JimmyVe]

@ deadmeat: i can not wait to see some pictures of it and know some results.

In deed it is possible for some species to keep them together but you can not do this with all species.
If there is room and food enough there should be no problem.

They lay eggs if there is enough food. The ants don't know there in captivity so there is plenty of food, so the queen only lays eggs when she is sure there is enough food for the new (and old) workers. If you understand.

[Kale^^]

That is not true, the queen lays eggs even if there isn't any food avaible sometimes. (Ofcourse any new queen dont need any food to lay)

[JimmyVe]

Okay maybe i don't explain it wright. But (for most species) they only produce as much workers as the colony can handle (and this is where the food comes in) if the colony is about 10 workers strong they are not going to raise 500 larva. So the queen is not going to produce 500 eggs.
But you have a point there, she will not stop laying eggs totally.

(maybe I'm not good explaining this in English. )

[sithmaster676]

you know that is what was worrying me as my queen last year laid some eggs which turned into larva and have survived the hibernation there is about 18 of them and there getting bigger but she won't lay anymore eggs but like you just said this is why
Sithmaster676

[JimmyVe]

There is a big chance it is.
But you never know for sure, there could be something else. I don't want to get you to worry but the first years are difficult for young queens.

[sithmaster676]

no i dont think there is anything wrong she is active and feeds so it should be because of that we will see when the new workers emerge
Sithmaster676

[JimmyVe]

In deed, the big old waiting game.
If the colony is small there is a lot of waiting to do, once they colony is getting bigger there is plenty of fun.

[Kale^^]

Hehe, i am waiting for my young formica fusca colonies to grow, i have 3 queens with 10 workers + lots of eggs&larvae and queen with 8 workers + eggs&larvaes. =) Its fun to see how the larvae grow fast.

[sithmaster676]

how did you get 3 queens for your formica fusca did you capture them yourself or did you order them of antstore?
and is it better to have more than one queen ?
Sithmaster676

[Kale^^]

I captured them from a nest that contained 7 queens and ~30 workers, just had to be pretty quick.

[JimmyVe]

To have more than 1 queen in a colony they need to be together from the start. Not all species could have more than 1 queen.
If you add a queen to a colony later it is possible they (workers) kill her.
If you have more queens the colony grows faster.

[Kale^^]

Yes, you are right, i didn't see the second answer (is it better to have more than one queen ? ), like i said, i have 3 queens in that colony and they lay ofcourse - 3 times more eggs! They have a huge pile now, i'm waiting for atleast 200% growth to the colony this year!

[sithmaster676]

wow sounds good
i have just finished creating my habitat for my new formica fusca species and should be ordering them this Sunday, i will fill the arena with sand so that they can do what they want with it the tubing for it is 15mm thick so do you think it will be alright ?
the arena is 30 by 20 by 20 cm hopefully this will be big enough
Sithmaster676

[Kale^^]

I'm bit concerned about the tube - it seems that it is dark inside - the ants may move there, not in the nesting. Looks good anyway

[sithmaster676]

no light can get through the tubing but not an incredible lot and i might put holes in the tube with a needle so they won't move in there
Sithmaster676