ANTSTORE World of Ants

[LordLion2]

Tell me what you think. My idea is with a 55 gal. aquarium with a stick going to the lid of the tank and vaseline going around the tank accept 2 parts where theres a tube going from the top of the tank through the wall outside for natural foraging. Then another tube on the other side going from the top to a ten gallon aquarium also for foaraging. But I still give them food in their tank. There will be live plants and some live insects inside both tanks with a heat lamp for heat source, also on both tanks. some drift wood for nesting possibilties. peices of rock. Then both ends will be closed of to the other tank and outside until they get there self established so they don't leave but i will still put food in there tank. I'm planning on getting mymicra rubra or the fire ant because there the most common ant around where i live. I'm trying to make it really natural for them but still be able to watch them.

[donbilbo]

You can make it as comfy as possible but one single day without perfect conditions and they will just leave to another nesting site before you even notice....

[LordLion2]

I know i'm going to try to make it as perfect as I can

[Zagone]

If I'm not mistaken specifically Myrmica rubra has a pretty high tendancy to move as they like. I've often come across them moving brood form one nest to another.

[LordLion2]

Oh well I'll just try the argentina ants they don't move alot because they like to establish big nests in the first 6 monthes thay can have as many as 600,000 in there nest with just 1 to 2 queens.

[weiland]

I've also observed that Myrmica sp. in Sweden seems move a lot. Not sure if the ones I've seen is rubra, ruginodis or some other Myrmica species however...

[AndyB]

Yes, these ants can be helpful and be a pain. i have a colony of rubra with 200 workers and 3 queens. and every now and then they decide to just randomly move from the ytong to the outwold and back in the same day if the temp drops even a little bit.. but lately they have stayed their.

your set up sounds good. good luck with them mate