ANTSTORE World of Ants

[jackal]

Hi,tomorrow I'll order my queen of Messor barbarus,and I have a question:it's better: 1)to put the queen in a acquarium full of sand or:2) construct a ytong in concrete or still: 3) construct a ytong in concrete and fill up the empty spaces by sand (therefore the ants will be able to dig… but where I will want )?
For option 3) look the foto

And how can I do to maintain the humidity?
Thank You very much
p.s.:I'm sorry for my bad english

[delirium]

Hello!

For every Messor species, it's better to keep them in an Ytong nest. The special feature of Messor is their ability to eat seed. They will gather the seed and store it in their nest. But if the nest is wet, the seed will sprout.

That while, it's better if you use two Ytong nest, a dry one and a wet one, where they can live (in the wet one) and store their seed (in the dry one).

It's not necessary to fill the rooms with sand. But you have to create small rooms, otherwise, the ants will store their garbage in the Ytong and mildew will grow up

To keep the nest wet, you can put the nest into a box water.

[mpir]

If you put them in an aquarium full of sand you will hardly ever see them. Only when they come out to forage. And maybe that is not the best solution.
Ytong nest is ok. Delirium was right, if you have just one block of Ytong keep it wet only on one side. That would be best for them.
If you put sand in you must count with option that they will block the glass with it and you will not see what is going on inside. This animals like dark.

[JimmyVe]

I keep most of my ants in an Y-tong nest, so i can see the colony in there nest. But in day time i keep the nest covered with black foil, so there is no light in the nest. (most of the ant species don't like that) If you put sand in it you better keep a hole sand-nest, there is no reason to use an Y-tong than.
Look around before you build one, there are many different things you can do with your formicarium. This is a very nice one (i think)
http://www.antstore.net/viewtopic.php?t=3654

Good luck.

[ANToine]

For barbarus, I read in forum hibernating 5º - 10º C and in http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_info.php/products_id/884/cPath/54_107/South-European-Species/queen--Messor-barbarus it say:
" » South European Species «
...
- temperature: 25 - 30°C
- air humidity: Dry climate " (How dry?)

Can I keep it 25º C all year? If not, 18º C in Winter?

...by the way, what about ligniperda (25º C Summer - 18º C Winter is ok)?

[mpir]

Messor barbarus is Mediteranean species so I would hibernate her at 10 - 15 oC. Unheated room would be ok.

Dry climate, I'd say about max 30% humidity.

[uta]

what about ligniperda (25º C Summer - 18º C Winter is ok)?

in summer is 25° C okay, but in wintertime Camponotus ligniperda need 5-10 ° C.

Greetings

[ANToine]

Thank's for answering

And Pheidole pallidula, does obligatorily has to hibernate? (South European Species ?)
Is it suficient lowering to 18º C? ...for how long?

At http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_info.php/products_id/1161/cPath/54_107/South-European-Species/colonie--Pheidole-pallidula it says: " temperature: Non-sensitive - could hibernate in unheated rooms. " ...it "COULD" means it "DOESN'T HAVE TO"?

...also says "air humidity: Dry climate "
Air/nest humidity? (How dry?)

[JimmyVe]

Hey ANToine,

i keep al my European species at 5-10°c for there hibernation.
In summer i keep most species at room temperature only the south European i keep at 25-30°c (Messor barbarus - Pheidole pallidula)

Greets

[LeonofLondon]

Messors I have found my Messors will stay active providing it is warm unlike more northern species that will act sleepy and slow down activity durring autum, I kept mine with a heatm mat against the glass and they have stayed active and produced lots new workers.

[JimmyVe]

That is true Leon, most south European ants you can keep out of hibernation if it is warm enough, but it is better to let them have a hibernation. Shorter than middle European ants but still.
Most of my middle European ants hibernate from October till march.
my south European ants from November till February.
The colony will be stronger after hibernation.