ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Sced]

Hello

I am building a gypsum nest for a colony of Camponotus ligniperda and I was wondering if anyone has experience with making gypsum nests.

I have ordered a 30x20x1 gypsum plate and a 30x20 glass plate and also a glass cutter.

The main information I need really is moulding the chambers,
For example what instruments I will need and tips on keeping it damp

Also any other tips with Camponotus ligniperda and gypsum modelling will be much appreciated.


Luke

[JimmyVe]

Hi Luke,
What is your idea to make ? As you can see the plate is only 1cm thick so i think it is better you make a display from it, glass plates on both sides.
If you do that you can make rooms in the gypsum plate with a screwdriver. you need to have an out world to where you can feed them.
In my experience gypsum is not so easy to keep wet. maybe if i understand more with your intenseness are with it i can help you a bit more.

Try to make a nest with a main tunnel and several rooms come out on this tunnel, at the end of the tunnel the entrance to the nest, this is one of the easy things and it works for most species.

Greets

[Sced]

Thanks JimmyVe
Luckily enough I have another sheet of 30x20 glass here so I will Make a display as you said.
I also have a mini arena and a tube to connect to the nest.
Thanks for your help

[JimmyVe]

That is great, now you can start building
To keep it wet maybe you can put some water in a tube and connect that to the nest, but be ware that the ants do not drown.
put some picture here if your are finished.

[mpir]

30x20x1 ??? And you want to put Camponotus ligniperda in there? It is only the biggest ant species in Europe!!!!!

I'd make everything twice that big, at least. 60x40x2 And I'd replace that mini arena with a big one. Of course for the start of a colony the original idea is ok. But it will be outgrown very fast. Consieder puting some wood in that arena or make nest out of wood.

You can keep gypsum nest wet the same way as you'd keep your ytong nest. Make holes in it or make canals, fill them with cotton and keep them damp.

Looking forward to some pictures.

[Sced]

Ok
I've decided to make the nest out of ytong, and I have a large amount of it so i shall make it big, maybe 60x40 like you said Mpir

Thanks

[JimmyVe]

Y-tong is indeed better (my opinion) that is true, 60*40 is better but for a starting colony (like yours) 30*20 is fine. If i have i new colony i keep them in a tube with a small out world and if they outgrow it i move them to a bigger nest.
If you put a small colony in a big nest they won't be able to keep this clean and only use 2 or 3 chambers of the nest.

[Sced]

Thank you, when they grow they will use the rest of the chambers?
Hopefully the ants and materials will come tommorow or the nest day, so I will post a few pictures of the nest and the ants in theis topic

[JimmyVe]

Indeed if they grow they are going to use the rest of the chambers, but mean wile they just use them to dump stuff.

Looking forward to see some pictures.

[Sced]

Ok thanks
Im just having a break from making the nest.
The colony is healthy, 2 majors and 5 mnors,queen and a pile of eggs
Ill get some pics soon

[JimmyVe]

Do you have majors already ? Are maybe it just a second generation of workers ?
The first generation is smaller than the next one.
I have no experience with Camponotus ligniperda but with my Pheidole pallidula the first majors came after 5-6 months after the first workers.

[Sced]

Maybe its a second generation.
But the workers range from three different sizes, so I dont know.
And to correct my last post there is a pile of small larvae not eggs*

[JimmyVe]

probably, they are going to have workers in all sizes. (like most species that have soldiers.) Looking forward to see some pictures.

[heeksy]

hello, whats the differnce between gypsum and ytong nests? I have read somewhere that gypsum nests are made of a special concrete that soaks up water to make the nest damp but stops mould at the same time is there anything else i could use to make a nest like this?

cheers

[JimmyVe]

you can also make nest from wood or sand. but i prefer Y-tong.