ANTSTORE World of Ants

[anquietas]

hello i right now have 3 ant colonies 2 of wich are Lasius flavus but my one Lasius flavus colony (4 queens) rather than eating the food i gave them they ate there own larva and down right refused the bugs i gave them i've tried mesquitos flys worms and meili worms (cut in half for easy accsess) but they still refuse it as well as water but they will gorge them selfs on surger water is that what they are spose to do or have i done something wrong? thank you for your help


(o and on a side note does Messor barbarus nest in severaly roted wood?)

[Spore]

New queens will usually not eat any food that is given to them. But i guess that suger water is to hard to resist . They may only feed when the first batch of workers amerge. Remember: good things come to those who wait .

[miszt]

Lasius flavus are normaly monogyn (cooperation between queens is only usually seen in mature colonies closley related), it may be that the queens are competing with one another and killing the others brood, I would advise you to seperate them asap, they wont eat if they are stressed, so that may be why

Messor like hot dry conditions, so as long as you provide that, they will live in wood yes

[anquietas]

why should i seperate them i found them all together in the gournd?

[anquietas]

would i beable to add starter queens to an established colony? (lasius flavus both colonines)

[Spore]

The ants might attack the new queens.

[anquietas]

ok ty i think i will keep them sepreat for now and join them when they are both mature hopefuly

[JimmyVe]

Yes i think it is better to keep the apart. Even when the colonies are bigger it is still a big risk to keep them together.

[anquietas]

ok ty for your help i am still thinking about combineing them but if it doesnt work first try then i will stop reason is not enough room for 2 feeding basins so thats why i am even consedering it and if it doesnt work i will either sell / give one away or set it free in the wild (got them from back yard so no harm will come to enviroment) i will post later if the combineing was sucessful or not till then ty you for your help

p.s. how long will it take for my workers to forige topside for food or how long untill they need it cuz all i leave just gets moldy

[miszt]

if you are going to try this, then cool the ants down for afew hours first, then put them in the fridge, this will reduce an aggression

however I am fully expecting one of your colonies to be destroyed, if not both, and I dont really see how you are going to split them up once they are together

[anquietas]

well if they work together peacefuly then i dont plan to split them up but you do make a good point if it doesnt work

and how long will it take for my workers to forige topside for food or how long untill they need it cuz all i leave just gets moldy

[JimmyVe]

You need to refresh the food. Depending on the size of the colony i almost give them fresh food every day and clean up the left overs about 2 times a week.

[anquietas]

there are about 100 - 150 wrokers and 3 queens and one massive larva and about 100 eggs and they just run away from the food like its plaged or something lol

[JimmyVe]

They are Lasius flavus wright ?

My colony just come and eat from the things i give them, they are not shy and don't run away from it ? What do you give them ?

[anquietas]

prety sure they look just like lasius flavus o and i give them rollie pollies and earth warms and melie worms