9 replies to this topic

[Steveboy777]

I know in their own time, once they find a better place to live they will leave...

 

However they seem to be eating through the cotton bud that blocks the water on the other side.

I'm worried they'll chew through it and get flooded by the water.

 

I have no idea what they're doing to be honest, they've pulled a small chunk of it off and are putting sand on it, like they're trying to hide the eggs or something.

 

 

Are they smart enough to realize that they might unleash a huge torrent of water upon themselves or do I need to get them out?

 

If so, any ideas how? Getting tweezers and pulling them out doesn't sound very safe.

[AntLover101]

How far through the cotton have they made it?

Edited by AntLover101, April 12 2015 - 8:09 AM.

[Steveboy777]

There was I'd say 5-6cm now there's 2-3cm.

 

It seems more like they've pushed it in than eaten it though.

They're also all bunching up around the eggs like they're trying to hibernate, it's not been cold in here.

Also they're Lasius Niger.

 

They've completely ignored some banana protein jelly and honey I've put in and haven't went for the water trough thing I have. They seemed to like chicken though.

Perhaps the honey isn't organic enough and maybe they've had enough protein though they had some jelly a few days ago.

 

 

Of course I'm new to this but this seems like odd behaviour hope they're not going to end up dying already.

Guess I'll try encourage them to go in to the vertical nest area of the formicarium some explored the entrance but no more than that.

[AntLover101]

Tap the queen and workers into a new test tube. Then use a toothpick to push the brood into the new test tube. After they are in the new test tube, start working on a new design for a formicarium to move them into in which there is no cotton for them to pull. Keep switching their test tube, if they keep pulling the cotton too far, until you have a new formicarium for them to use. AntsCanada has a video on how to move brood. You might want to check it out.

[Crystals]

Usually as they get closer to the water, the cotton is wetter and they don't go all the way through.  Although I have had one or two drown over the years.  You can move them to a new test tube, or let them move themselves.  Usually covering the new nest, with bright light and moderate heat on the hold nest will convince this particular species to move.

 

Have you tried offering small pieces of insect or sugar water?

 

Lasius are known to be stubborn to move, especially the small colonies.

 

Lasius also usually hibernate with half grown larvae.  So if the larvae seem to have not grown any for 2 months, then they are ready for hibernation.

[Steveboy777]

I'm not so sure a tooth pick would work it's quite a large test tube.

 

I don't feel confident that my hands are steady enough to move the brood without squashing half of them.

 

I wonder if I could at least pull the Queen out and get them to mostly come out and rescue her? It's cruel but being kind.

 

Pulling the cotton bud out with tweezers might be doable at an angle, the water is fairly low down.

Should I risk it? There could be casualties but for the greater good and all. They have a shell and nesting area to retreat to.

 

Think I'll give it a day or two and see what they're doing before making a decision they're still taking sand in to the tube.

Now I notice the progress they've made, seems they're trying to block the light and stay there.

 

 

As a final option, has anyone ever tried cutting the tube open to drain the water? Fairly sure it's plastic could easly melt a hole without disturbing them.

[Mercutia]

I wouldn't risk it. I've squashed plenty of brood that got caught in the pulling cotton using that method before, even when going slow and waiting for the ants to move it. I'd be very careful about melting the plastic. I don't imagine those fumes would be very good for the ants. If you do drill a hole in the water reservoir, it will definitely dry the cotton out faster and facilitate the move to a new nesting site. Lasius really like high humidity conditions and in my experience a dried out nest is the fastest way to move them.

[Jonathan21700]

If you want to move them to a antfarm type formicarium then you have to wait for them to dig a nest. If you want to move them into a small formicarium then place one end of tubing into the test tube and one in the formicarium and cover the nest. You can shine a light on the test tube and tap it. This way the ants will start to search for a new safer place to live.

Also for the antfarm type nest you can just put the test tube on top of the soil..

[Steveboy777]

I certainly hope they don't chew through the bud now, I've had to put the stopper on the tube and keep them in there now...having a mould problem with the sand in the vertical nesting area of my formicarium...

 

I have a small 15cm or so long one and a bigger fish tank I plan to use later but can't really set up yet without mesh.

 

 

How well would soil work for the vertical nesting part? I have organic stuff in a bag there's plenty of it, not sure it would be as strudy as the hardened sand however it's more natural I guess.

 

 

As for the test tube itself I'm just going to cut the end off and drain it or pull the bud out that way, if it's going backwards it shouldn't squash anything.

Spent about £70 on this hobby and still haven't gotten anywhere, oh joy

[Mercutia]

It's a little bit of a trial and error hobby. Some things that worked for other people might not work on your colony despite them being the same species.

 

I wouldn't recommend soil as if you were having issues with the sand and mold, soil will only be worse. It gets muddy and you can't see anything in there. As a personal choice, I use formicariums with pre-carved chambers as a rule so I don't have to deal with a nesting medium which can get very complicated per species. Adding a small amount of substrate to the chambers may get the achieved affect of a more "natural" environment, but without the problems that exist with free form formicariums.