8 replies to this topic

[CamponotusLover]

Okay so first off, IF this is the wrong section to post this thread in then yes I admit I am still 100% trash at posting in the right thingy. So don't roast pls i already know i'm a failure.

Okay so basically, my crematogaster queen was my first queen I ever caught. And in the last 4-5 months she's had about 25-30 workers, been very successful in this grout setup which has a nice underground and outworld on top which they can go to as pleased. In the last month or so the numbers have dropped heavily and now its like 20 and/or below workers, around maybe 8 have died and been dragged to the surface. 

And during this time it is also noticed that the colony is soooo inactive, there is barely any foraging barely or any movement even in the chamber where the queen is (and yes it is dark 24/7 but there is just two little holes I can see through)

I was told that if it's in a room with an AC or that is cold that they are naturally gonna be alot more inactive, so I moved the colony upstairs a few days ago where it is usualy on average 60-80 degrees, usualy very warm. 
 

Their has been no change unfortunatley and the numbers are still, slowly but surely, dropping. And inactivity hasn't changed.

I was also informed that sometimes after the first generation of workers the colony might relax/slack off for a bit (I apologize if I am mis-saying what the person who informed me of this meant)

Is that possibly the case?

Also I notice on the surface there is a little bit of mold growth now, on grout, which is suprising to me.. :Possibly the reason? Although it has only appeared in the last 2 weeks.

I am very saddened by this, as it is my most successful colony and my first ever.


I am fully ready to move this colony to a new setup, and I feel a natural plain ol' dirt setup would be better for them. 
This is a question I have asked manyyyy times before, I will specify better now however,

What is the best way to get dirt from outside? (please do not post a bunch of different links to websites to dirt that costs money I am not gonna buy dirt)

If I get dirt from outside should it be from ant hills? (which i am not sure of i don't know if its fair to the wild ones or not but meh)
If I get dirt outside should I freeze/bake the dirt? Is freezing an option though cause i'd prefer to freeze the dirt then bake it but meh.

Some help please.

 

[Bryce]

Well it's hard to say exactly what is going on, other then to say it happens. I have had it happen many times a colony seems to be doing fine then, it's not and it is gone. You can get dirt out of your backyard. Just sift in well and add sand and clay to it. You can freeze or bake it either will work. It's not rocket science, you just want to kill any harmful pest that live there. You will need to add sand and clay, if not its prone for the tunnels to collapse . Good luck

[lucas3431]

I'm no Ant expert, I've only had a queen the past 12 days with some eggs so totally new to the hobby. If I was in your situation I would clean that mold asap, I've just read that mold likes damp grout. As for the Earth I would take some from where the Queen originated from..take a little spare just in case. I wouldn't freeze it I would rather bake it. I bake substrate for my Tarantulas and all seems well. Of course it will dry out so that's why you might need the extra bit of Earth.

 

After you have cleaned and added the Earth throw the ladies in some honey for energy.

 

I hope they come back around. 

[CamponotusLover]

Well it's hard to say exactly what is going on, other then to say it happens. I have had it happen many times a colony seems to be doing fine then, it's not and it is gone. You can get dirt out of your backyard. Just sift in well and add sand and clay to it. You can freeze or bake it either will work. It's not rocket science, you just want to kill any harmful pest that live there. You will need to add sand and clay, if not its prone for the tunnels to collapse . Good luck

Thank you, how would you suggest I add clay/sand to the dirt? Like mix it in or something, and what type of clay?
 

 

I'm no Ant expert, I've only had a queen the past 12 days with some eggs so totally new to the hobby. If I was in your situation I would clean that mold asap, I've just read that mold likes damp grout. As for the Earth I would take some from where the Queen originated from..take a little spare just in case. I wouldn't freeze it I would rather bake it. I bake substrate for my Tarantulas and all seems well. Of course it will dry out so that's why you might need the extra bit of Earth.

 

After you have cleaned and added the Earth throw the ladies in some honey for energy.

 

I hope they come back around. 

Ah thanks for the advice! However what do you mean by add the earth? You think maybe I should add dirt onto the surface or something of the sort?

[lucas3431]

 

Well it's hard to say exactly what is going on, other then to say it happens. I have had it happen many times a colony seems to be doing fine then, it's not and it is gone. You can get dirt out of your backyard. Just sift in well and add sand and clay to it. You can freeze or bake it either will work. It's not rocket science, you just want to kill any harmful pest that live there. You will need to add sand and clay, if not its prone for the tunnels to collapse . Good luck

Thank you, how would you suggest I add clay/sand to the dirt? Like mix it in or something, and what type of clay?
 

 

I'm no Ant expert, I've only had a queen the past 12 days with some eggs so totally new to the hobby. If I was in your situation I would clean that mold asap, I've just read that mold likes damp grout. As for the Earth I would take some from where the Queen originated from..take a little spare just in case. I wouldn't freeze it I would rather bake it. I bake substrate for my Tarantulas and all seems well. Of course it will dry out so that's why you might need the extra bit of Earth.

 

After you have cleaned and added the Earth throw the ladies in some honey for energy.

 

I hope they come back around. 

Ah thanks for the advice! However what do you mean by add the earth? You think maybe I should add dirt onto the surface or something of the sort?

 

Sorry I call dirt Earth, add it into the new setup.

 

I would take Bryce advice on this one about adding clay and sand.

[CamponotusLover]

 

 

Well it's hard to say exactly what is going on, other then to say it happens. I have had it happen many times a colony seems to be doing fine then, it's not and it is gone. You can get dirt out of your backyard. Just sift in well and add sand and clay to it. You can freeze or bake it either will work. It's not rocket science, you just want to kill any harmful pest that live there. You will need to add sand and clay, if not its prone for the tunnels to collapse . Good luck

Thank you, how would you suggest I add clay/sand to the dirt? Like mix it in or something, and what type of clay?
 

 

I'm no Ant expert, I've only had a queen the past 12 days with some eggs so totally new to the hobby. If I was in your situation I would clean that mold asap, I've just read that mold likes damp grout. As for the Earth I would take some from where the Queen originated from..take a little spare just in case. I wouldn't freeze it I would rather bake it. I bake substrate for my Tarantulas and all seems well. Of course it will dry out so that's why you might need the extra bit of Earth.

 

After you have cleaned and added the Earth throw the ladies in some honey for energy.

 

I hope they come back around. 

Ah thanks for the advice! However what do you mean by add the earth? You think maybe I should add dirt onto the surface or something of the sort?

 

Sorry I call dirt Earth, add it into the new setup.

 

I would take Bryce advice on this one about adding clay and sand.

 

no no i know what you meant by earth, I mean why did you mean by "adding" the earth? Like should I put it on the surface or something? Or idk

[lucas3431]

 

I am fully ready to move this colony to a new setup, and I feel a natural plain ol' dirt setup would be better for them. 


 

Maybe I'm thinking wrong haha, I'm thinking you just want to use dirt and nothing else, of course putting dirt and grout together would be a bad idea due to mold, unless you could separate the grout and dirt with a barrier (ie plastic/glass sheet). If you're using just dirt in the new setup then I see no problems.

 

Sorry about the confusion.

[ultraex2]

I'm assuming that these are okay, but just to double check - are they getting enough sugar and water as well as the humidity is high enough?

[Chomp231]

I wouldn't get soil from other ants it might still harbor problems id just get simular soil in another spot in the yard