13 replies to this topic

[LearningAntz]

Hello. I was wondering how I could move a colony of ants into a new test tube. The old one seems dry yet they don’t seem interested in moving. I’ve tried methods such as light, heat, darkness, etc. and none of them have worked. Will they move on their own when they need moisture and water or will they die out from lack of?

[FeedTheAnts]

Put the old tube in sunlight. Always works for me, even with stubborn ants. 

[BobJ]

Did you try ice?

[Shifty189]

Careful with ice! Depending where you live a little ice can kill them all

[CoolColJ]

I had to swing my last Pheidole colony into a new test tube using centrifugal force :0
Brutal but effective, they are thriving now

They are really stubborn, even a whole day of sun couldn't get them to budge.
I read of another person who had to wait 2 weeks of light exposure, 24 hours a day before his Pheidole colony would move.

if it's just a queen and brood, you can move them manually. Separate the queen into another container, move the brood with a wet cotton bud, twisting on and off, swing the pupa into the enw test tube.
And the guide the queen into the new one.


They will move eventually

Edited by CoolColJ, June 24 2018 - 7:18 PM.

[LearningAntz]

Thanks for the help. I hadn’t thought of applying cold and having a test tube attached with a heating cable. Worked perfectly! Thanks guys!

[CoolColJ]

Thanks for the help. I hadn’t thought of applying cold and having a test tube attached with a heating cable. Worked perfectly! Thanks guys!

 

How did you apply the cold?

[LearningAntz]

Thanks for the help. I hadn’t thought of applying cold and having a test tube attached with a heating cable. Worked perfectly! Thanks guys!

How did you apply the cold?

Basement. Worked perfectly!

[AntsAreUs]

Personally I just tap them all into an plastic bin lined with a barrier that has a new tube in it. They move in normally pretty swiftly.

[Shifty189]

Personally I just tap them all into an plastic bin lined with a barrier that has a new tube in it. They move in normally pretty swiftly.

This doesn’t sound very nice. I tried something like this once with a small fire ant colony. It worked fine, but I will never do it again unless there is no choice. The ants where all very stressed out over the hole ordeal.

[CoolColJ]

Personally I just tap them all into an plastic bin lined with a barrier that has a new tube in it. They move in normally pretty swiftly.

 

 

best to put them in the fridge first for 10-15mins to put them to sleep, before doing this

[Shifty189]

 

Personally I just tap them all into an plastic bin lined with a barrier that has a new tube in it. They move in normally pretty swiftly.

 

 

best to put them in the fridge first for 10-15mins to put them to sleep, before doing this

 

please be careful giving this advice. for those of us in the tropic's this simple act could kill the hole colony. If you live in a tropic (or even sub-tropic) be very careful using cold for anything related to ants.

[Russell]

I use sunlight as my first method. The danger if that too much sun will cause condensation on the tube which can kill workers and brood so I check tube every few min if in direct light. If no move after days and tube is critically failing I will move queen by taping tube on the new one then use a  long wooden Q tip to roll eggs up. I then cut tip off and leave in the new test tube with queen. Queen will gather eggs from Q tip and then after a day you can remove Q tip end.

I do lose some eggs and sometimes workers this way but save the colony so only use last method when critical.

My lasius alienus and some tetramorium don't often move like my formica or Camponotus so I resort to this method with then. 

[LearningAntz]

Personally I just tap them all into an plastic bin lined with a barrier that has a new tube in it. They move in normally pretty swiftly.

best to put them in the fridge first for 10-15mins to put them to sleep, before doing this

please be careful giving this advice. for those of us in the tropic's this simple act could kill the hole colony. If you live in a tropic (or even sub-tropic) be very careful using cold for anything related to ants.

I agree with this. If I weren’t living in Canada and instead somewhere more tropical I’d probably stay away from using cold entirely.