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Dermy's Myrmica Nest Oct. 2015

dermy myrmica nest

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#1 Offline dermy - Posted October 11 2015 - 12:23 AM

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So around a month or so I made a new nest for my Myrmica Colony, which just recently came out of Hibernation. So I thought I'd post a little run through on how I made it.

 

Materials:

2 gum container lids:

IMG_2457_zpshgtrmhz2.jpg

Duct Tape

Scissors

Ants

Some form of substrate, could be grout but I don't think it would work well for this

 

First things first put them together:

 

IMG_2458_zpskh4y5hq7.jpg

 

Next tape them together [used a different one to show these next few things, better lighting ;) ]

 

IMG_2109_zpsea217spf.jpg

 

Here are some other pictures showing the lids:

 

IMG_2111_zpskv21qzax.jpg

 

IMG_2110_zpsvsy9cqic.jpg

 

Here is the amount of space:

[a lot more then you'd think :) ]

IMG_2112_zpsw1fnwngg.jpg

 

 

Here is a video showing my Myrmica Colony living inside one:

https://www.youtube....h?v=DI2MPoH9svc

 

If you have any questions I'll try to answer them, I've only ran it for about a few weeks [2.5] so It's still rather new to me.

 

3:) 3:)
 

 

 



#2 Offline antmaniac - Posted October 11 2015 - 1:08 AM

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How you hydrate the nest though?



#3 Offline dermy - Posted October 11 2015 - 1:54 PM

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How you hydrate the nest though?

Well when I did my nest I added a very small layer of ant "repellant" [cooking oil] around the side of the container, and that helps keep the workers down, I also did it in the Foraging Area. I then use the opening to stick a bit of water in there. It is so useful to be able to get inside the nest, just in case it gets mouldy and needs to be changed :)



#4 Offline antmaniac - Posted October 11 2015 - 4:03 PM

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I see. Yeah, my ants always make some mouldy spots in the nest.



#5 Offline dermy - Posted October 11 2015 - 10:14 PM

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I see. Yeah, my ants always make some mouldy spots in the nest.

I find it happens a lot in smaller colonies, but still nice to be able to get into the nest sometimes.



#6 Offline antmaniac - Posted October 11 2015 - 10:32 PM

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True, it would come handy for sure. Bigger colonies would use up the space well indeed, but I find that it is the workers who cause all the mould. Some workers would come and remove all the rubbish to the outworld, while others may bring it back or just dump it anywhere. 



#7 Offline dermy - Posted October 12 2015 - 12:26 AM

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I've found that with two openings like this one on each side, I can easily connect more of these nests and make a network of them.







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