113 replies to this topic

[mantisgal]

Ant ID posted but since I haven't got a cache set up yet for pics (I am lazy) you'll hafta use your own photos to reference my description.

The slug was a great success: I decided to make it easy for the baby colony, I caught up the slug in my food-tweezers and gave it a good squish. Then I placed it in the entrance of their tube. Upon locating it, a scout went screaming back to her sisters. Another went and tasted it and that is when Everyone Went Bananas. Every Queen was given a boost of fresh cut slug (I keep thinking of sligs from Dune lol), lots of babies being waved around in various states of progress as if being held up to see a parade.
Some of the slug is still there. Any tips for when is best to remove the corpse? I'd like them to choose one of the clean tubes available off their outworld as a new nest and I know they will move if it is too dirty... do I just leave it?

[mantisgal]

PIC. Apparently most of my ant footage is in video format Because It Is Neat and I can't upload that kind of file because I am either too little or idk how. But here is a pic of the late Prenny Lane in early stage, before they sent that poor nanitic and at least three more after that to dig through the waterkeeper to safety! *facepalm*

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[AntBoi3030]

[mantisgal]

Wait wait, I misspoke. That's the Imp'risarios, third Queen is hiding under second Queen.

Am currently in the Algonquin Highlands, will be able to confirm if they took a spider tomorrow

[mantisgal]

I have returned from the ShieldLands.

The Imps saw that spider all dead and Did Not Like.

I assume this means one of several things:

- they are jammed full of protein and aren't hungry for it right now (Agreed. This is a ridiculous idea.)

- they tried the spider and Did Not Like. Perhaps it tastes icky.

- they are too little of a colony to handle a spider and instinctively avoid it. Therefore they may take a spider at a later time when they have many fighters and scouts to feel brave with.

I look forward to figuring out which it is. Currently I have come home with fresh sweet cherries, yellow plums, and wild blueberries. All of which will be used as experimental food: right now they have a cherry pit.

On the left: AC test tube featuring The Imp'risarios, workers, and brood. To the right is the AC mini-outworld containing the cherry pit:

Edited by mantisgal, August 8 2021 - 5:30 PM.

[mantisgal]

The Imps have a choice of foods.

WHAT WILL THEY CHOOSE? (If they aren't estivating, that is)

I can't put a poll in so feel free to vote while I wait for a choice to be made: centipede or cherry?

[AntBoi3030]

They really like chopped mealworms. It’s easy for them to store it too.

[mantisgal]

They really like chopped mealworms. It’s easy for them to store it too.

K, I'm calling your vote "centipede"

[mantisgal]

They have gone for option C: move house. Lol.

Trying to get a good count of adults: think I saw 14 if I didn't count anyone twice.

It was funny seeing one scout tell another scout about this Perfect Darkplace and they explored it. Then they picked up some babies. Other workers were like heywaitwhereyougoinwiththatbaby and took them back to the Tube and The Mothers. There was a discussion. Team "Move Out of Our Disgusting Tube" has won.

[AntBoi3030]

I wish mine weren’t so stubborn

[mantisgal]

I did an experiment with several different options for their new house and let them choose one, maybe that's why my girls were a pretty easy move but for two of the three Queens.

Off of their teeny AC outworld there were 2 clean AC tubes, one shaded and one red-filmed. They explored these but showed no inclination for about a week. Shortly after I jury-rigged the tubing for a Por Amor Art apartment nest, the move was underway to the purpose-built, grouted formicarium, which pleases me very much. It happened within HOURS of me adding the nest-that-is-not-a-tube: a great review by the ants themselves if ever there was one.

Queen 1 was a pretty easy move: The workers chivvied her a bit and waved babies in her face and she was over with the brood. The last two Queens clung to their moldy carpet and wailed in pheromone even as their SugarMaidens were hoisted bodily by their sisters and dragged to the new manse. While they were so concerned, I was able to clean up the mess of cherry, as well as remove the less desirable home-tubes and plug the holes to the outworld.

I was up until 5 am waiting for those little idjits. As soon as second Queen was over and last Queen was alone there was only one thing to be done. I swiftly removed the tube, blocked the entrance hole of the outworld and rolled her out the tube into the middle of the space. She immediately tried to run back to her hovel, which was not there, thus allowing her daughters to finally drag her to the new nest.

As soon as the last worker was in I removed the Apartment and blocked the tube with cotton. I am thinking of letting them chill in there a couple days before attaching an outworld. Opinions?

[AntBoi3030]

Picture?

[mantisgal]

I have stills of the new house, but I'm going to have to scrape the videos of the move for usable footage as it came out very dark. Also pictured: cherry pit for scale; proposed outworld.





Here you can see Young Corpulents acting as nursemaids:


Now, I do have another L-bend and tubing, so I could lay the nestbox parallel to the outworld and make its shelf footprint smaller, or hook it up as is. Am pleased to hear opinions.


Does anyone use a liquid feeder for water? I haven't a good freshwater tube set up and yes it bothers me that I don't. They will also have a nectar feeder and/or flowers from my garden which I have seen their wild sisters feeding on and even protecting.

Edited by mantisgal, August 10 2021 - 11:01 AM.

[AntBoi3030]

By Formica liquid feeders are awesome. Nice pictures! Super cute

[mantisgal]

By Formica liquid feeders are awesome. Nice pictures! Super cute

That is in fact the brand I am using so, good to know, thanks!

Am still working on my own stillness for the close shots, glad to know it's working 😀

Edited by mantisgal, August 10 2021 - 1:57 PM.

[m99]

Oh wow your colony isn't all that much bigger than mine, and they're willing to be moved already? Maybe I should put my spare Apartment in the pencil box I have their broken tube in—though their cotton is still completely clean thanks to the guy I bought them from last month. Still, I'd love it if they'd get out of that busted tube.

 

They look great in there! I vote for keeping the L layout, gives you plenty of options for pics.

[mantisgal]

It couldn't hurt, anyway. They were really, Really, REALLY excited when they found it. They seemed very ready to kiss tubes goodbye forever as soon as the scouts sat the nurses down and explained in small pheromones that This Nursery Is Better So Help Us Goldarnit. Those on whom the speech was lost were bodily carried over by their scruffs

Edited by mantisgal, August 10 2021 - 3:35 PM.

[m99]

My whole colony is carrying more trauma I think, being handed off by giants and driven around in cars then watching an enormous meat claw literally bust the face off their house then wrap it up in duct tape and walk away like that makes it okay    Also they're single queen so maybe they're more timid to begin with.

 

I do have one single corpulent who's been there from the start who always dashes to the entrance when I pick them up to open the case and feed, so I bet if she could be convinced that's the key lol.

[mantisgal]

Hmmm. You will do what you think is best but perhaps at next feeding that is when you can add the new house. Put the tiniest, wee-est, most microscopic droplet of pure honey at the entry tube's lip and that should do it.

To be fair if I'd had a single queen the move would have been over fast, but yes they do seem pretty chill in a group. It's my understanding that colonies can be blended, perhaps another solo queen nest is in your future to make a duo?

[m99]

Yeah I've seen a couple videos of how calmly some colonies will combine themselves when placed in an outworld together. This'll be my first ever winter as an antkeeper, and I'm for sure planning to try and catch some more snow queens, we'll see what happens!