5 replies to this topic

[Bradley]

It is currently about 10 to 15 degrees Celsius in my house and my lasius n aren't touching their protien. I have had then for 4 days. They take sugar. How should I heat my colony without condensation harming the ants?

[ReignofRage]

Which species is it? I am assuming L. niger. You're only supposed to shorted the genus name and type out the whole species name. To heat them, you can use a heat cable or heat mat. These heating options seem to work best if you can get a small box like a shoe box, put an old shirt in it, and put in the test tube with the heat source near the opening side of the test tube.

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

As said already, when heating a tiny test tube setup, it will be best to not apply the heat directly to the tube. But place the tube in some form of container like a shoe box, and apply the heat to the container the test tube is in.

 

Applying heat directly to a test tube is going to heat the water up too much and cause a lot of condensation in it.

 

 

[rptraut]

Hello Bradley;

 

I don't know where you live, I live in Canada, so you probably live south of me and your ants may be more advanced coming out of diapause.   The reason I make this point is because all of my Lasius colonies haven't come out of their winter huddle, even ones that have been at room temperature for a couple of weeks.   Mine haven't even started taking sugar/water yet.   Like mine, yours may still be waking up. 

 

I feel that heating them directly in a test tube at this point may cause more problems than it solves.   Condensation may be the least of your worries, heating a test tube can also cause flooding.    I also feel that Lasius queens prefer cooler temperatures than larger larvae and pupae and the queen can be stressed if kept too warm.

 

Protein (insects, meat etc) is mostly required by growing larvae and the queen.    Small larvae require small amounts of protein.  They'll take more as they grow bigger. 

 

Be patient and let your colony develop at its' own pace.    Put the setup in a warm place until they have enough workers so you can put them in a formicarium where you can heat one side for the larvae and pupae that benefit from it, and leave one side for the queen, eggs and small larvae that seem to benefit from cooler temperatures. 

 

RPT 

[Bradley]

So my lasius niger Queens should be happy at 15 degrees Celsius? I'm just worried that is too cold for her

[rptraut]

Hello Bradley;

 

In my home, room temperature is 20 C or 68 F which I feel is warm enough for a small colony fresh out of their winter storage.   If I wanted them to be warmer than that I'd put them in a warmer room, one with sunny windows (not in direct sun) or in a room with an electric heater, or on top of my plant lights, or even on top of some old refrigerators there is a warmer place where I have put things I wanted to be warmer than room temperature.   In my opinion, 24 C or 76 F is warm enough for a Lasius queen, eggs and young larvae.   Whatever method you use, monitor the temperature inside the box carefully.    Overheating can cause problems.  One suggestion, if you tip the test tube up at the open end when you place it in the box, even just slightly, it will help to reduce flooding.    Personally, I'm happy to let my colonies develop in a sunny room where the temperature fluctuates with the sun and they will gradually warm as spring advances.

 

Please provide us with more information for any more details.   We still need to know where you live.   Tell us about the colony, # workers, eggs? larvae?  

 

You'll find more feeding information here   Search Results - Ants & Myrmecology Forum (formiculture.com)

and here   Feeding Time at the Zoo - General Ant Keeping - Ants & Myrmecology Forum (formiculture.com)

 

RPT

Edited by rptraut, March 12 2024 - 10:24 PM.