3 replies to this topic

[Works4TheGood]

So I believe that I'm noticing a pattern with my colonies and I just wanted to confirm it with other ant keepers.  More specifically, it seems that my colonies forage more when they're lacking something.  For example, I had a colony that I had taken out of hibernation and had forgotten to feed.  When I left the container open for the first time, virtually every ant was out outside the tube (presumably looking for resources in desperation).  After a few hours of being well fed, they have since foraged very little.  Conversely, when a colony is well fed and has plenty of resources, they seem to expend very little effort in acquiring more.  So, that said, is this simply a correlation, or can I take this one step further and judge whether or not it's time to feed my ants based on the number of ants out foraging?

[dspdrew]

Wouldn't be a bad assumption. I can tell when my large colonies are not happy with something, or are lacking something, because they are streaming up the sides of their out worlds.

[prettycode]

My ants spend more time in the outworld/less time in the nest when:

 

* They're seeking water/humidity

* They're seeking food

* They're uncovered/not in the dark

 

The last point is a little interesting to me. When I put a red filter over a nest, they'll spend waaay more time in the nest--way less time roaming about. They all just sit around, mostly doing nothing, when I cover the nest with a red filter. I use this as a pacifier/stress reducer when I clean the outworld, put food into the outworld, or hydrate the outworld or nest.

Edited by prettycode, June 24 2016 - 7:26 AM.

[NightsWebs]

I think Drew hit the nail on the head.  My colonies literally start climbing the foraging areas and nests when they need something. Its usually water.  I always have feeders available but sometimes I just squire 3-6mm of water directly into the foraging area and nest nd they settle down and I have huge numbers drinking.