9 replies to this topic

[marcel]

Who of you keeps ant colonies uncovered and completely exposed to room lighting level?

 

What are you experiences? You ever compared 1 covered kept colonies growth in comparison to a light exposed colonies growth?

 

What were your experiences? How you made your colonies get used to the light? You did it step by step or just 1 day decided to not cover them at all and left them to the stress and made them get used to it?

 

I am asking because I plan to make a real big display formicarium with a Pogonomyrmex sp. colony that lets every visitor have a good insight into the colony and how they chew on the seeds and create this so called "ant bread".

 

Any experiences or suggestions how this could work with several species like Pogonomyrmex?

 

 

Greetings,

 

Marcel

[FeedTheAnts]

whenever ants get there covers taken off then they initially don't like it, but then they just get used to it after a couple of hours and seem too not even notice. That's just my experience with it.

[Studio]

It depends on species to species, some are more frantic than others. My Monomorium minimum colony doesn't seem to mind being taken in and out of darkness at all. 

Usually ants prefer the dark, but they can get used to it over time. I noticed larger species like Pogonomyrmex or species with better eyesight can scare easily when exposed to light, but like I said before, they'll get used to it.

I've seen some experiments done on other forums where queens that were kept out in the light produced more eggs than those in the dark. Colonies that were kept exposed to the light also grew faster and were more active.

My theory is that ants kept in the dark will stress out every time they get exposed to even a glimmer of light where ants kept exposed to light get used to it and they don't freak out about it since they're always exposed.

In my experience, I like to keep my colony exposed to light as I don't like seeing them stress out and getting all frantic every time I check up on them.

[lucas3431]

I'm new to the hobby for over a month, this is my experience so far, I have two queens of the same species L niger, both are kept in the dark, my eldest queen (first caught) is very relaxed when taken out as for the youngest queen (a week or more caught) she runs around as if her house is on fire when I take her out.

 

That could change in due course, she might become more relaxed when her workers arrive, who knows?

 

I think it's more about preference with each Ant keeper, for example I don't like flat formicariums that can be viewed from above..

Edited by lucas3431, August 28 2017 - 12:08 PM.

[BMM]

My Tapinoma sessile colony shows absolutely no reaction to light, natural or artificial. I think it's due their natural temperament more so than conditioning, as they're still very sensitive to vibrations after about a year.

[Bryce]

Mine are all kept at a minimum of at least Ambient light, the only time I cover them is when they are founding..

Edited by Bryce, August 28 2017 - 2:56 PM.

[Hiromilovesmealworms]

I keep start all my queens in low light, so they never stress out when I look at them. I feel that if they are immediately founded in light conditions, they will not become stressed as long as they are not disturbed by vibrations.

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

light sensitivity is very species dependent.

 

Ants that are typically nocturnal will almost surly be sensitive to light and unlikely to acclimate to it.
While some ants, like the pogonomyrmex occidentalis i keep, will acclimate to whatever light conditions in fairly short order. Which means if you keep them in the dark for a little while, they will freak out when suddenly exposed to light. But if kept in somewhat lit conditions will get used to it and not care so much when the lights get brighter suddenly.

 

[ANTdrew]

This thread is almost eight years old. Why bring it up now?

[AntsGodzilla]

I'm guessing he just found this thread and wanted to share.

 

As for me, different species have different reactions to light, with Camponotus being sensitive and others like monomorium not caring.