5 replies to this topic

[SheepForgeBoi]

So I currently have a small Lasius niger colony in a testube with a very small outworld attached. The outworld contains a sort of gravel/sand that is meant for reptiles. I have many Lasius niger colonies but in one colony, one worker ant has taken it upon itself to start moving this sand/gravel into the testtube. Only one. So my question is why? Why has only one ant from one colony decided to start doing this? Why only one colony, why only one worker?

 

Thanks

[ZllGGY]

So I currently have a small Lasius niger colony in a testube with a very small outworld attached. The outworld contains a sort of gravel/sand that is meant for reptiles. I have many Lasius niger colonies but in one colony, one worker ant has taken it upon itself to start moving this sand/gravel into the testtube. Only one. So my question is why? Why has only one ant from one colony decided to start doing this? Why only one colony, why only one worker?

 

Thanks

it could be any number of reasons. ants just kinda do their own thing and they tend to know what they're doing. I'm sure that in a little while here youll see more colonies doing it also

[Deluga]

My Lasius niger colonies is doing it too. Not really bothering it, it's quite normal to make the gap smaller.

[noebl1]

I've got a few small colonies of Tetramorium sp and Lasius sp, I've noticed some similar things.  If I add food, I've seen some will get the food, while other's totally ignore the food and continue foraging, in addition to other's will keep moving around bits of sand/coconut fiber.  I wondered if it was similar to how in some ants species, their roles change as they age.

[GeorgeK]

They will usually try to block the entrance if its too big for them, and also if part of test tube in under constant light, they will try to block light coming from there

[Penguin]

This behavior may be to assist the larvae to spin their cocoons when becoming pupae.