My first Messor ant queen

[shane]

Been like 7 days but she came in the post this morning at 7:15am, I already had everything ready to connect to tube ready for her and her colony to move in, here some pics.



I made a 6 in 1 pic.

1.
parcel came at 7:15am, everything packed nice and solid, and queen and
3 workers and eggs seem fine even though 1 worker died with transporting
which was a bit of a shame, but can't be helped with been in mail a week from Berlin,
Anyhow set tube up to test tube and cover it with a clean dark sock and a message on top
not to touch then went out for day.

2.
back at 3:20pm I had a peek to see if they settled down and it will not be long
before 2 of ants started with seed, as you can see with one returning back when I think I disturbed it to check on queen and eggs,
so it didn't look like she's going to move out of that test tube any time,
so will leave her and colony to it till they decide when they think its time, so covered them back up.

3.
Tried a micro shot pic of queen and egg's.

4. 5. 6.
I recovered tube back up so light don't interfere with them caring to eggs.


PS:
with waiting like a week for them and reading up about them.
I decided to make a like ant nest warmer a bit like something
you put over an old tea pot to keep heat in, but for ant nest as any change in temperature
and if its glass you soon feel cold fast if your resting against it.

Heres some pics, 1 to 9.



1.
small ant farm nest and would lose heat really fast as changes in Weather does in England
and also protection in winter time.

2.
I needed something that heats up fast like a green house and keeps heat locked up and
only lets so much out. So got this stuff which I didn't know what it is but keeps heat locked in, So cut out 2 sheets for side.

3.
just a close up of that plastic bubble stuff.

4. 5.
Cut a box out to same shape as tank with room for bubbled plastic sheets.

6. 7.
Lined the sheets to sides.

8. 9.
Then slotted on the box cover and done.


Now just hope things go fine for them and just have to wait .

[Jenny]

Hi Shane,
welcome to the Ant Hill
I think you have hit on a good idea with the cereal box as an "Ant" cosy, which could be used just on its own for other species without the bubble wrap. We have pieces of cardboard which get blown over on this same set up, so your idea might well catch on. I shall have to get my knitting needles out for a new line maybe

We have had 2 colonies of Messors for about 3 years now and they are doing so well. They adapt to normal room temperature very well too, depending where abouts in the UK you live. We are in Sussex and all the ant colonies are in the South facing rooms. In fact I have one colony of Messors in the kitchen they do go for a walkabout at night if the kitchen gets too hot, as I have put several back in the tank before I can eat my breakfast Wood found one major in the cereal cupboard looking at him yesterday morning Hmmm...

They keep this up they will get moved eventually, even though the tank is pretty much escape proof they still find a way..........

[shane]

Thanks for welcome, I was trying to find that word "cosy"

I read a lot on here and about major's been really fast, It won't surprise me if they can just speed run up and out of tank with out stopping. If you have an open tank, with ant proof jel like stuff they shouldn't walk on or pass. Waking up in the morning with odd ants escaping running around my room does scare me a bit though ;D
if the odd one does get out, but hope they all keep in their tank.

[Wood~Ant]

With the type of set up you have Shane, the chances of any ants getting out are virtually nil unless you leave the lid open for too long of course
On the whole I find Messor barbarus are not aggressive ants, which luckily makes them easy to pick up and pop back into their home. If kept well fed the colony will grow well and will mostly be happy to stay inside the nest, but you always will always find a few adventurous workers who want to get out and explore, as in wild nests their foraging territory can stretch for hundreds of metres along set trails which lead out from the nest like the spokes of a wheel

[shane]

Thought I'd check on my queen last night as I have not checked on her from day she come, but was shocked to see she had vanished with workers She seems to have now moved into the tank and she's dug a hole under some damp toilet paper I left in there. Looks all well as she's not rooting around and her workers popped out of a hole to see whats going on, because of light so they're fine and also they seem to have taken some eggs too as one of workers had a pupa in its chops.

I don't know why they moved as I thought they would take months before they moved home from tube, all I can think of is that may have disturbed them was morning sun which seems to just catch the tube even though tube is covered up, Anyhow I hope she settles in as I'll check again in another 4 days time, Also I added some drops of water to keep sand from drying up, but away from her den so it should be fine.

[Zarbi]

Not too sure about the damp toilet paper, as it may need removing in time as it might become a mushy mess which will breed mould or fungus; but glad to hear your queen and her small colony are settling in well
Please do keep posting the odd photo of them, as we ant loving guys like to follow the progress reports

[shane]

In time I'll remove it but for now I'll leave it where it is as I think small workers are drinking from it as 1 I've seen seems to be resting on it last time I checked. Also queen seems to have her chamber under it so in time either way she will not like it when I move it.

Her workers though have got allot fatter in there I hope they not eating that toilet paper but them seeds.

put a ring around her workers even though they seem to not like cameras with keeping still in pic




Had a little shock to see queen with a new worker at other side of tank

[jackyson]

Excellent!! you've inspired me to try the same!

I'll post my results for you all to see shortly