Help me start Ant Keeping

[sero]

Well, if you have been following a few of my other threads, I cannot find a L.Niger queen and so I need someone to either send me one for free or I'll have to take up an offer from some shop. I'm hoping that a kind person would send me one. .

I got a fish tank ready and have lots of genetically engineered apples because my house used to be owned by a guy who worked for a research center. I have apples that are not naturally sweet (They are super sweet!), and I put one of these apples in a wild ants nest for a test and they are now glued to it (they love it). So, all I need is a queen. Please help me.

[sero]

Good news. Shane has been really kind and gave me one of his four L.Niger queens.

So, I need help in order to know what to do if she arrives alive in the post!

[Wood~Ant]

The first thing to remember is not to put this new queen into a large tank, as she will dig in and you won't see her. Also don't put her with any worker ants, but you can collect some Lasius niger cocooned pupae if you wish and put these with her, as when they eclose (hatch out) they will adopt her scent and accept her as their mother.

I would suggest keeping her in whatever she arrives in for the next few months until she has workers, although if you boost her colony with brood taken from another nest, this will give her more worker ants than she could produce herself, as her eggs will take up to 10 weeks to become small nanitic workers (first workers).
Don't worry about feeding her either until she has workers, as she will have enough body reserves to last her until her workers collect food.

[sero]

Okay, but a few things first. Shane said that only two cocoons should be used. If that's right, (which it probably is, I'm just checking), and if I do find some L.Niger cocoons, how can I put them in her test tube without letting her out? And Shane also said that feeding her on honey is a good idea!

[shane]

I've only tested with two cocoons on my L.Niger queen, If Wood says it's fine with more then do so. ;D
Any questions though, just ask on the forum.

She was also sent in a test tube, so she will be fine in there.

[Black Ant]

You have a brain mate, so use your common sense and learn from what other ant keepers have posted. If you want to learn how to keep ants there is plenty of good info on this forum, and Wood Ants site.
Check out the other boards, as you will find lots of videos on how to keep ants if you look hard enough.

Shane and Wood are trying to help you, but you are a doubting Thomas and you'll never learn that way

[sero]

Wow, thanks for the support, you are really helpfull...not! Why be horrible? Try and be nice like Shane and Wood, and give more constructive advice!

[Zarbi]

Aug 18, 2010 9:32:42 GMT sero said:

Wow thanks for the support you are really helpfull.........Not! why be horribel Try and be nice like shane and wood and give more construtive advice!

Everyone will give constructive advice, but you do need to take it in Sero and let us help you, as you are a novice to the hobby of ant keeping; but hey, we all have to start somewhere as a beginner.
Wood has been keeping ants for about 40 years now, so he does know what he's talking about; but other ant lovers will help if they can, as many of us have kept ants for quite a long time

You will find you learn a lot by trial and error and your own experience, so when the time comes that you get your new queen, maybe you'll find the answers you need around the forum

[sero]

Thank you, but it's good to know what other people do so I can have a starting point for ideas!

[sero]

An idea has occurred to me whilst walking in my garden.

I have three compost bins containing lots of insects inside. I was wondering if I should fill up my fish tank with that instead of mud from the ground?

Anys thoughts?

[jtb]

you have time to think because its gonna be a while until you should let the queen (and worker when born) but you should go for sand and loam because if you mix it right it will be sturdy and will not collapse

[sero]

And is that what you use?
Update: I have captured 5 cocoons (L.Niger I think, that's where I dug), when I caught them I checked to see if they were all moving. They were just now. I have five cocoons upstairs in a pot within a laser box with some glass cleaning thing over the top, ready to be put in with the queen. Anything else that I need to know about them?

[sero]

Oh yes, and if I need to go away, what will I need to do to do to keep the queen stocked up on food and drink?

[sero]

I've got another idea. How about instead of honey, I use icing sugar instead?

[shane]

Aug 18, 2010 14:21:01 GMT sero said:

i've got another idea what insted of honey I use for my queen ant in a tube I use "iceing sugar??"

Just use a pin drop of honey, never use any sugary stuff as it will mold really fast in a test tube.

Also goggle up about how to look after a queen in test tubes or search and look for videos of Antcanada's videos on forum.