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Post by annie on Mar 9, 2013 17:52:50 GMT
Please help, I am worried about my new arrivals. My queen and a dozen helpers arrived five days ago. I left them in their test tube, put it into their foraging box. I put a drop of sweetened water in there for them, as a house warming present. Certainly I have seen some of them visit it for a drink. Since then I have put in both dried and rehydrated mealworms, apple and a cricket in. One or two ants have ventured out and had a walk around, coming to look and sniff the food but nothing much else. The queen remains in the test tube, very still. A little twig has been brought into the tube. Does any of this sound okay, should I be worrying, or doing something else? I `m starting to worry, I don`t want to lose her, she deserves being taken care of. My daughter has named her Peaches!!!!
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Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 9, 2013 18:25:29 GMT
As the colony is small and probably very young, you might be giving them too much food as they don't need much until the queen has produced a lot of brood. Try offering just tiny morsels of food every 2 or 3 days, the ants will decide what and how much to eat, just as we do depending on how hungry we feel.
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Post by annie on Mar 9, 2013 18:38:42 GMT
oh thanks so much for answering. You`ve made me feel much happier. I am trying out a selection of goodies to see what they like. Do I need patience, and let them find their way into the nesting box? Could this take some time? Is it normal for them to raise a brood in the test tube before they start to venture further a field? If so, shall I cover the test tube to offer some darkness for her? Really appreciate your help Wood Ant!!!!
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Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 9, 2013 19:01:46 GMT
Keep the test tube in full light and cover up the main nest site. This should encourage the ants to move home, as you really want them in your set up and not to make a permanent home in the test tube. Patience is always a virtue required with any animals, and ants are no exception as it may take days or even weeks for them to get the message you wish them to move; but move they will eventually, with or without any brood.  |
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Post by annie on Mar 9, 2013 19:32:44 GMT
Phew, so I don`t need to panic then?! The nest is covered in black paper just waiting for them to move in! Thanks so much. No doubt I`ll be asking lots more questions on the forum. :-)
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