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Post by Jonzii on May 26, 2013 18:24:12 GMT
Hi guys, Received this colony a couple of days ago. I've left them alone since I got them as judging by the packaging they came in it seems they had quite a bumpy ride. The Queen is very impressive, and in the light is a beautiful red colour which doesn't quite show in the photos. The workers also have a nice red tint to them which I wasn't quite expecting. The colony has 12 small workers, a small amount of brood, a few bare pupae one of which is quite darkened which you can see in the photos. There are a couple of larvae, but haven't seen any eggs although I haven't had a real good look.   This was the first forager who was out within minutes of me opening the test tube.  They do seem quite timid at the moment, and reluctant to leave the tube. Not really seen any foragers in the day time, although they may have been out at night as they have collected a couple of seeds. Really hoping that this colony does well, really looking forward to some of the larger worker castes. |
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 26, 2013 18:37:47 GMT
Hope they do as well for you as my own 2 colonies have done. Did you get this colony here in the UK, as I know you wanted to get this species here?  |
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Post by Jonzii on May 26, 2013 20:07:29 GMT
Hope they do as well for you as my own 2 colonies have done. Did you get this colony here in the UK, as I know you wanted to get this species here? Thanks Wood, I would be very happy if they do. No, they weren't from the UK, my impatience got the better of me. |
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Post by Jonzii on May 30, 2013 16:47:25 GMT
They seem to be a little more settled now, they send out 2 foragers at the most but this is mainly at night time. Thought it might be the temperature as the room is about 18-21 degrees in the day. I increased the temperature up to about 24-25 degrees but they were even less active then. I hope it's just because they are a small colony and still settling down.
They have collected a few small seeds and taken 2 fruit flies overnight so they are feeding.
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 30, 2013 17:25:46 GMT
Small ant colonies are always reluctant to forage at first, but as your colony grows into a large one as both of mine are, you will find far more ant workers roaming around and collecting food. You should see my Q2 colony which pours out a few hundred ants every day, it really is a spectacular sight.  |
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Post by Jonzii on Jun 11, 2013 17:08:37 GMT
Had a quick check on the barbs earlier and for a pleasant surprise..... worker number 13 has eclosed  Must have been either last night or this morning, and she had got straight down to nursing duties. Still haven't got real up and close to them yet, as the Queen is still very easily disturbed. From a little distance I can make out maybe 4 bare pupae, 4 large larvae and a few very small larvae, perhaps 5 or so. Can't see any eggs, but as they are on white sand it's difficult to even make out any of the brood from a distance so there could be some in there. They are foraging more now, and the Queen was demolishing a fruit fly earlier that they had taken. They also found the entrance to the nest area, and have been checking it out for a while but don't look like they are making the move  Anyway, I will try and get some pictures for my next update! |
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Post by Jonzii on Jun 18, 2013 20:43:52 GMT
I think I might have a problem with the set up that I am keeping my barbs in. The white sand I used on top is very fine, and I think it's maybe a bit too fine.
They seem to really struggle when trying to move seeds, they can't really get any traction and end up digging a big hole waving their legs about. Most of the time they just end up giving in.
Although it is quite funny watching them, I don't think they will be quite as amused.
Not too sure what to do now.....
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 19, 2013 7:47:09 GMT
Sand can get very dry, regardless of grain size and texture. Fine sand can be a bit more of a problem as it will move around more like dust when dry, so try and keep it as damp as possible or mix in some loam, peat or a coarse sand; anything that will hold it together and retain some moisture that bit longer.
I know this can be difficult when you already have your ants in the set up, but although Messor barbs don't mind it a bit on the drier side, they will be happier if they're not sliding around on soft sand. This may be nice on a beach, but not for ants.
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Post by Jonzii on Jun 20, 2013 21:01:14 GMT
Well I made the decision to change the sand to a more course type which I had. Doesn't look too great now but they are certainly much more at home, can walk around much better and now carry nyjer seeds around with ease. So much happier now and are already foraging much more.
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Post by Jonzii on Jun 20, 2013 21:08:11 GMT
Also, the test tube they are in was running dry and getting a bit mouldy, so I have been trying to move them for a while. Using light wasn't getting the job done, so I resorted to cooling their tube with of all things a small bag of frozen vegetables, and heating up the new one.
Happy to say that they moved within a couple of hours.
Was really interesting watching them move. The Queen seemed to do most of the work, making several trips back and forth collecting brood. Around 6 workers were very reluctant to move, and was rather amusing watching the Queen pick a couple up and carry them to their new home, followed by the larger workers dragging the rest behind her.
Anyway, hoping they will be happier now, and I now have better viewing access so will finally be able to get some pictures for this journal after they have settled in.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 20, 2013 21:50:59 GMT
Well I made the decision to change the sand to a more course type which I had. Doesn't look too great now but they are certainly much more at home, can walk around much better and now carry nyjer seeds around with ease. So much happier now and are already foraging much more. I don't like saying "I told you so", but I have found my own M. barbs prefer a coarse sand and we all gain something from your own experience, so I really hope this colony gets very large like my own 2 have as they really are such fun when the set up is swarming with workers and brood. |
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Post by Jonzii on Jun 21, 2013 18:30:09 GMT
Thanks Wood. I guess we all learn more as we go along, the main thing is that it hasn't done them any harm. I certainly hope they do as well as yours have.
They are still busy making themselves more comfortable in their new tube, which is rapidly being filled with the larger grains of the new sand. They have been busily collecting seeds too, which are neatly piled up in the middle of the tube.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 22, 2013 11:09:27 GMT
My previous post was not intended to sound offensive, so I'm glad you read it as it was meant.  Messor barbs are often found nesting in quite heavy clay soil in Spain I am told, but one of my colonies is kept in a mainly coarse sandy soil and does very well with this type of larger sand grain size. Oddly enough my biggest colony is kept in a very peaty soil with very little sand added, though both need the odd spray of water occasionally to keep the compost slightly damp. |
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Post by Jonzii on Jun 22, 2013 13:56:32 GMT
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 22, 2013 15:02:03 GMT
She definitely has some ruby red colour on her head and gaster, and some of the workers are tinted a bit too. Looking at the gasters of a couple of the workers they are feeding well, so those larvae won't go short of food; and good to see the queen is laying.
What set up will they eventually move into when they decide to leave the test tube?
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