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Post by adamjames20 on Sept 10, 2014 9:33:33 GMT
Hey guys , thought I would blog about my Lasius niger colony. It has four queens at present and unusually all seem to be doing well.
The colony was started from 12 newly mated alate queens from Julys 2014 flight. All were collected from the same corner of the garden. they had all lost there wings and were placed into a test tube where during the next few days egg laying proceeded. It was a calm affair , all got on well and the eggs went there natural way and it wasn't long before piles of cocoons were present. A few weeks later the newly minim pale workers started emerging and this was where the trouble started.
Over the course of that week the workers singled out many of the queens and by the end of the week all but four of the queens were killed. It is not known why these four queens are getting on so well , they are all getting groomed and fed and even feeding each other. All are also laying and tending to the ever growing brood.
Over the weekend I decided to build a set up for the colony to grow in as the test tube was live with ants and it made feeding them a challenge , during the move a few workers actually died , but the emerging cocoons has ensured numbers are going back up again.
Will take some pictures and a video or two soon 
Adam |
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Post by adamjames20 on Sept 11, 2014 11:18:17 GMT
The colony is still doing well , All four queens are present and accounted for. Colony life is still harmonious and all queens are being fed , groomed and helping to tend the brood.
This is my set up , its easily expandable and the space in between the chambers is only about 5 mm - 1 cm. I tend to find most wild Lasius niger colonies have large chambers but they are wider in size then they are in height and most I found measured between 5 mm - 15 mm in depth. This has worked to my advantage and makes macro shooting easily accomplished. 
My four queens , very harmonious at the moment. Fourth one is just out of focus at the top of picture.
The colony's brood is ever growing , I am off to buy a couple of tubs of fruit fly's the weekend for this ever expanding brood.
Here is a video of the colony , hope you like guys
Adam |
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Post by Joona on Sept 11, 2014 11:46:38 GMT
Dunno if I can comment here but that looks great matey!
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Post by adamjames20 on Sept 11, 2014 11:47:47 GMT
Thanks mate , yeah comment away lol : )
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 11, 2014 12:36:43 GMT
I think it won't be long before this colony outgrows the small set up, as it has a lot of brood and even if it doesn't keep all 4 queens, a L. niger nest in my garden has about 7,000 ants in it, and they can get larger than that from just a single queen, let alone 4 of them. Love the photos and video Adam, though you may wish to consider moving them into something larger by next spring, or expanding your current set up considerably.  |
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Post by adamjames20 on Sept 11, 2014 13:09:14 GMT
Hey wood , thanks mate , The set up is easily expanded , as soon as they start filling the second chamber I can simply slide another one on , then another and another , so far where the queens reside is 40mm diameter , then next is 50mm , have a 60mm , 70 mm and 80 mm planned , then will just stick with the 80mm diameter and have a rather long line of them connected up. Plenty of room.
Adam |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2014 15:56:14 GMT
This is a great journal and I shall be reading about the plight of the 4 queens with great interest. Thank you for sharing this with us. |
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Post by elitzchupa on Sept 11, 2014 18:09:39 GMT
Where did you get those containers to house your ever growing colony? Looks great!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2014 18:29:22 GMT
Cool! I hope they do well and expand quickly!
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Post by deansie on Sept 11, 2014 19:44:15 GMT
Fantastic Adam, looking forward to this journal.
Deansie
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Post by adamjames20 on Sept 11, 2014 20:34:32 GMT
Hey elizchupa , replied to your private message mate but have pasted my response here in case others need answers lol. The containers are my own design and are acrylic piping with end caps placed on each end, base is glued on but the top acts as a lid and is moveable. The chambers do link up so the set up is expandable. The substrate is a small disc of blotting paper then I painted some clayish soil on the top for them to have a natural grip. The nest is hydrated by inserting a needle in thru a tiny hole in each chamber and letting a few drops of water drip down and spread through the blotting paper and soil.
yes they were drinking sugar water of a small disc of blotting paper. it absorbs the water so stops them from getting stuck in it and allows them to drink.
Thank you a lot guys also for your great comments , will keep this diary eagerly updated as am rather intrigued by this colony. four queens does make it a unique situation and would of thought one would just remain now.
Adam
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