Antdemocracy's Lasius Flavus journal

[antdemocracy]

I purchased this colony about 6 weeks ago from an online store. When it arrived, the colony consisted of a queen, 11 workers and around 6 larvae. For the first 5 weeks, I kept them in the test tube set up in a darkened draw, but in the past week I've attached the test tube to my antworld to try and entice them to move in. The larvae do not seem to have developed that much in the 6 weeks I've had them, hopefully this is just down to the time of the year. This is my first time keeping Lasius Flavus (or any ants really, as I've only had my Lasius niger colonies for around 3 months), so any advice or tips on this journal would be highly welcomed  

I've used compost soil for the medium, as well as created a, perhaps unnecessary, water reservoir. For those who have never owned an antworld, the plastic coverings don't look or feel very secure and are rather flimsy. I've used tape on all the edges for added structural stability - and to reduce the chances of escapes.

I think the nest may be a bit too moist at the moment, as you can probably see the moisture in the picture. Hopefully the colony will move in soon though as the water supply in the test tube looks like it only has a few days worth left. It's also worth noting that the nest is covered in red acetate on both sides (I took it off for the picture) as I know this species are subterranean. I also have a heat mat at a steady 24 degrees or so under 1/4 of the nest, which again, may not really be necessary.

They have been feeding well; I place a tiny drop of honey in the test tube, which the workers seem to enjoy. I have also placed small insects such as fruitflies and cricket pieces, which, more often than not, are eaten or at least nibbled at. My primary concern at the moment is the lack of water in the test tube, and their refusal to move. I know from experience that this can take time, as it took my niger colony three weeks to move out. Any tips on how to get Flavus to move would also be welcomed, as I'm a bit concerned about their water supply running low.
So this is part one of my journal, hopefully I will have more to report very soon. Thank you for reading

[Deleted]

Hello Antdemocacy
just looking at your pictures, and I have to say I think you should carefully take ant world apart again as I'm very sure it isn't together properly. It is sitting high in it's base and the sides I'm sure are not lined up with the exit portals.

[Wood~Ant]

When assembling a poor fitting Ant World I find it may need a few taps with a small hammer to get it to fit together. The new type does not fit as well as the older version, but can be persuaded to fit better with a rubber ended hammer/mallet.

[antdemocracy]

Thanks guys. The pieces inside are clipped together properly, but I taped around the edges just for added security, that's why it doesn't look like it's held in the stand as snug as it could. I haven't attached the top part correctly yet as I was adding a little more compost, but it does connect correctly. I will take wood ant's advice and give it a bit of a hammer

[Deleted]

Mar 3, 2015 9:04:35 GMT Wood~Ant said:

When assembling a poor fitting Ant World I find it may need a few taps with a small hammer to get it to fit together. The new type does not fit as well as the older version, but can be persuaded to fit better with a rubber ended hammer/mallet.

www.animated-gifs.eu/objects-hammers/0004.gif        

[antdemocracy]

05/03/2015
I came home from work the night I started this journal to find the queen half way down the test tube, having seemingly migrated from her usual resting place on the damp cotton wool. Upon closer inspection I saw a couple of workers pulling and dragging her towards the entrance to the ant world. From past experience with my nigers, I knew this was a good sign that the workers are ready to move. An hour or so later and the queen, brood and workers had left the test tube and moved into their new home
For the first day or so they were all roaming around on top of the soil (compost). Today the queen has moved to the other side of the nest, still on the surface. They seem to have split up into 2 groups: The queen being tended to by about 4 workers, and another group consisting of the brood and the other 6 or so workers. It's hard to tell, due to the medium being compost and covered in red acetate, but it looks like 2 of the workers with the queen are beginning to dig. I have also connected a fresh test tube of water to one of the side entrances. Maybe I'm wrong, but my colony definitely don't seem ready to have a proper outworld attached just yet. The nanitics seem a lot more cautious and less adventurous in their travels than my Niger colony was, so I will probably keep their food and water supplies directly connected to the ant world for now.

[Wood~Ant]

As Lasius flavus spend 99% of their life underground, my own colony only use an out-world foraging arena if it is kept away from strong light and almost in darkness. For this reason I tend to drop dead flies or other insect prey directly into the top, and when it starts to grow fungus (white hairy filaments) or mould on the carcass, just pull it out with a long pair of tweezers.
Good to hear your colony has moved into its new home.

[antdemocracy]

25/3
Not much to report. The queen, brood and workers seem to have moved out of sight about half way down the antworks, against the side of the casing. Can't see any evidence of any tunnel building yet.
I have connected the small magnifying outworld part directly to the side of the antworks, without the long connecting tube so they don't have to travel as far. Inside, I have placed water, sugars and protein. I know that it has been visited because there are small soil particles in there, which is a good sign.
My 3 other Lasius niger colonies are out of hibernation now and are laying eggs, so hopefully things will pick up for my Flavus colony

[antdemocracy]

09/05
After having no idea where the Queen, workers and brood were located for 5 weeks, or even if they were still alive, I turned my ant world around to find a "queens chamber" pressed against the middle of the nest. I could see the queen, several of her workers as well as some recently laid eggs. There are also a few cocoons visible. I'm really glad because I was started to get very worried as I hadn't seen any signs of life at all for over a month.
I continue to take Wood Ant's advice and drop insects/sugar sources directly on top of the soil, for easy removal.

In other news, one of my Lasius niger queens is in a seriously bad condition. I thought she was dead as she wasn't moving, but I managed to remove her and inspect her and it looks as though her thorax is badly damaged or crushed. She can move her head/antennae but none of her legs
I'm not really sure whether to euthanise her or not I've managed to take all the brood and place them with my other niger colony, but I'm still pretty gutted. Does her symptoms sound like the product of a certain type of disease? It looks like she's been in the wars. I've placed her right by the cotton in a test tube with water in a vain effort to try and revive her, though I doubt it will work

[messor2894]

Hi antdemocracy, that Niger queen sounds doomed to me. I've had queens like that, but you still have 2 left but glad to hear your flavus are doing well. I've had a colony of these that grew to about a thousand workers that was I while back tho. I put aphids in my set up and they took them down to there nest and kept them there for awhile

[Wood~Ant]

As this is your journal for L. flavus, it is off topic to say what to do with your niger queen; but the chances of her surviving are virtually nil, so she will eventually die from her injuries or disease.

[antdemocracy]

Thanks guys. Yeah she doesn't look good at all. You live and you learn I guess
I really want this Flavus colony to do well. I've heard they can be a very difficult species to keep, so I'm glad that they seem to be doing ok. Hopefully in a few months I can triple their numbers.

[antdemocracy]

01/06/15

The number of visible cocoons has increased. The workers have also made a very small chamber just above the queens chamber where more cocoons are visible. It's hard to tell how many there are, or even if any have hatched in the past month. There always seems to be at least 1 worker on the surface of the soil on the lookout. The good news is that the protein I drop through the top is being taken. I have also for the first time witnessed workers in the foraging bowl attached to the side, containing sugars, honey and water. This is the first definitive sighting of workers feeding
Here is a picture I took of the lone worker. These ants really are such a beautiful colour.

[antdemocracy]

01/08/15
Nothing much to report really. No visible evidence of nest expansion or anything. The good news is I can always see the queen in her small chamber so I know she is doing ok. There seems to be some cocoons, So I can only assume more workers have arrived since my last update.
For around a week there have been 2 workers constantly in the mini outworld area I have, just wandering around slowly. I was getting worried that they had forgotten where there nest is or somthing, but tonight when I checked they had dissappeared

[antdemocracy]

After months of relative inactivity, it seems my colony has kick started itself for some reason. I went to check their honey water supply and counted 8 workers on the surface of their antworld. At most, I've only ever seen 1 or 2 on the surface. There is suddenly a couple of quite large soil mounds, so they've been busy digging tunnels by the looks of things:)