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Post by Shawn on Jun 11, 2013 16:22:51 GMT
Aah, ok I got it now. Photos won't be best quality, sorry for that. How do you upload photos from an iphone? The best way I think is to get the Proboards app but if I'm wrong someone else may help you. I don't have or ever had a horrible Iphone
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Post by Shawn on Jun 10, 2013 21:30:05 GMT
Hi and welcome to the nest Scott, You will find very helpful members and staff here so don't worry about asking questions L. niger and L. flavus some people do say are good starter ants so give them a try About the nests, plaster can grow mould as the 2 species you mention need moisture so do best in soil nests like a traditional ant farm, Ytong well I am making my own at the moment so can't comment but I have seen people use them successfully but then like most things in life it's personal choice
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Post by Shawn on May 5, 2009 19:48:59 GMT
I buy ants these days from Antsectopia which is based in the UK. I ordered a new L.niger queen from Edu-Sci didn't notice Antsectopia had some and cheaper
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Post by Shawn on Jul 1, 2008 21:18:28 GMT
I have not been very successful with L.niger but today they seem to have moved in with me. I came home today and I saw a line of ants by my door, I opened my front door and the line continued to my kitchen I followed the line up the wall and into my wall unit and to my pot of honey So I removed the honey pot and wiped the shelf down. I didn't want to kill them so I thought I'd remove the food source, did that stop them no lol. They are as I write this climbing over my computer desk and all over my living room I'm hoping they don't get into my own colonies and I'm hoping they are gone tomorrow Not sure how long the wife will put up with them till she gets some spray/powder. She said she don't mind them outside or in a tank but not living in the house, that's a no no..... Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Jun 25, 2008 18:57:26 GMT
does that mean that if you give any pupae to any queen she will take it? NO she won't. It is better to offer pupae from either the same, or a closely related species from the same genus. Even slave making ants usually take brood from the same genus (e.g. Formica sanguinea take from nests of other Formica species). Some ant species will only adopt brood from the exact same specie, and will kill and eat any unrelated ant brood. Depending on what species of queen you have, you are still better boosting her with brood from the same, or very closely related ant species, even within the same genus I have only been able to boost my L.niger with niger brood and nothing else, they eat or dump them outside the nest and eat. I collected some more brood from a rubra nest where I got some queens a couple of months ago and they didn't accept them so Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Jun 20, 2008 19:47:24 GMT
Seems like the L.niger sexuals in my street are out and about getting ready for Nuptial Flights, not to early? Loads are around they are not flying but my neighbour over the way has loads in her garden.....*Shawn runs for pots* It's not very warm either tonight but it is going to rain Shawn
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Post by Shawn on May 29, 2008 17:30:07 GMT
I've had no luck with the so called easy L.nigers longest I've every kept them is around 12 months. So a lot of the time it's luck or natures way. But you should never give up and buying a colony is a good idea Antstore and Edu-Sci both have Messors in stock last I looked (links at top of home page) I've seen some on Ebay but thats up to you Shawn
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Post by Shawn on May 29, 2008 16:06:12 GMT
Sorry to hear that Barney My queen is not doing much better I still got no workers or brood that I can see Better luck next time Shawn
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Post by Shawn on May 15, 2008 15:36:15 GMT
Nice video, you are just making me more and more jealous Shawn
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Post by Shawn on May 6, 2008 20:03:08 GMT
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Post by Shawn on May 1, 2008 19:18:23 GMT
Hi Jude, She should start when she is happy and feels safe and secure, so get her in the set up and leave her be for a while She will dig a chamber and start to lay Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Apr 29, 2008 16:41:01 GMT
she's lost the ability to move around properly. I think she's going to die I don't know how to make her legs work. I put her back on her feet and she still falls over. Hi Ariko, This happened to my L.niger and she died But don't give up They do die from time to time for no apparent reason. Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Apr 26, 2008 12:50:26 GMT
Yes wood I keep meaning to take the dog up there. The Malvern spring show is very soon so I might drop the wife off and wander off with the dog The sun is trying to come out now so I might get a warm evening Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Apr 26, 2008 10:49:22 GMT
Hi all, Not sure what it is like in your part of the country, but it's not sunny by me Weathermen have been saying all week that it is going to be hot and sunny this weekend I must have a big cloud over my house I was going to have a look around for some new queens/colonies Shawn
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Post by Shawn on Apr 20, 2008 20:56:04 GMT
Her workers will dig the tunnel and chamber, she is just a egg laying machine now and they will move her when they are ready.
Shawn
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