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Post by Kyle on Feb 2, 2009 22:41:31 GMT
OK as "ant" asked here are a few pictures of my set-up this is where they are nesting. the farm in front is Myrmica rubra This is where I will put the food, by the way PTFE does nothing what so ever they just walk right over it. The nest below it is Pheidole pallidule. This is just to try and give you an idea of how its set out, the small box you see above the main tank is for the rubbish (dead ants, old fungus, ant waste etc etc) which is going to plan so far And yes I know my room is a mess
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Post by Kyle on Feb 1, 2009 20:04:42 GMT
yes here in Gravesend, Kent we have had quite abit of snow, its been snowing for about 3-4 hours and is still snowing now and we have also had 1 or 2 flashes of lighting
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Post by Kyle on Feb 1, 2009 19:56:25 GMT
I found some bramble today which they have not stopped cutting since I gave it to them this morning ;D worker cutting some bramble seconds later she's picked it up and starts taking it back to the nest unfortunately this worker could not get the leaf back to the next due to it being too big to get through the tube, so had to cut it in half. Its really is amazing how quickly they can move even with a leaf.
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Post by Kyle on Jan 31, 2009 12:50:46 GMT
31.1.09 they seem to have got settled in now as foraging is increasing day by day. the main nest entrance. the probe is not normaly there just needed to move the lid to get the pic again the main nest entrance with the fungus and both queens in. The chambers again behind the thermostat both the queens have been seen in the chamber on the left but I'm not sure if they are joined yet (the chambers)
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Post by Kyle on Jan 29, 2009 22:59:46 GMT
Acromyrmex octospinosus I will be using a mix of soils 1peat and 2 loam (1:2) and will be keeping them at 26oC as advised. Humidity will be at about 60-80% by spraying daily. 29.1.09 ants arrived yesterday (28.1.09) with about 100-150 workers and 2 very nice looking queens with fungus about twice the size of a golf ball. for now I will just let them get used to there surroundings etc etc. They have already dug a chamber about the size of my little finger. 29.1.09 They have moved a lot of the fungus into the chamber that they have been digging which has both queens in. The queens of this species make a quite chirp like a cricket just not as loud which seems to make near by workers rush over to them and begin cleaning them. So far out of the leaves that I have given Daffodils seem to be there favorite as well as mash potato flakes by the way as a picture say a million words I will try to post as many as possible discussion thread: please post anything that you wish to say here queenant.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=nativecomment&action=display&thread=3621Thanks
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Post by Kyle on Jan 29, 2009 13:59:32 GMT
woo good news I've now got my new nest ;D I may start a diary what do you think?
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Post by Kyle on Jan 28, 2009 22:42:00 GMT
if you are to do that try to stay at the lower end of the scale, but just to play it safe I would not go above 26 maybe 27oC, because you may sterilize the queen But if you do warm her/them up it would for sure speed up the development of brood hope this helps
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Post by Kyle on Jan 24, 2009 23:53:05 GMT
the bit joining the thorax to the abdomen, is it very thin or wide? if its small its an ant, but if its wide its a termite hope this helps
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Post by Kyle on Jan 22, 2009 23:09:02 GMT
NO, this should be avoided at all times! As they could do damage to the local Eco system and if lots of people did this we could end up like the US where you are not allowed to move ants or other insects around the country But the damage could kill off some other species in that area. So DO NOT do this under any condition. I hope you understand
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Post by Kyle on Jan 19, 2009 10:07:28 GMT
hopefully it should all go OK but due to the weather I've still not got them. but at least its given me time to check, check and check again oh and by the way that list is what he gave me and that he uses
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Post by Kyle on Dec 21, 2008 18:45:31 GMT
I'm hoping to pick them up, so it could be before Xmas, well thats what I hope to do anyway. if not I'll ask them to wait till after before posting.
and I may try feeding grape to just a few workers other than giving it to the whole nest.
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Post by Kyle on Dec 20, 2008 23:17:29 GMT
You want to be VERY careful with grapes, they're a natural insecticide and every time I've fed them to my ants, its killed the colony... are you sure they didn't have anything on them in the first place because I've given my M.rubra grapes before and they've been fine but I may not give them grapes if there is even the slightest chance of them being killed Thanks for that Wood: sorry I forgot about that I will remember next time.
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Post by Kyle on Dec 19, 2008 15:54:03 GMT
I've been talking to him for the last few days on advice and he has even given a good list of what they eat some things I would not of thought of lol I'll post it here if thats ok? Thanks
Raspberry Leaves*, Lentils, Coconut Black Cherries*, Barley, Oats Kibbled Maize*, Tea Bags (used), Raw Rice Orange Rind*, Fresh Peas, Cooked Rice Raisins, Split Peas, Raw Macaroni Sultanas*, Cooked Corn, Dog Meal White Grapes, Various Cereals, Rabbit Pellets Black Grapes, Rice Crispies, Carlans Rose Leaves, Sugar Puffs, Ivy Leaves Rose Petals*,Holly Leaves,Oak Mixed Flowers, Lemon peel Cooked Ham* Split, Yellow Peas Cooked Chicken*, Fruit cake Shelled Sunflower , Sponge Cake Cabbage, Glace Cherries Brussels Sprouts Rhododendron Leaves Privet Leaves
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Post by Kyle on Dec 18, 2008 22:29:07 GMT
well I've found someone who is selling a nest of about 100+ workers and fungus the size of a golf ball, but yes it costs a bit; but at least that way I know it will survive (or higher chance) so it should all go well, and to make sure I'll pick it up lol Thanks
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Post by Kyle on Dec 17, 2008 23:11:04 GMT
OK, this is annoying; but I've got good news and bad news. Good news is the queen has laid eggs and they are now workers. 3 of them in fact, still cutting leaves and so on. Bad news is the queen is in 2 bits she was dragged out by the workers whether she fell apart or the most likely the workers cut her up to get her out . but either way she is dead. but I'm going to clean every thing out, redo the soil and I will try once more, just this time buy a bigger nest with workers I hope it works?
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