shane
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Post by shane on Jun 30, 2010 1:40:25 GMT
One ant seems to know when its time to feed, Maybe the light which triggers her out or vibration of taking cosy off, but she seems to come out and wanders in rings around entrance till I sprinkle some seed nut bits in close to entrance, then she takes them in a bit at a time.
shame I filmed last bit of it when I put little more seed in but will see if she does same tomorrow.
There is more seed nut bits well away from entrance close to opening exit to tank with tube leading to foraging tank, but for some reason she won't touch it and had to remove it before mold sets in on it, but replaced it with fresh bits and see if she takes them when I check tomorrow.
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Post by Jenny on Jun 30, 2010 5:12:28 GMT
Very much learned behaviour in a way too Shane. I only have to make the crackling sound of lifting the lid off on our foraging tanks, and our ants come running down the air line at break neck speed (I don't believe it is just all protecting their nests either) they know I have a fly etc and they practically snatch it out of my hand. Now they expect food whenever I lift the lid, so supply and demand at this time of year keeps me very busy with all their brood to feed ;D
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shane
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Post by shane on Jun 30, 2010 16:22:13 GMT
She's the same ant that on the first day I checked to see how they was doing in their new tank home, and it was one that started to take crushed nut bits back to nest, and stopped other workers from closing the entrance. At first I thought there was more ants taking food in, but its just her, the same ant she soon found out how to know when its ready to go out and get food close to entrance, I don't think either she comes out to protect her nest, as she cleans herself Little out side when wandering slowly around entrance before I put food in. None of the other ants though seem to come out, just her. You're lucky with all flies ;D you catch as my gardens full of ladybirds and I cannot leave my window open at night cos of moths that fly in.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Post by shane on Jul 2, 2010 0:35:14 GMT
Been 2 days now and she not turned up to surface to check for food so could not film her, Seems colony have plenty stored in chamber. queen though seems to never stop eating ;D Also nice to see some new mini workers with caring for brood, For some reason though they seem jumpy around queen.
Thought I'd film queen eating and her group as it looking a lot more active in there now.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 2, 2010 7:54:45 GMT
Thought I'd film queen eating and her group as it looking a lot more active in there now. Don't worry about the queen stuffing herself with all the food she can get, as it will build up her body and help to produce lots more eggs from her ovaries Even with all the food we give to our own Messor barb ant colonies, they still send out workers to search for more. The blue tank colony is the worst, as even though nearly all the air holes are taped to prevent escape, there are still some ants which find their way out and go rummaging around in the cupboard where we keep our breakfast cereals. Our fault for keeping this colony in the kitchen I suppose! ;D
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shane
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Post by shane on Jul 2, 2010 23:22:57 GMT
;D as long as you don't accidentally eat them when you have your cereals
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 3, 2010 8:13:58 GMT
;D as long as you don't accidentally eat them when you have your cereals We always put them back into their tank, as I wouldn't crunchy ant flavoured corn flakes in the morning for breakfast ;D
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shane
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Post by shane on Jul 4, 2010 3:03:33 GMT
think she's got another job with baby sitting as she's not touched anything on top yet for days and I had to remove them before mold sets in with heat. Meanwhile queen still seems to be eating away at stored grass seed nut bits, which I thought by now would have started to get moldy but seems not Also one of workers in video had a batch of 9 eggs
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jul 4, 2010 8:29:19 GMT
Meanwhile queen still seems to be eating away at stored grass seed nut bits, which I thought by now would have started to get moldy but seems not Most Harvester ants such as Messor and Pogonomyrmex species collect more seeds than they can eat on a daily basis. So the workers will store excess seeds in a dry part of the nest (as dampness would make the seeds germinate of course) which is commonly called a "Granary", and so this stored food serves them when they can't forage, such as when it is raining heavily or too cold.
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shane
Ant Photographer
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Post by shane on Jul 4, 2010 14:34:30 GMT
Most Harvester ants such as Messor and Pogonomyrmex species collect more seeds than they can eat on a daily basis. So the workers will store excess seeds in a dry part of the nest (as dampness would make the seeds germinate of course) which is commonly called a "Granary", and so this stored food serves them when they can't forage, such as when it is raining heavily or too cold. Ic thanks, can keep my mind at rest
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