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Post by Jenny on Oct 10, 2007 6:30:59 GMT
Your queen will not need feeding at the moment. As she is on her own, she will not need anything too big to live in to start with. 1 queen on her own can survive in a small container of moist sand/peat. She will dig in and stay there until spring, as it is now coming up for ants in the UK to get ready for their hibernation. Snappy type tubs or something you can see through easier are fine as long as you make some air holes for her or lift the lid periodically. Place her somewhere cool and not where there is central heating or noise. She won't have her first workers until next spring now (UK), so you need to settle her down before the winter. Put her in something too big, and they just keep wandering and don't always dig in, and exhaust themselves leading to failure. Keep reading around this forum too, as the lads have given plenty of early information regarding starting queens off. As you live in the "States", (depending on season) the same information applies, keep her in something small to begin with, and when her workers start to emerge that is the time to think about tanks and feeding etc.... (This is why putting your country in your profile is important, or you will get the wrong information)  |
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Post by Formicalondon on Oct 10, 2007 18:38:17 GMT
you could just leave her in the tube somewhere cool for the winter if you liked and she will wake in spring and lay lots of fresh eggs.
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Post by Formicalondon on Oct 11, 2007 22:56:38 GMT
As you live in the USA are you sure shes is Lasius niger and not Lasius neoniger as I here they are a little more difficult to keep than L niger
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.Luff.
Ant Larva 
My Lasius Niger^
Posts: 13
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Post by .Luff. on Oct 12, 2007 1:09:44 GMT
No, I'm sure she's Lasius niger. Are Lasius niger and Lasius neoniger similar in size?
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Post by Formicalondon on Oct 12, 2007 17:53:07 GMT
I belive Lasius neoniger are of smaller size but they do not occur in the UK and as far as I know Lasius niger is not really established in north America.
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Post by Ant on Oct 21, 2007 19:15:07 GMT
Did you have her delivered? It is illegal to send queens across state boarders in the mail. I do think you have Lasius neoniger or alienus the most common Lasius in my area. I caught 3 alienus (I know believe) and 1 neoniger all in the same tube. I also thought she is not niger because there have been no confirmed reports of niger in the U.S as far as know. Alienus tend to be all black with yellow legs.
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I forgot to tell you that she had already laid her eggs. I think I'll leave her in the tube until the first worker comes and then I'll place her in an ant farm. Also at the moment she is living in a tube with both sides closed up with Cotton balls. I add more water and let in fresh air at least once a day now. Advice? 
