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Post by samp666 on Feb 17, 2012 18:06:15 GMT
Hi, My name is Sam and Yesterday I ordered a colony of Lasius Niger from ants unearthed. They should come early next week. The tank is set up ad ready for them. I will try to update this every 2 weeks but I might forget. Hope you enjoy, Sam  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Feb 17, 2012 18:44:21 GMT
If you want to Sam, you can make a comments topic in the journals comments sub-board and ask other members to post there instead of posting on your journal like I am doing.  You can allow others to post directly on your journal if you prefer.  |
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Post by samp666 on Feb 18, 2012 13:31:35 GMT
I do not mind people posting on my journal  Good news! I had a pleasant surprise this morning when my ants were waiting downstairs for me. They are well and are currently feeding on some honey. Its amazing how quick they are at finding food! Their abdomens swelled with the honey.  I will add them to the tank soon and hope they move out quickly. I will update when they do.  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Feb 19, 2012 15:46:30 GMT
Always good news to hear that adult ants are feeding on high energy food like honey. |
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Post by samp666 on Feb 20, 2012 18:01:52 GMT
Well, they have been in the tank since Saturday afternoon and still have not moved out of the tube.  They have however constructed a large tunnel from the top of the soil, right down to the bottom. Currently 4 of the 8 ants are living in it while the rest are in the tube with the queen and brood. The tube is almost completely full of sand with a small opening the ants can fit through. Yesterday I put about 35 qrass seeds in and watered them. When I came back soon I realised the ants had been collecting them and feeding on them!!! They have sort of gone into a semi hybernation with most of them staying inside while 2-3 of them go out. They haven't climbed the side at all which I am pleased with. ;D I did put some oil on and I think it worked well. I fed them some apple and they have been eating it all day. The queen has laid 2 eggs while being here and doesn't seem to be scared of the light I use. |
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Post by samp666 on Feb 23, 2012 19:41:05 GMT
My ants are doing great! I was just looking for an insect to feed them but I cannot find one.  I need one soon as my queen has recently doubled the egg mas making about 20 eggs, 10 larvae and no pupae. I have only fed them a few times with honey and apple and am worried they aren't getting enough protein. They are still in the test tube but have half the workers in the other nest they made. Sam |
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Post by samp666 on Feb 25, 2012 16:37:34 GMT
Well, my Mum is going paranoid. My ants are still in the test tube with 8 ants and 20-30 brood but today my Mum shouted me from downstairs. I came down and my dad was making a fuss over her and she said that a black ant had just been on her leg and she had squashed it. She being downstairs while my ants were across a large room, up some stairs across the landing and in the corner of my room! I could tell she was wrong. I went upstairs and counted all 8 ants in the tank and went downstairs to reassure her. I looked on the carpet around her and saw a bit of black fluff. I told her but she didn't believe me so I proved all 8 ants were there but she said more must have been born. I told here there were no pupa there at the beginning so I finally convinced her.  My brother is now an owner of a Lasius Flavus colony which he seems to like. His tank he ordered has not come yet so they are still in the tube but it should come on Monday. |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Feb 25, 2012 16:43:03 GMT
That's a reaction that many mums have, and at this time of year with wild ants waking up and getting a bit frisky you might find a wild ant gets in from the garden, so please reassure your mum that an ant in her home isn't necessarily one of yours. Glad it turned out to be just a bit of fluff though. |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 25, 2012 17:14:49 GMT
My parents were quite paranoid at first. I have begun to see Lasius niger workers foraging from the big colony in my garden, and last year some wild ones who got into the house were apparently 'mine'. I had mine counted as you did though. |
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Post by samp666 on Feb 25, 2012 18:41:11 GMT
Sorry, just wanted to add something. About half an hour ago I moved my formicarium next to my radiator because it felt a bit cold. I have just had my tea and came up to watch my queen lay an egg! ;D
Was it because I moved my formicarium to a warmer place or just coincidence do you think? Personally I think its because I moved the tank.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Feb 25, 2012 19:46:56 GMT
From my own observations of L.niger queens, they do seem willing to lay eggs under observation if they're calm and comfortable. It is quite interesting to watch. Once the egg has emerged, the queen seems to lower her gaster beneath her head so that she can pick up the egg and place it, or alternatively the workers do it for her. I haven't seen egg laying often, so I may have missed some details. The warmth may well have encouraged her to, or it could indeed be a coincidence. Its tricky to say, but you should keep her there if possible. Try not to have it too close though, since too much heat will make them ill or even kill them (As Icewhyte learned to his cost about a month or two ago). She sounds like she's doing alright. |
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Post by samp666 on Feb 29, 2012 18:46:19 GMT
I recently fed my ants a small fly and a woodlouse. They liked the fly but did not eat the woodlouse. I also fed them honey water. The fly went down really well. All of them had some and the workers even carried it over to the queen and larvae. They ate it all apart from a leg which they dragged away. This meal must have encouraged the queen to lay more eggs because the mass doubled. Its funny how she shrinks in size when she lays more eggs. They are still in the test tube with some larvae that are far bigger than the workers. |
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Post by samp666 on Mar 10, 2012 12:03:18 GMT
Hi sorry about the late update but I've been busy. I fed my ants some more honey and a huge spider. They didnt like the spider so I took it out. They haven't really been foraging recently until last night when I had four running round. The queen now has 2 egg masses each with around 20-30 eggs!!! Also one of the larvae have spun a cocoon which I am pleased with. |
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Post by samp666 on Aug 7, 2012 23:59:44 GMT
Hi sorry I haven't posted for so long I forgot about this forum. My ants appeared to be doing well until I started noticing the ants dissapearing? I searched the tank and couldn't find them but I think they may have been in the tunnel they created then it collapsed. At the moment there is the queen, 2 workes and no brood a bit of good news though. I got them to move out of the test tube the other day! I saw the cotten had mold growing on it so I picked up the tube and used scissors to cut most of it off. I then put it back in and covered the tank with a towel. I kept checking on them and seeing the workers wandering about and twice saw the queen have a walk! Then I noticed they had all left so I took the tube out and watched them run about for a bit. The next day I couldn't see them but noticed a new tunnel under a rock. They left this the next day and went right into the corner and the day afrer that they moved into the tunnel they origianolly made. I've been in scotland far a couple of days but when I got back ther was a mound on top of the hole and it was obvious theyed been digging. They're still there now and I hope they survive! I've fed them regually with flies and watered the ground every week. I will try and update if anything happens. If anyone thinks there is anything I can do to help the ants please post. Ps. Sorry if there's any mistakes I've typed this up on my blackberry and the screen is small so I can't read it properly |
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Post by deansyme on Aug 8, 2012 6:36:11 GMT
Give them a small bit of honey water as well mate.
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