Project 1 is in place and needs just a couple of tweaks but is working good:
I hate not being able to see the queens and know if they have laid eggs or are even still alive without uncovering them which no matter how careful you are will disturb them by vibration or light ingress. Red light is a bit of a grey area for me and I know that ants can see it as I have seen them react to it in my previous colony and so:
I have placed the tubes with my two Queens C.herculeanus and L.niger on to 'shelves' on an upright support. I have wired up a spare Camera with Infra red illumination which I can control and view remotely either on my laptop or even through my Wlan while I am away from home working. This is all enclosed and so very dark and is a nice stable 25'c.
For those who do not know - Infra red is a light wavelength undetectable to the human eye and most animals however some insects such as Bees are able to see in this spectrum so it was a bit of a risk for me but I am pleased to say that they seem completely undisturbed by it and do not react to the I.R light being switched on as they would to say daylight.
They Have now been in there over 24hrs and I have been watching occasionally but not seen them do anything other than sit still with their heads over their eggs...
A few mins ago however, C.herculeanus decided to do stuff so I managed to record some video which I will try to upload and will comment in her Journal. I will put a link to the video here too
Remember: Buddhism dictates that ant you are about to step on could be a reincarnated relative!