shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Post by shane on Aug 22, 2014 19:11:26 GMT
Any other ant colony's I keep can leave comments here: ====================================== |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2014 19:34:55 GMT
Nice Colony of Lasius flavus, looks like they have a lot of brood! Can't wait to see them in a few years time!
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Post by TenebrousNova on Sept 1, 2014 22:31:28 GMT
My last Lasius flavus colony (The one that had seven queens) was always exposed to light and were remarkably confident. They accepted all food. Meanwhile, the first colony I had immediately dug into the soil and refused to come out for food.
Hope yours continue to do well, Shane.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Post by shane on Sept 1, 2014 22:42:42 GMT
My last Lasius flavus colony (The one that had seven queens) was always exposed to light and were remarkably confident. They accepted all food. Meanwhile, the first colony I had immediately dug into the soil and refused to come out for food. Hope yours continue to do well, Shane. Mine seem relaxed and don't mind the light, Only the odd one goes out and explores. |
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Post by Jenny on Sept 2, 2014 5:26:59 GMT
Those flavus  they have done so well! It's hard to believe I recently picked those up from our front  |
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Post by Black Ant on Sept 7, 2014 13:56:50 GMT
Those Lasius flavus photos are absolutely gorgeous mate.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Likes: 819
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Post by shane on Sept 7, 2014 14:03:30 GMT
Those Lasius flavus photos are absolutely gorgeous mate. Thanks they was a little hard to take photos off when they run around like mini racing cars till there find food |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2014 14:30:03 GMT
Very nice pictures indeed, and it's interesting to see the two queens together.
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Post by Jenny on Sept 16, 2014 5:57:05 GMT
So glad the flavus have taken off Shane. I see you have them in a forgaing box, do you have any peat/soil in that, as I think I can see a bit but not sure?
You have managed to feed them which is a plus for this species, I guess the trick is not to let them burrow.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Likes: 819
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Post by shane on Sept 16, 2014 6:21:48 GMT
So glad the flavus have taken off Shane. I see you have them in a forgaing box, do you have any peat/soil in that, as I think I can see a bit but not sure? You have managed to feed them which is a plus for this species, I guess the trick is not to let them burrow. I tried them with a bit of peat, But it seems the workers try and eat it and take it in and make a mess with the cotton bud in the test tube so taken it out and just using damp cotton for now in foraging box and laying food on one of them as they seem to suck the food though it to the bottom like they using cotton bud as a food filter.
There seem happy in light as well as long as they not in direct sunlight.
they like cooked chicken. cannot get them to touch fly's yet they just suck the syrup though the damp cotton and feeding queens so I'm happy queens are feeding from them but they can be greedy feeding from 3 or 4 at a time some times .
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 16, 2014 7:04:57 GMT
Your flavus will not eat peat, but they will move it around from place to place if there isn't enough of it to nest in. Ants that have cocooned pupae often semi bury their larvae in peat or soil just before the pupal stage. In your case they will more likely use the cotton wool.
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shane
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Post by shane on Sept 16, 2014 16:26:30 GMT
Your flavus will not eat peat, but they will move it around from place to place if there isn't enough of it to nest in. Ants that have cocooned pupae often semi bury their larvae in peat or soil just before the pupal stage. In your case they will more likely use the cotton wool. I though they could have eat the peat,
Another indication I though that as the workers gasters was dark then a orange yellow but they seem fine now.
Yes, There are using the cotton for pupal stage.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2014 19:59:34 GMT
Great work with the Lasius flavus Shane! I like reading the journal! I like the population gain of 3 new workers for every 1 worker that dies, this colony should grow quite rapidly in the next year!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2014 20:01:14 GMT
I've just received a pair of queens today with a small brood so I'm excited to see how mine turn out. Shane, do you think you'll ever have to separate the 2 queens or do you think they'll stay together happily?
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
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Likes: 819
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Post by shane on Sept 20, 2014 23:39:24 GMT
Great work with the Lasius flavus Shane! I like reading the journal! I like the population gain of 3 new workers for every 1 worker that dies, this colony should grow quite rapidly in the next year! I'm a little shocked to see that they will eat there own dead  no scraps left behind.
Yeah they should grow fast with 2 queens . I do wonder how they will hibernate as they do slow down but with workers not living as long either.
Lasius flavus don't think will fully hibernate, With watching them when its cold, and if colony workers are full with food in there gasters.
They will just keep passing food around to one another workers and queen and larvae too in a small mass hugged up with no workers scouting out living on what they have though winter, So even as workers die off, There food has already been pasted on to colony, Seems only new larvae and queen will where down there food sources workers have stored up in them before they die for there fast growing next gen or workers.
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