Help with an already established colony

[PhatGaster]

I've recently acquired a an already established queen with some workers and being the super newb I am I have no idea what to do with them.

I am currently in the founding stages of my first ever ant queens Prenolepis imparis(just laid eggs) and was hoping to take thing slow and steady as the eggs hatch and I finish school. But now I have a mature colony on my hands and I need some help. Don't know the mature colony species yet so I'll update that later, and she only has three workers. Should I start to look for a formicarium? How do you feed them without them getting out the tube? What do you feed them(heard sugar water, honey and wax worms)? Should I have an out world for them now? How do I treat this established queen as opposed to my founding queens? As of right now there in a testube setup with raw sugar and in the dark( had a hardtime getting them to transfer tubing, not scared of the light for some reason).

Also I found them huddled agains a corner wall in a weird dogpile around the queen. What's up with that? Here's a pic of the cluster and her with her workers

[JackPayne]

I wouldn't Move them into a formicarium or outworld until there are 20-50 workers. Obvioudly if they aren't fitting into the test tube any more then move them, but make sure you have at least 10. The 20-50 is optimum.

[JackPayne]

Also I'd recommend watching all of AntsCanada's tutorial videos and educate yourself as best you can.

[PhatGaster]

Already have and yea i already knew about the 20 50 mark. I just wanted to know if the case is different since the colony is established as well as some clarification on the finer details like how to actually feed then without them escaping. Thanks for the guidance tho. Would love some smaller details like again the feeding thing and moving tunes when moldy (especially cuz this species don't mind bright lights)

[JackPayne]

Ok right, with food you can put the tube into a tub, and then open the tube up and place whatever food outside the tube for them to go out and eat. If you do this remember to use floun,rubbing alcohol or Vaseline to stop the ants from escaping. Or you could do the same but put the food into the tube.

[JackPayne]

And with mold, either have your moldy tube and a clean tube in a tub and remember to use deterrent or tape two tubes together.

[PhatGaster]

Very helpful thank you. How often should I feed them then? Also I've just had her identified as some kind of Formica, either Formica so. Or Formica pallidefulva. Any tips on that species in general?

[Batspiderfish]

Do not feed ants in the tube. These ants will need a dry foraging arena/outworld, though (placing them in a container lined with talcum/alcohol mixture is fine). They will not need much insect protein until they start producing eggs and larvae. They will appreciate sugar water, though.

As a general rule, learn how to take care of your bets before acquiring them.

[PhatGaster]

Thanks for all your help guys. And I do know the basics of ant care Batspiderfish I've been planning this for a year, it's just the finer details that I come to ask you long time experts, small stuff that isnt in the AC videos.

I thought about the deterant tub feeding but wanted to see if there were better methods. Glad to see its safe. Although I'm not sure how to get them all back in the tube after feeding. As of rn I'm feeding them honey and turkey(gunna have acess to crickets in a week) on tinfoils I can take away from the tube without dirty in it. Or should give them a mini out world to feed and discard stuff in? My research is divided on this. What do you guys think?

[xTNxANTMANx]

First off, if U put them in a tub, u will just leave them there pretty much. Cover the test tube and they will wonder and forage as they see fit and return to the test tube. With there being workers already that's what I would do. Or yes, a mini out world/test tube portal will work also. That's what I'm currently using for 2 of my Camponotus subbarbatus colonies, one with 3 workers and the other with 7. Either way will work though personally ive never used the tub method.