False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
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False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Dear AntsCanada Team and Community,
I have a colony of about 35 prenolepis imparis worker ants and one queen. They have many full repletes filled with water/honey. My setup for them is 2 test tubes attached to a lasius hybrid nest. One test tube has honey water and the other has water. Occasionally I will switch the test tubes out when they get little moldy. I have a small amount of tubing that connects the hybrid nest to the outworld that I have set up. The last port is clogged with cotton. What worries me is that in the past month I have only seen one worker go into the outworld.
Is this a common thing with beginner ant colonies? Is there anything I'm doing wrong that causes them to stay in the Hybrid Nest?
Also is it common for False Honey Pot queen ants to lay batches of eggs for a couple months and then stop laying?
Thank you.
I have a colony of about 35 prenolepis imparis worker ants and one queen. They have many full repletes filled with water/honey. My setup for them is 2 test tubes attached to a lasius hybrid nest. One test tube has honey water and the other has water. Occasionally I will switch the test tubes out when they get little moldy. I have a small amount of tubing that connects the hybrid nest to the outworld that I have set up. The last port is clogged with cotton. What worries me is that in the past month I have only seen one worker go into the outworld.
Is this a common thing with beginner ant colonies? Is there anything I'm doing wrong that causes them to stay in the Hybrid Nest?
Also is it common for False Honey Pot queen ants to lay batches of eggs for a couple months and then stop laying?
Thank you.
Re: False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Feed them protein in the outworld, that will probably bring more ants out and will boost egg laying. Also, p imparis lays only one batch of eggs per year. Good luck!
Check out my blog: bayareaants.blogspot.com
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)
Re: False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Thank you for replying. I have been setting out honey, per killed meal worms (mini), and pre killed super worms (medium). I switch the meal worms and super worms out every three days because they get stale and icky. What other protein sources do you suggest?
Re: False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Fruit flies and crickets also work well. As for worker activity, as long you see them in the nest they are probably doing well. They could also be active while you aren't looking, as different species have different foraging highs and lows.
Check out my blog: bayareaants.blogspot.com
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)
Re: False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Thank you for replying. Also for the fruit flies, would I pre-kill them? And how?
Re: False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Prenelopis are technically hibernating right now, so that might explain why they aren't forgaing. They should become more active this winter, hence their name 'Winter Ants'. As for their protein intake, unless if they have larvae, they won't have use for it. The queen, and larvae are really the only things that need it. Workers mainly just drink sugary foods.AntConnecticut wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:20 amThank you for replying. Also for the fruit flies, would I pre-kill them? And how?
Good luck!
Re: False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Yeah, in my area they aren't hibernating anymore, but I'm sure in other areas there are. For the fruit flies, freeze some overnight and they die or at least are incapable of feeling or moving. And as Ants Ontario said, protein is mainly used for brood but I would recommend feeding them some so the queen has food.AntsOntario wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2017 3:55 pmPrenelopis are technically hibernating right now, so that might explain why they aren't forgaing. They should become more active this winter, hence their name 'Winter Ants'. As for their protein intake, unless if they have larvae, they won't have use for it. The queen, and larvae are really the only things that need it. Workers mainly just drink sugary foods.AntConnecticut wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:20 amThank you for replying. Also for the fruit flies, would I pre-kill them? And how?
Good luck!
Check out my blog: bayareaants.blogspot.com
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)
Keeper of:
Camponotus Modoc(6 workers)
Pheidole Spp (2 queens, about 10 workers)
Possibly parasitic Formica (further ID required)
Novomessor Cockerelli (10+ workers)
Re: False Honey Pot Ants Trouble
Thank you all so much for helping me out and answering my questions!
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