Lasius Niger problems

[AntAnett]

I've bought a box of cickets today yupi! All of the cricket are frozen now, I've taken them out to an empty box, without the dead ones and trash, and I've put them to freezer. But my Lasius niger colony refuse to go out of their test tube (to their tiny arena), the cotton is almost completly dry. That is why I start thinking maybe it is time to move them by force... OK, I know, that's terrible idea, and don't worry I will not do so. But it gives me terrible fear I will loose this colony... I've given them a fly today, so the cricket will wait for next feeding... Lasius niger workers were so happy to see the dead fly in their test tube, it looked so cool! But when I put the food into arena, they refuse to go out... On the other hand, I have my Messor barbarus colony, and it seems everything is fine with them, they are eating, working, walkin in their small out world, and they cause me no stress.

Now the question is, should I leave my Lassius niger colony in peace, or should I try to add water to their almost dry test tube? I don't wanna lose this colony it's my first ant colony! The case is, that if they know about the existance of the second t tube, and they refuse to move there now, then it's OK, but if they don't know about it, or not consider choosing it as their home, then we have the problem, me and them.

[ClashOwenBash]

Try shining a light into their nest to encourage them to move into a new nest, (which I would recommend as the best course of action). The ants should forage if they need to so just place some food in the outworld and leave them alone for a few days. Maybe place a twig leading from inside the testtube to the food to help guide them.

[AntAnett]

I've tried so many ways to make them change their place, including flashing with led light. I've tried connecting tubes directly and through the foraging area, they just don't wanna change this tube.

But I'm trying new thing now. Normaly their test tube was connected with out world (or new test tube) using tubes. Now I've taken one box, ond I've put both t tubes inside and close to each other. And I thing it worked a bit, cause I saw one worker drinking honey placed close to their entrance. Maybe that is the way..? We will see. They will have peace now, for few days. With one dead fly and a drop of honey, they can survive few days. I only don't know if I should add them water close to the entrance, or should I leave it that way. They have fresh test tube with water supply pretty close. And it's not that they are afraid of the new tube, cause they sometimes walked there, but never stayed long.

[AntAnett]

This colony will die. There are 3 workers left, no larvas, no cocoons, no white ants. They are all gone! And my Lasius nigers refuse to go out of their small tube, but they eat and drink honey when I put it directly into the test tube. There are eggs, so there may be still hope, but if the Queen will loose all workers, then the colony is dead! She probably won't be able to look after new babies all by herself.

[idahoantgirl]

She is capable of restarting, she would just need to be fed in her tube, which is stressful and messy.

[AntAnett]

Yes it is messy, ans it's espacially when the ant shop sends you ants in tiny test tube. Really there is not enough place for stresless feeding. Thankfully this test tube is made of plastick so after the cotton dried out, and they haven't moved even then, I've made a hole and put water to the cotton with a needle. They have a drop of honey there, and I'll leave them there for few days in their locked test tube, Cause I've thought that now it's the best way to try calm them down, just closing the tube and leave them in darkness.

[AntsLuxembourg]

Well if it's only the queen, you could actually try to shake her out of her test tube so she changed into the new test tube. I wouldn't recommend it but if you have a very fine pair of tweezers you could actually try and move most of the eggs as well. Not my closing the tweezers but by somehow lifting them up. You need calm and steady hands so you don't smash the eggs. I managed to do that but it's a very hard job to do so and it definitely will stress the queen as well.

Also the queen can start over with her colony so it's not that she will die without her workers. It's just that she needs some food. A small drop will do. Added with a toothpick is my way to do it.

[AntAnett]

Today Ive decided to use my microscope to see the inside of the tube. There are still 3 workers alive, an I saw few larvae! That is huge news for me, cause I thought they are all dead (larvae). I've made some shoping online and I've bought t-tubes port. Maybe at wensday I will be able to put them there, I thing something like that is a huge help, cause it has tiny outworld, really tiny, and a second t-tube. I will leave them the most comfortable way to recover I can get. Maybe I will cover whole thing in darkness, so they will be less frightened. Maybe seeing something so small they won't be scared to get out of tube.

[AntAnett]

I have 4 workers alive! Now maybe I should do some investigations, cause I am not sure if this fourth ant is new, or maybe it's the old one that I thought she was dead, but she wasn't. I will probably never know. But today they all look more alive, even the Queen was in walking mood. The drop of honey can do miracles! Today I've given them a cricket leg. They are eating it! So I hope everything will be fine now. This t-tube is made of plastic and it's dirty and a bit moldy, and I wanted them to feel safer and I've kept them in darkness, so I don't know about everything that happens in that tube. At Thursday however I will get this t-tubes port thing, so it will be even better I hope. It would be cool to have two ant colonies instead of one

[AntsLuxembourg]

But you have two colonies if I remember right. I mean the lasius niger and the Messor Barbarus colony
I also knew that they love the honey. It's sweet and tasty and they love it.