BRAND NEW, Lasius alienus Queen in Tube

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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Molsonice02
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Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:20 am
Location: Northern B.C

BRAND NEW, Lasius alienus Queen in Tube

Post: # 51327Post Molsonice02
Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:30 am

Good Morning, My son has wanted an ant colony for a long time, We bought him a standard Uncle Milton Ant farm and I knew enough that if I let him capture workers, they would just die in it. I was able to purchase a Lasius alienus Queen with about 13 workers and eggs in a test tube setup. The workers are quite tiny. I am thinking that they would be better off staying in the test tube for now. I am looking for advice. How long do people keep them in a tube, and how big or populated should they be before moving them to the Ant farm? Also, how to get them into the Ant farm? Thank you in advance!

JoeHostile1
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Re: BRAND NEW, Lasius alienus Queen in Tube

Post: # 51329Post JoeHostile1
Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:48 am

If you’re talking about one of those gel farms then don’t put your colony in there. Those are basicly toxic to colonies. The whole point of those is to put worker ants in them so you can watch them dig exploratory tunnels looking for their nests until they die. But they are not suitable for sustaining a colony.

Usually you don’t want to move a colony out of the test tube until about 25-30 workers or so. But the test tube is an ideal envierment for them and a founding colony can actually live in there for about 2 years until there is just not enough space if you wanted since Lasius are such a small species. Plus it’s almost hibernation time and they don’t gain any workers during the winter when they are hibernating.

I would keep them in the tube until you can find buy or make a more suitable home for them.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

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idahoantgirl
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Location: Idaho, USA

Re: BRAND NEW, Lasius alienus Queen in Tube

Post: # 51334Post idahoantgirl
Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:28 am

Make sure you have them in an outworld with the drinking straw method. They need food. Yeah I would hibernate them in the tube if i were you. Also I wouldn't reccomend moving them into an uncle milton farm. They just aren't suited for long living colonies. If you can get a hybrid nest that would be loads better.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

Molsonice02
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:20 am
Location: Northern B.C

Re: BRAND NEW, Lasius alienus Queen in Tube

Post: # 51397Post Molsonice02
Mon Sep 24, 2018 7:36 pm

Could you guys elaborate more on an outworld? The kit that we have is the original sand type ant farm, not the gel type

AntnoobSG
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Location: singapore

Re: BRAND NEW, Lasius alienus Queen in Tube

Post: # 51423Post AntnoobSG
Tue Sep 25, 2018 4:51 am

Just put the test tube in a container and make sure to put a barrier
Keeper of :
Camponotus albosparsus x2 :o
Camponotus Irritans ;)
Hoping for pheidole colony :D

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idahoantgirl
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: BRAND NEW, Lasius alienus Queen in Tube

Post: # 51507Post idahoantgirl
Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:58 pm

The drinking straw method is as follows: Use a one inch section of drinking straw wedged between the side of the tube and the exit cotton to act as a tunnel. Then place the whole thing in a tupperware container with a babypowder barrier
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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