I need help

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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UnrealSparks
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Location: Turin - Italy

Re: I need help

Post: # 53990Post UnrealSparks
Mon Nov 19, 2018 1:35 pm

loupgaroupgris wrote:
Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:09 pm
Also from what you saw are they still ok? They are not dying I hope?
Wait, were you referring to mine or yours, sorry? :roll:
Because if you were talking about yours I couldn't see them well in the pictures.
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

loupgaroupgris
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Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:04 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: I need help

Post: # 53992Post loupgaroupgris
Mon Nov 19, 2018 2:09 pm

Alright thanks again for the help Its really appreciated.
Just one final question I was planing on hibernating them at the first of december, how do I do that? And do I need to check up on them often to make sure everything ok and no molds are growing or do I just leave them in a dark cold space until spring comes?

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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
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Location: Turin - Italy

Re: I need help

Post: # 53993Post UnrealSparks
Mon Nov 19, 2018 2:55 pm

For hibernating your colony it's important to know their species.

I checked all 3 the species you hinted at the beginning and they should all hibernate at the same temperature (from 41 to 50 F) from November to March. Before hibernating them always check if they're ready (as I said before see if they only have larvae or not; if they still have eggs/pupae/cocoons they're not ready yet).

First you'll have to lower the temperature gradually for the first week. Then on the second week put them in the range I wrote above.
They'll only need moisture during winter, until spring comes. In this period check on them not too often (some people say monthly, others weekly/biweekly, that's up to you, but less is better). Keep them in a quiet and dark place. I keep some of mine in the fridge in a box, but you can also keep them in an unheated garage, as long as the temperature doesn't drop below 32 F.
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

AntsLuxembourg
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Re: I need help

Post: # 53994Post AntsLuxembourg
Tue Nov 20, 2018 1:36 am

I have read a little here and there in this post but it seems you have trouble with moving the colony to a proper setup and I thought I should add some of my experience here. So I had a similar problem but I was about to hibernate all my colonies anyway so I had to make sure that the setup is clean. the only problem was that the colonies probably wouldn't move too quickly so I somewhat forced them.

I did a manuel moving before with moving the eggs with my tweezers (2 out of 20-40 eggs were destroyed by accident but better lose 2 than the whole colony.

So what I did is: I prepared a new testtube (for my main colonies with a seperation to create a small chamber for then colony. Next I moved the queen first by connecting both testtubes with tubing and then I made sure the testtubes were like mouth to mouth. Next I turned that setup to the queen either lost grip and tumbled down into the new setup. Next I closed the queens testtube and put her into darkness to avoid as much stress as possible.

Then I too a small plastic bottle and did the same with the testtube to move from. I used some more force to get the workers and the brood inside of that bottle and then after they were all in there I connected it with the new testtube so the workers could migrate to the new setup in peace. Since I had a couple I had to do it a bit more forcefully but I kept them a bit warm and in the dark for a couple of days to relax and then I had put all the testtubes into a box with some cloth to protect them and then into the fridge. The box is to avoid the light from disturbing the ants and also to move them all at once. :)

I think I will have to do a futur video of how I emergency moved them. Funny thing is I did the same with my Messor barbarus after I removing all their seeds first and the colony moved out super quickly :)
I used the light technic on them.

Anyway I hope this helps you.
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

Need help or want to help? https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18153#p70566

Currently not keeping any ants anymore.

loupgaroupgris
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:04 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: I need help

Post: # 54036Post loupgaroupgris
Sat Nov 24, 2018 7:32 pm

Alright I will try to forcefully move them if nothing happen. I also just wanted to ask do I still feed them if I'm trying to move them? I am assuming you dont want to disturb them but they will need to eat eventually right.
Also is it a good idea to feed them before they hibernate? Just to make sure they have enough energy to survive the winter.

JoeHostile1
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Re: I need help

Post: # 54053Post JoeHostile1
Mon Nov 26, 2018 6:49 am

loupgaroupgris wrote:
Sat Nov 24, 2018 7:32 pm
Alright I will try to forcefully move them if nothing happen. I also just wanted to ask do I still feed them if I'm trying to move them? I am assuming you dont want to disturb them but they will need to eat eventually right.
Also is it a good idea to feed them before they hibernate? Just to make sure they have enough energy to survive the winter.
It’s a good idea to feed them before hibernation, but you don’t want to stick food in there and then hibernate them cause the food will mold isn’t the test tube during hibernation. So you should feed them then remove the food after a couple days then hibernate them.

Also try to find some insects for your ants. Feeding them fish once in a while is ok in a pinch, but ants would normally be eating bugs so that should really be their main food source. Otherwise we don’t know for sure if fish has all the nutrients ants need to thrive. It may, but it also may not.

Here is a couple ways to have steady source of food for ants.

1: go to a pet store or online and buy a bunch of small crickets. As soon as you get them put them in the freezer. If you buy enough you will have food ready to go for months and months for your ants. Super Convenient.

2: start a fruit fly culture. Where ever you buy the crickets you may be able to buy fruit fly culture. All you need is plastic cups with lids and porridge in the bottom for the fruit flies to eat and breed in. The culture will provide more flies than your small colony can eat, but you just freeze the extra. Then you will have two types of insects always ready to feed to your ants.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

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

loupgaroupgris
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:04 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: I need help

Post: # 54061Post loupgaroupgris
Mon Nov 26, 2018 4:10 pm

Interesting, alright I will keep that in mind it would help with the food issue.

On a side note the queen as still not moved I hope she does soon because I don't like the idea of forcing them, lucky she does not have any eggs I think, I'm assuming that normal near the hibernation months?

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UnrealSparks
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Re: I need help

Post: # 54067Post UnrealSparks
Tue Nov 27, 2018 1:52 am

Yes, when winter is approacing, queens stop laying eggs.
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

loupgaroupgris
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:04 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: I need help

Post: # 54353Post loupgaroupgris
Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:39 pm

Alright so today I decided to forcefully move them from the tube to another fresh clean one.
I have 4 ants in total , the queen and 3 workers, after I was finally able to move them I gave a small piece of meat and honey as a final meal before hibernation. What do you guys suggest? Should I give them one week to eat and then hibernate or can I do that sooner?

Also to make sure I got this right,to hibernate them I just need to put them in a freezer or cold place that's in 41 to 50 Fahrenheit/5 to 10 Celsius right? Is there anything I forgot? Also remove the food before all that.

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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
Location: Turin - Italy

Re: I need help

Post: # 54361Post UnrealSparks
Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:38 am

Here's what I would do:

1. Place them somewhere where the temperature is around 12-14 °C (supposing they're now at room temperature). This way, leaving them a couple of days there, won't induce a temperature shock once placed in the fridge.

2. Remove the food after two days (they don't need an entire week to eat don't worry).

3. After about two more days, just place the test tube in the fridge (I've put mine in a box so that everytime I open the fridge they won't be bothered by the light).

Once they'll be placed there the only thing you'll have to do for the rest of the winter will be to check on them from time to time. I usually check on mine about every 2 or 3 weeks. Keep them resting until I'd say early March.

Oh, and one more thing for the future: since you haven't mentioned it, was the meat cooked or raw? Because if it was cooked it would have been more nutritious and surely bacteria-free. And also consider feeding them like fruit flies, spiders or any bug you are sure can't carry pesticides (for example avoid flies) and see what they prefer. :)
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

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