The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

Hi all! I'm having a bit of a problem.

After weeks of searching, and only finding one queen, I've hit the jackpot today: 7 queens!
(ID thread here: http://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=1754)

Anyway, my problem is this: I don't have enough test tubes to house them! I'm worried that if I release them, I won't get another chance to catch any, given how late it is in the season.

I can order more test tubes online from the AntsCanada Store, but they'll take at least 3 days to arrive, and I worry that'll be too long for these queens.

I've tried my local Target and Walmart, and neither have test tubes available locally.

Is there some other temporary housing solution I can do for these queens?

JacobSyndeo wrote:Hi all! I'm having a bit of a problem.

After weeks of searching, and only finding one queen, I've hit the jackpot today: 7 queens!
(ID thread here: http://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=1754)

Anyway, my problem is this: I don't have enough test tubes to house them! I'm worried that if I release them, I won't get another chance to catch any, given how late it is in the season.

I can order more test tubes online from the AntsCanada Store, but they'll take at least 3 days to arrive, and I worry that'll be too long for these queens.

I've tried my local Target and Walmart, and neither have test tubes available locally.

Is there some other temporary housing solution I can do for these queens?

you can try going to a florist shop and seeing if you can purchase those little water pick things. They will work great .

idahoantgirl wrote: you can try going to a florist shop and seeing if you can purchase those little water pick things. They will work great .

Good idea! I'll have to visit one tomorrow morning. Anything I can do for my queens in the meantime? Perhaps keeping them in a closet with a humidifier to keep the air moist so they don't die of thirst? The pill box I'm keeping them in isn't an airtight seal by any means, but it's too small for them to escape out of—for that reason, I don't worry about them suffocating.

Maybe they're hardier than I'm giving them credit for, but I just want to be really careful here.

JacobSyndeo wrote:

idahoantgirl wrote: you can try going to a florist shop and seeing if you can purchase those little water pick things. They will work great .

Good idea! I'll have to visit one tomorrow morning. Anything I can do for my queens in the meantime? Perhaps keeping them in a closet with a humidifier to keep the air moist so they don't die of thirst? The pill box I'm keeping them in isn't an airtight seal by any means, but it's too small for them to escape out of—for that reason, I don't worry about them suffocating.

Maybe they're hardier than I'm giving them credit for, but I just want to be really careful here.

I'm not sure. I would say put a moist cotton ball in there but then if she lays eggs on it it might be really difficult to see them. your humidifier idea might work, or maybe put a little tiny drop of water in her chamber. I'm sure they will be fine overnight.

idahoantgirl wrote: I'm not sure. I would say put a moist cotton ball in there but then if she lays eggs on it it might be really difficult to see them. your humidifier idea might work, or maybe put a little tiny drop of water in her chamber. I'm sure they will be fine overnight.

I think I'll do both the humidifier and the water drop. (I'll be careful to keep the drops tiny so the ants don't drown!)
Thanks for the tips!!

Figured I'd update you guys! Yesterday morning, I managed to get some of those floral water picks, and was able to get them set up like test tubes. The queens (who survived the night, yay!) seemed to be quite comfortable in them. I'll check up on how they're doing in a week or so!

Thanks again for the tips and ideas, they just might've saved my queens' lives.