Moving into a formacarium

[Voltagekid56]

I have a test tube set up with a fire ant queen, a few eggs and larvae, and about 20 workers. I recently moved them into an omni nest vertical large. I placed the test tube into the out world facing the entrance to the formacarium, opened the test tube and a few started to wander the out world. By the next day the all were still in the test tube and weren't looking around anymore. How do I make the formacarium more attractive to the ants? I have covered the formacarium with a towel to make it darker and exposing the ants to light in the out world to try to encourage them to move, however this only made them huddle against their water in the test tube. Any ideas on what to do? Also I have to keep them in an air conditioned room (space issues) any ideas on how to keep them warm? I don't have the money to by a heating cable/pad?

[ooper01]

My limited experience has shown me that they will move when the climate in the test tube is undesirable. Undesirable can mean:

1. Not enough room for the growing colony
2. Too hot
3. Too cold
4. Too light
5. Too dry
6. Too moldy

Sometimes it takes several days or even weeks for the ants to determine that it is time to move. You can encourage them by trying to make the test tube undesirable. This is usually done with heat and light, but you have to be careful with heat so as not to kill them.