Cannot find my ants

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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TazrianK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:38 am
Location: London

Cannot find my ants

Post: # 92598Post TazrianK
Sun May 22, 2022 5:49 pm

Hello. I am currently keeping my first Lasius Niger colony, and have made a pretty terrible mistake.

They had been growing abnormally slowly since I got them in May 2020 (still only about 10 or less adults, with quite a few eggs with the queen last time I saw them), despite giving them a constant supply of water, sugar, and nuts and meat for protein within a small area with their test tube setup. After a few weeks after ending hibernation this April in the UK, I moved them into a larger outworld area, with their test tube setup in there.

I kept the outworld relatively dry before putting them in, planning on having them remain in the test tube setup but with a larger outworld to explore. Later on I realised this was a mistake for two reasons: it was too large for them and their small number; somehow, it was interesting enough for them to decide to move out of the test tube, and into the soil.

So since then, they have pretty much disappeared from sight. I have left test tubes of water, sugar water, and proteinous food (e.g. boiled egg) out, and watered the outworld just in case they are there. But I haven't seen any sign of them, not even a waste pile or much use up of the food laid out.

So I'm in a pickle (I'll adimt- totally my fault as a noob & rookie):
Now how should I identify if they even still exist in the outworld area?
How should I get them in my sights, so I can actually ensure they're OK?
And what mistakes (with how I am keeping them) should I correct?

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Cannot find my ants

Post: # 92608Post SolenopsisKeeper
Sun May 22, 2022 9:33 pm

TazrianK wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 5:49 pm
Hello. I am currently keeping my first Lasius Niger colony, and have made a pretty terrible mistake.

They had been growing abnormally slowly since I got them in May 2020 (still only about 10 or less adults, with quite a few eggs with the queen last time I saw them), despite giving them a constant supply of water, sugar, and nuts and meat for protein within a small area with their test tube setup. After a few weeks after ending hibernation this April in the UK, I moved them into a larger outworld area, with their test tube setup in there.

I kept the outworld relatively dry before putting them in, planning on having them remain in the test tube setup but with a larger outworld to explore. Later on I realised this was a mistake for two reasons: it was too large for them and their small number; somehow, it was interesting enough for them to decide to move out of the test tube, and into the soil.

So since then, they have pretty much disappeared from sight. I have left test tubes of water, sugar water, and proteinous food (e.g. boiled egg) out, and watered the outworld just in case they are there. But I haven't seen any sign of them, not even a waste pile or much use up of the food laid out.

So I'm in a pickle (I'll adimt- totally my fault as a noob & rookie):
Now how should I identify if they even still exist in the outworld area?
How should I get them in my sights, so I can actually ensure they're OK?
And what mistakes (with how I am keeping them) should I correct?
I did something like this, adding an S. invicta(Fire ant) queen with 10 workers to a terrarium when I first started :lol:
Now that was embarrassing, but in your case, you didn’t force them to move…

Also, how deep is the soil/substrate? You only want 0.5-1 cm of substrate in an outworld.

You can look for a nest entrance, but how big is the outworld?

Colonies this size don’t need an outworld, unless they are aggressive species. Just feed them directly in the tube next time, or just give them a smaller outworld.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

TazrianK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:38 am
Location: London

Re: Cannot find my ants

Post: # 92721Post TazrianK
Wed May 25, 2022 12:02 pm

The outworld is pretty large (approx 29x18cm), and the soil substrate quite deep (3.5 to 5cm). This was because I planned on letting them move in the soil once they actually became a big colony. Again, I didn't water the soil at all, so I was surprised to see that they voluntarily moved out into the fairly dry soil despite being a small colony. Perhaps they found the deeper and darker area more comfortable.

Anyways this proved to be another massive mistake :( , so it makes it super hard for me to find any nest entrance, especially because the Lasius Niger ants are small so don't really need a large visible entrance.

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Cannot find my ants

Post: # 92728Post SolenopsisKeeper
Wed May 25, 2022 12:52 pm

TazrianK wrote:
Wed May 25, 2022 12:02 pm
The outworld is pretty large (approx 29x18cm), and the soil substrate quite deep (3.5 to 5cm). This was because I planned on letting them move in the soil once they actually became a big colony. Again, I didn't water the soil at all, so I was surprised to see that they voluntarily moved out into the fairly dry soil despite being a small colony. Perhaps they found the deeper and darker area more comfortable.

Anyways this proved to be another massive mistake :( , so it makes it super hard for me to find any nest entrance, especially because the Lasius Niger ants are small so don't really need a large visible entrance.
Try to put down several tubes of sugar water, then check every now and then to see if any workers are there. That way, by putting more than one, you can know they can find them. Also maybe offer protein in each corner. I have found ants are very fond of making entrances and nests in corners. Is there a fluon barrier? Maybe they left… :?
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

TazrianK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:38 am
Location: London

Re: Cannot find my ants

Post: # 92767Post TazrianK
Thu May 26, 2022 9:42 am

Thanks for the advice, I'll try place food around.

I'm not sure, but I placed some protein in the form of boiled egg on a bottle cap in the area, and it disappeared (so I hope this is them taking it).

And I mean, maybe they left, but I did coat the entire top surface of the outworld in Vaseline (I don't have fluon), so I hope that isn't the case.

I think let's just try continuously placing food and watering the area, in the hope that they remained and grow bigger in number, and then I can find them :D , since Lasius Niger are mostly nocturnal, and are only really confident in the day once they're large in colony size.

Anyways, sorry for the amount of face palms you've probably done now at my sheer silliness :mrgreen:

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Cannot find my ants

Post: # 92771Post SolenopsisKeeper
Thu May 26, 2022 10:40 am

TazrianK wrote:
Thu May 26, 2022 9:42 am
Thanks for the advice, I'll try place food around.

I'm not sure, but I placed some protein in the form of boiled egg on a bottle cap in the area, and it disappeared (so I hope this is them taking it).

And I mean, maybe they left, but I did coat the entire top surface of the outworld in Vaseline (I don't have fluon), so I hope that isn't the case.

I think let's just try continuously placing food and watering the area, in the hope that they remained and grow bigger in number, and then I can find them :D , since Lasius Niger are mostly nocturnal, and are only really confident in the day once they're large in colony size.

Anyways, sorry for the amount of face palms you've probably done now at my sheer silliness :mrgreen:
No, I was once a beginner, and the only person in history to find a way for S. Invicta not to lay eggs.

I didn’t know that about L. Niger, as we have neoniger where I live, and I don’t keep them. They may be blocking the nest entrance at day, to prevent attackers. I do know some of my ant colonies use to expand the nest entrance at night to bring food in, then close it up during day.

Vaseline is fine for Niger, I just didn’t know if you used any barrier at all. If the egg disappeared, I am willing to bet they are still alive, and trying to grow and thrive. Also, keep a test tube of water in the outworld, and make sure it is dark because they may move back in.

Also, they may have moved in the first place because some dirt comes partially moist, usually potting soil and sand.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

TazrianK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:38 am
Location: London

Re: Cannot find my ants

Post: # 93025Post TazrianK
Fri Jun 03, 2022 5:02 am

That's fine then. I'll try my best to get them out, perhaps covering the outworld so it's in darkness, like you said.

Thankfully, above the Vaseline lining there is a bit of a barrier with a cover to the outworld (with some slits for air to pass through), and I have a test tube with water set for them.

I expect that as they are such a relatively small colony of small ants in a large area, it'll be difficult to find them, as they themselves try to stay out of sight. So perhaps covering the outworld in darkness will convince them to get out, and so I might be able to find them.

Whatever be the case, sincerely thanks for your help!

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