How to move ant colony?

[john995]

Hello guys,

Im looking for suggestions on how and where to move my what I think is a lasius niger colony. Below some pictures of the queen and workers. Queen 9-10mm workers 3-4mm. Caught queen in late July 2021, location Hungary.

https://ibb.co/BfsT6QF >>> queen
https://ibb.co/922GSsh >>> queen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfIJrfc_mWQ >>> workers

There is several problems with the current setup altough I think sizewise it would be ok for some time yet:
- Its not a real setup - its a makeup box from Ikea.
- I wasnt smart on picking the digging medium. Its too much and color is too close to the ants'.
- They have completely messed it up. It used to have decore stone and a houseleek all burried/killed.
- Ventillation is not the best, I have to take off the top which happens anyway when feeding. Luckily no problem with mold idk how...
- Everytime I remove the top (cleanup, feeding, air/water change) its a struggle with escapees. Right now its not so bad as I believe they are just awakaning from hibernation but last summer I recall having to put the whole thing in a buckle filled with water each time so any escapees would end up on the surface of the water instead of running loose...

Im expecting a population boom as they are entering their second year and started eating strong. A meal what you see on the video (cat food) takes them approx 2 days to clean up and then they take the next one.

I dont know what to expect regarding numbers this year and how im gonna handle it in the current setup.

Pictures of the current setup:
https://i.imgur.com/I8Xpy1t.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/pkbuYFe.jpeg

I have a standard aquarium 32x14 and 22mm heigh aquarium which I thought to use however have some concerns:
- Isnt it too big for them yet? Wont they get too spaced out?
- Its got the standard silicone sealing ran along the edges which I think regardless from escape prevention they will take easy.
- If we disregard the 2 aboves how should they be moved? I wouldnt want to just dump them in and potentially injuere the queen.

Altough I prefer DIY I would be also down to get a standard ant farm / tower but again how should they be moved in?

Any ideas, opinions welcome : )

Thx,

J.

[Antlover41157]

The aquarium is probably too big, I would recomend something like the esthetic ants mini outworld, or if you want a nturalistic setup a smaller aquarium.