Updates from a Danish noob

[oOFutteOo]

02-11 2018

All ants are now hibernating in my unheated basement, so now it is the long wait until spring i hope they make it thru, so i can move one of the colonies into my big setup and i have promised a colonie away thru the GAN program, i did not want to hand it over just before hibernation so we agreed to wait until end of February start March.

[oOFutteOo]

25/06 2019

All is still well here in Denmark, I have moved one family to my big outworld and formicarium, sold 1 the one threw GAN, one were lost threw the winter . That leaves one still available in the GAN system.
I will try to ad a link to some pic of my big setup.
I moved the ants up from the basement and out of hibernation about a month ago when i started to see activity outside in the wild ant colonies the spring were cold and wet here in Denmark.
After i moved them the colonies exploded i estimate 40+ ants in the big colony and a massive pile of brood.

Best regards Futte the Danish ant keeper

[oOFutteOo]

So here is some pickturs of My setup
Ant farm https://imgur.com/gallery/6UI8cTQ

[oOFutteOo]

27/6 2019

So the holiday is getting close and i´m going away for 3 weeks, so i were looking for a easy solution for feeding my ants, i need somebody to take care of them. I have brought some beetle jelly, i contains 20g protein per 100g. I know it is not a perfect solution but i'm hoping it will work, i have offered both colonies some and they are showing interest.

[oOFutteOo]

28/6 2019

The Jelly is not a huge success, the ants go to it occasionally but it not like the mehl worms where a group of ants will start feeding as soon as they discover it. But for now it is the best solution for my squeamish ant sitter. If anybody have another suggestion feel free to write it here. I'm hoping the lack of real protein will not set back the colonies to much over the 3 weeks vacation, what do you think, will it bee a problem?

[Hawkeye]

Have you tried offering them little pieces of boiled egg? That should probably cover their needs, and I am sure your antsitter can boil an egg every couple of days?

[Hawkeye]

I know AntsCanada frowns upon offering life prey and I admit it is a bit unethical but you might consider adding a couple of woodlice to their surroundings? At least that way the food remains fresh as I assume the ants won't attack all of them at once. Granted the woodlice might be a little light on meaty substance, but hey it's protein...

[oOFutteOo]

Hey Hawkeye

Thanks for the advice, i will go hunt in the rose beds in the garden. the woodlice will properly eat the beatel jelly

[Hawkeye]

While you're at it, see if your ants have a taste for peanut butter?

[oOFutteOo]

29/07-19

I'm back from holiday, and all my ants survived. Last minute i got a friend to feed them, he just dumped more food down down into the outworld, there were a bit of a mess to clean but i'm glad my ants had plenty of food


In my hollyday i helped an new ant keeper and his mom catching a queen. i'm exited to here if they succeeded and hoping on of the queens start a colony, but i'm keeping the last of my spare family reserved for him if they don't succeed.