I'd wait for spring for that eating cable, and I'd feel safer to test it while the ants are in a formicarium, so that they can move where the temperature gradient is better suited for them.GGUUNN wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 8:34 amI am tempted to purchase a 15W heating cable. If doing so, where should I place the cable in relation to the test tube.
Or I could just wait it out until the springtime.
Suggestions/advice much appreciated.
Read more: http://queenant.proboards.com/thread/11760/new-queen-messor-barbarus-help?page=1&scrollTo=68654#ixzz5dFjMbmR7
New Queen Messor Barbarus help
Moderator: ooper01
- UnrealSparks
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
- Location: Turin - Italy
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
Keeping the following colonies:
- [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
- [2x] Lasius Flavus
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
My queen has a white something in her mandibals. The test tube is bone dry. What should I do? take her out, then the cotton fill it up with water and replace the cotton and put her back?
kind regards
kind regards
- UnrealSparks
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
- Location: Turin - Italy
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
The best way to move her to a new test tube is:
First prepare a new and fresh test tube.
After that attach it to the old one (I usually use a bit of tape to hold them together).
Then cover the new one to make it dark, while shine a bright light on the dry one.
It may take a bit of time, but the queen should move to the darker section, bringing with her the eggs.
Tell me if you'll have any problem with the procedure.
First prepare a new and fresh test tube.
After that attach it to the old one (I usually use a bit of tape to hold them together).
Then cover the new one to make it dark, while shine a bright light on the dry one.
It may take a bit of time, but the queen should move to the darker section, bringing with her the eggs.
Tell me if you'll have any problem with the procedure.
Keeping the following colonies:
- [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
- [2x] Lasius Flavus
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
This works but personally I find you have to check on them more often to make sure they do not suffocate. This is purely my personal preference but I use rubber tubing and I put small air holes in it so I can leave them to it. Now I have Lasius Niger so this method suits me more because I find their stubborn nature causes them to take a life time to have them move when I want/ need them to. Messor Barbarus may be more willing to move quickly to a cleaner nest site and if that is the case then the tape is perfectly fine because they won't use up the oxygen before they move. Just a consideration.UnrealSparks wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:53 pmFirst prepare a new and fresh test tube.
After that attach it to the old one (I usually use a bit of tape to hold them together).
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.
- UnrealSparks
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
- Location: Turin - Italy
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
Thanks for pointing that out, I forgot.Hunter36o wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2019 4:44 amThis works but personally I find you have to check on them more often to make sure they do not suffocate. This is purely my personal preference but I use rubber tubing and I put small air holes in it so I can leave them to it. Now I have Lasius Niger so this method suits me more because I find their stubborn nature causes them to take a life time to have them move when I want/ need them to. Messor Barbarus may be more willing to move quickly to a cleaner nest site and if that is the case then the tape is perfectly fine because they won't use up the oxygen before they move. Just a consideration.UnrealSparks wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:53 pmFirst prepare a new and fresh test tube.
After that attach it to the old one (I usually use a bit of tape to hold them together).
I usually only tape around a bit more than half of the gap between the two tubes, so that I don't have to worry about oxigen. I thought in the past about connecting them with silicone tubing, but since this method has always been successful for me, I never tried.
Keeping the following colonies:
- [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
- [2x] Lasius Flavus
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
Ah my mistake, I took it up as you sealed it completely. Apologies for that. In that case the tape method is perfect.UnrealSparks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2019 5:48 amThanks for pointing that out, I forgot.Hunter36o wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2019 4:44 amThis works but personally I find you have to check on them more often to make sure they do not suffocate. This is purely my personal preference but I use rubber tubing and I put small air holes in it so I can leave them to it. Now I have Lasius Niger so this method suits me more because I find their stubborn nature causes them to take a life time to have them move when I want/ need them to. Messor Barbarus may be more willing to move quickly to a cleaner nest site and if that is the case then the tape is perfectly fine because they won't use up the oxygen before they move. Just a consideration.UnrealSparks wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:53 pmFirst prepare a new and fresh test tube.
After that attach it to the old one (I usually use a bit of tape to hold them together).
I usually only tape around a bit more than half of the gap between the two tubes, so that I don't have to worry about oxigen. I thought in the past about connecting them with silicone tubing, but since this method has always been successful for me, I never tried.
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.
- UnrealSparks
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
- Location: Turin - Italy
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
You don't have to apologize, I'm thankful you brought that up, otherwise I would have missed the detail!
Keeping the following colonies:
- [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
- [2x] Lasius Flavus
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
So I have my first worker! Yey! Now What's the next step? I see that the cotton inside the test tube look like it was "pulled" Should I put in some seeds now? I am thinking of connecting the tube to this:
https://www.antspace.design/product-page/queen-ant-formicarium-module-large-size
Should I or not?
https://www.antspace.design/product-page/queen-ant-formicarium-module-large-size
Should I or not?
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
This is the one I currently have at home
Could I use this set up instead? This one is smaller
https://www.antspace.design/product-page/queen-ant-formicarium-module
Could I use this set up instead? This one is smaller
https://www.antspace.design/product-page/queen-ant-formicarium-module
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- Posts: 409
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
- Location: Canada
- Contact:
Re: New Queen Messor Barbarus help
Now that you have a worker I would provide an insect and sugar water plus some seeds. But your one worker may not be able to chew up the seed all by herself so they may not start working on the seeds yet, but they will probably still take some to store inside the nest.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA
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