Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

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ImYume
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:57 pm

Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

Post: # 7741Post ImYume
Wed Jun 22, 2016 11:48 pm

Hello everyone :) First post here and newbie keeper

I caught my first queen today, a camponotus penn. and tried my hand at making a test tube setup for it.

I only had one cotton ball available to use so I used that to make the water barrier on the inside. I ended up rolling up a piece of gauze to plug the test tube opening and I'm wondering if that's a good alternative to a cotton ball plug? Should I switch it to cotton when I get the chance?

Thanks,

ImYume
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:57 pm

Re: Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

Post: # 7743Post ImYume
Thu Jun 23, 2016 12:28 am

Also, I noticed the queen is trying to chew bits of gauze apart and she appears to be having a hard time doing so. Why is she chewing the gauze? If it's for nesting purposes, switching to cotton would probably make it easier for her to pull it apart right?

Thanks,

martinnate

Re: Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

Post: # 7744Post martinnate
Thu Jun 23, 2016 2:34 am

Good morning, I don't see why Gauze wouldn't work as a stopper. It is only there to keep the Queen and her workers from getting out. And as for the chewing or pulling of the Gauze happens b/c she is stressed out a little. This is the hard part, wrap something around the tube to keep it dark, and put her in a dark non air conditioned room and wait about 30 days then then you can take her out and look at her and she should have about 4-6 workers at that time. If you are like me and can not wait to look or want to see all stages of the founding then you can look 2 times a week. Try to keep it short, but you wont see much happening until about week 2 du to her needing to get used to the new place. Once an egg comes it takes about 24 days for it to become an Adult Ant. I have Camponotus Spp. and that's what I did. She only had 4 with in that time frame, but I read the forums here and they are very helpful. I hope this helps.

AntsRule
Posts: 813
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:02 pm
Location: Chester County Pennslyvania

Re: Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

Post: # 7758Post AntsRule
Thu Jun 23, 2016 11:57 am

ImYume wrote:Also, I noticed the queen is trying to chew bits of gauze apart and she appears to be having a hard time doing so. Why is she chewing the gauze? If it's for nesting purposes, switching to cotton would probably make it easier for her to pull it apart right?

Thanks,
Sometimes queens move the cotton around a bit to adjust the humidity, and sometimes from stress. :D
With all the things ants can do, you wonder, who rules the planet :?

Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Pheidole sp.

ImYume
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:57 pm

Re: Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

Post: # 7793Post ImYume
Thu Jun 23, 2016 11:54 pm

martinnate wrote:Good morning, I don't see why Gauze wouldn't work as a stopper. It is only there to keep the Queen and her workers from getting out. And as for the chewing or pulling of the Gauze happens b/c she is stressed out a little. This is the hard part, wrap something around the tube to keep it dark, and put her in a dark non air conditioned room and wait about 30 days then then you can take her out and look at her and she should have about 4-6 workers at that time. If you are like me and can not wait to look or want to see all stages of the founding then you can look 2 times a week. Try to keep it short, but you wont see much happening until about week 2 du to her needing to get used to the new place. Once an egg comes it takes about 24 days for it to become an Adult Ant. I have Camponotus Spp. and that's what I did. She only had 4 with in that time frame, but I read the forums here and they are very helpful. I hope this helps.
Thanks for the explanation :) Ended up wrapping the tube in tinfoil and placing it in my drawer over some clothes. I'm really fighting the urge to just stare at the queen and watch though... I'll be sure to keep an extra eye when the 24 day mark hits then.

ImYume
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:57 pm

Re: Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

Post: # 7794Post ImYume
Thu Jun 23, 2016 11:57 pm

AntsRule wrote:
ImYume wrote:Also, I noticed the queen is trying to chew bits of gauze apart and she appears to be having a hard time doing so. Why is she chewing the gauze? If it's for nesting purposes, switching to cotton would probably make it easier for her to pull it apart right?

Thanks,
Sometimes queens move the cotton around a bit to adjust the humidity, and sometimes from stress. :D
Appreciate the tip :) When I checked yesterday I noticed she was moving the little bits of gauze she bit off to where the cotton with water was, so I guess this could be trying to adjust the humidity?

And also, is there a specific amount of space I should leave between the gauze plug and the water barrier inside? Like say an inch and a bit of space? Or does this not matter as long as I'm not crushing the queen of course...

AntsRule
Posts: 813
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:02 pm
Location: Chester County Pennslyvania

Re: Gauze instead of cotton? (test tube)

Post: # 7803Post AntsRule
Fri Jun 24, 2016 12:41 pm

ImYume wrote:
AntsRule wrote:
ImYume wrote:Also, I noticed the queen is trying to chew bits of gauze apart and she appears to be having a hard time doing so. Why is she chewing the gauze? If it's for nesting purposes, switching to cotton would probably make it easier for her to pull it apart right?

Thanks,
Sometimes queens move the cotton around a bit to adjust the humidity, and sometimes from stress. :D
Appreciate the tip :) When I checked yesterday I noticed she was moving the little bits of gauze she bit off to where the cotton with water was, so I guess this could be trying to adjust the humidity?

And also, is there a specific amount of space I should leave between the gauze plug and the water barrier inside? Like say an inch and a bit of space? Or does this not matter as long as I'm not crushing the queen of course...[
Well when you fill the test tube with about half water and the cotton plug takes up about 3/4 an inch what you are left with should be good. You can tighten up the space if the queen is stressed out, which might help her. :D
With all the things ants can do, you wonder, who rules the planet :?

Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Pheidole sp.

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