6 replies to this topic

[Manitobant]

Hello guys, the water reservoir in my nylanderia test tube ran dry and I'm wondering how exactly I move these girls to a new tube. I currently have two tubes connected with the old one in the light and the new one in the dark but it doesn't seem to be working. Any help would be appreciated thanks in advance!

[Somethinghmm]

Tape 2 test tubes together. Wrap the new test tube setup in foil and shine a light that produces no heat on the one with the colony. It should be pretty self-explanatory from there.

edit: I just finished reading your full topic. Give them a day. If they haven't move out, wait for the water resevoir to fully run out.

Edited by Somethinghmm, April 18 2019 - 1:42 PM.

[B_rad0806]

Dump them. That's what Nurbs tells me.

[AntsDanijel]

I have this problem. But no workers. Only eegs. I record. Look. 😁

[drtrmiller]

Ants will always seek out a new environment when their current one is unfavorable.  Sometimes, this takes longer than we would like or expect.  For example, it took over 2 months for one of my Brachymyrmex colonies to relocate to the new tube after theirs appeared to have completely dried out (the tubes were both attached to a common foraging area).

 

The water reservoir may look dry to you, but keep in mind that there is likely some moisture remaining in the cotton, and so the light alone may not be making them uncomfortable enough to move to the new tube.  If the tubes are connected directly together, it is also possible that the water evaporating from the new tube is transferring over humidity into the old, dry tube.  

 

Because these ants are not going to simply die from lack of water—they will search for a new water supply first—this is not a high priority move.  Have patience in this case, and do not force it.  Simply provide your ants a choice of easy-to-find environments that are more suitable than the current one, and trust that they will move when the current environment they are in is no longer suitable to them.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 19 2019 - 12:53 AM.

[Manitobant]

Ants will always seek out a new environment when their current one is unfavorable.  Sometimes, this takes longer than we would like or expect.  For example, it took over 2 months for one of my Brachymyrmex colonies to relocate to the new tube after theirs appeared to have completely dried out (the tubes were both attached to a common foraging area).
 
The water reservoir may look dry to you, but keep in mind that there is likely some moisture remaining in the cotton, and so the light alone may not be making them uncomfortable enough to move to the new tube.  If the tubes are connected directly together, it is also possible that the water evaporating from the new tube is transferring over humidity into the old, dry tube.  
 
Because these ants are not going to simply die from lack of water—they will search for a new water supply first—this is not a high priority move.  Have patience in this case, and do not force it.  Simply provide your ants a choice of easy-to-find environments that are more suitable than the current one, and trust that they will move when the current environment they are in is no longer suitable to them.

thank you for the help! I will let them move on their own accord.

[CoolColJ]

I got my Camponotus nigriceps queen and her remaining workers to move into the new test tube by rubbing my finger against the glass, causing a sound/vibration.
They ran across after I did that
Whereas with the light and warmth approach the queen would run across and then come back later

Sometimes you have to get creative...