5 replies to this topic

[MrKotter]

Hoping someone has ideas for how I get these guys to move.  They have been in this tube for about 4 months and I've tried to move them on several occasions using light.  At one point, the water was leaking through badly and I had to use a Q-tip to soak it up before brood drowned.  When that went in, they all freaked and began moving the colony into the rubber stopper.  Unfortunately, they moved back to the middle of the tube within a couple hours.

 

I've tried connecting 2 tubes directly, using a connector, attaching a small outworld with other tubes.  I've added substrate, food, sugar water, clay, cotton and other items to outworld to entice them.  Other than a little exploration, no movement.  They don't even react to LED lighting at all.  I have to break out an incandescent light for them to even notice.

 

I have several colonies and have done tube migrations many many times.  They are so small, I don't want to put the light too close to the tube.  Between condensation and heat, I'm afraid to kill the queen, workers and brood.  

 

Pictures and Video

 

Any ideas for these obstinate little guys?

 

Kotter

[drtrmiller]

The old tube has to be completely bone dry before they will move at all.  If too wet is your problem, you might risk killing them if you attempt to force a move.

[ANTdrew]

One of the great disappointments of the hobby is that some colonies won’t move for anything in the world. I have a Crematogaster colony refusing to move out of a bone dry tube going on eight months now. I’m just going to dump them after hibernation.

[MrKotter]

One of the great disappointments of the hobby is that some colonies won’t move for anything in the world. I have a Crematogaster colony refusing to move out of a bone dry tube going on eight months now. I’m just going to dump them after hibernation.

That's a bummer.  Hope they come around.  I guess this is just part of the game, but definitely tough to give up after putting a lot of time into a colony.

[Broncos]

I have a colony of Brachymyrmex patagonicus. I would just attach 2 tubes together and wait. They like damp nests.

[NickAnter]

I dumped my Nylanderia out of their tube violently, and they have doubled in size since. I don't really think it harms prolific species. I would just dump them.