16 replies to this topic

[ScottSchlueter]

Hey all-

My son is trying to start a colony.  He has watched every AntCanada video and I purchased him an AC starter kit.  All test tubes were washed with hot water and tiny amount of Dawm dish soap, then thoroughly rinsed (5 mins) and dried.  We have had 4 small queens (verified wing scars after the fact with microscope) die in the test tubes with a few days.  He also had one large Camponotus queen die as well.  The queens in tubes are put in test tube holder in a shoe box on a shelf in his dark closet (warm but not too warm).  He is very frustrated by the outcome.  This morning he caught another large Camponotus winged queen and I want to see if any of you have input.  I was thinking it might be air flow and we shouldn't use a entire cottonball to plug the tube, I am not sure if this is something to worry about or how much air can get thru cotton.  This is the only thing I can think of.  So we used half a cottonball this morning.  Seems with these large ants there might be a balance as they seem capable of removing the cotton.  

 

Here is the setup, let me know if you see any issues.  Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers!

-Scott

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[Antkid12]

Might have been the dish soap not sure, since you washed it thoroughly tho.

[Temperateants]

Keep the dead queens. There is a pretty good chance these Camponotous queens have parasites as this genus is very susceptible. Also, those Test tubes look a bit dry. It might just be me not seeing properly, but did you put water in them?

[Canadant]

Make sure the cotton ball inside is wet. Looks dry and perhaps water unable to pass through. Where are you located sir/madam?

I doubt it's the soap. Once in the test tube try not to disturb them for a few days then take a peak.

[DDD101DDD]

Try to push the water cotton ball down more.

[Barristan]

This test tube looks completely dry (but I could be fooled), did you fill part of it with water?
 

The dish soap shouldn't be a problem since you rinsed the test tube out multiple times.

 

The only time ants died in my test tubes was due to dryness (especially dangerous during hibernation since you don't look after the ants that often).

[Temperateants]

It's not the soap. You need water, animals need water, all life needs water. AntsCanada did show how he filled a test tube with water 2/3 the way correct?

[Serafine]

The cotton on the water tank side must be wet.

I usually hold the cotton ball for the tank side under water before I push it into the tube, that way it's sure it can conduct the water from the reservoir.

 

Your cotton on the water tank side should look like this (right side):

 

Edited by Serafine, May 26 2020 - 1:43 PM.

[VoidElecent]

To ensure the inner cotton is thoroughly dampened, I recommend tearing a whole cotton ball in two pieces, using one half for the entrance and the other half for the water. Allows water to flow more easily, better air circulation, and saves you cotton balls, too!

[ANTdrew]

To ensure the inner cotton is thoroughly dampened, I recommend tearing a whole cotton ball in two pieces, using one half for the entrance and the other half for the water. Allows water to flow more easily, better air circulation, and saves you cotton balls, too!

I second this. I don’t see water in those tubes.

[B_rad0806]

 

To ensure the inner cotton is thoroughly dampened, I recommend tearing a whole cotton ball in two pieces, using one half for the entrance and the other half for the water. Allows water to flow more easily, better air circulation, and saves you cotton balls, too!

I second this. I don’t see water in those tubes.

 

Ya the whole lower tube and the cotton has no water. They died of dehydration.  

[Serafine]

Test tube setup tutorials. Pick any, they're basically all the same.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nogbert]

I'm 90% sure there is water in the tube but it isn't wicking through the cotton properly. If you look at the light passing through the tube, the defraction is completely different in the two sections of the tube. Additionally the water is magnifying the surface behind the tube.

[NickAnter]

The side of the cotton that would be touching the water is dry.

[ScottSchlueter]

Thank you all for the great input.  For clarification, there is water in the test tube.  We pushed it in tight so no air bubble but stopped short of pushing it in until water came out.  We just checked the 3 Camponotus queens he has and the cotton surface the queen is exposed was dry, so as suggested we pushed the cottonball in further until it was saturated.  I hope this does the trick.  We initially thought the cottonball on the opening if the test tube may have been too tight resulting in them suffocating.  We went the other way and one of the queens pushed the cottonball out of the test tube.  Strong little buggers.  

 

I'm getting into this with my son, I have a new appreciation of ants and look forward to a colony.

 

Thanks again for all your comments.  I will likely be back with more dumb questions at some point.

 

Cheers.

-Scott

[OhNoNotAgain]

By the way if you're ever concerned about detergent, a light spray of vinegar will help rinse out most of the stubborn detergents (not all, but most).

You can try it on just about anything and you'll see what I mean.

[Serafine]

Don't use vinegar to clean acrylic boxes and acrylic formicaria though, it can make them crack.