55 replies to this topic

[antsandmore]

I got my new colony of crematogasters yesterday from M_Ants, and they are awesome, so I wanted to make a journal. 

The queen still has wings, even after having 9+ workers and brood. yesterday, I gave them a fruit fly and they went after it, I also gave them some raw organic honey, but they seem uninterested in it. they have 3 pupae, and a few eggs and larvae. 

they are all very healthy and active.

[antsandmore]

the queen has 2 larvae/egg stuck to her wing    but maybe that's a bad thing

[ANTdrew]

Did you dilute the honey with water? Pure honey is often too thick for ants to drink up.

[antsandmore]

yes and added some sugar with the water just experimenting for now

[Ants_Dakota]

Did you dilute the honey with water? Pure honey is often too thick for ants to drink up.

i have noticed this. how do you do it, or what is the ratio?

[Kaelwizard]

 

Did you dilute the honey with water? Pure honey is often too thick for ants to drink up.

i have noticed this. how do you do it, or what is the ratio?

 

I do a 1:3 honey to water.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

 

Did you dilute the honey with water? Pure honey is often too thick for ants to drink up.

i have noticed this. how do you do it, or what is the ratio?

 

I do a 1:3 honey to water.

 

i will do this from now on! thanks!

[Kaelwizard]

 

 

 

Did you dilute the honey with water? Pure honey is often too thick for ants to drink up.

i have noticed this. how do you do it, or what is the ratio?

 

I do a 1:3 honey to water.

 

i will do this from now on! thanks!

 

I make sure it is about the same thickness as water, and it should turn the water a color similar to the byFormica sunburst or whatever it is called. There is often a layer of honey at the bottom of the container I store it in, so whenever I would mix it more every once in a while. I'm sure I'm overcomplicating though.

Edited by Kaelwizard, December 15 2020 - 7:13 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Just like Kael said. There's no exact science to it, but it should be a liquid.

[Ants_Dakota]

Just like Kael said. There's no exact science to it, but it should be a liquid.

thanks for all the help! i have literally wondered about this, as my honey seems really hard. 

[antsandmore]

a pupae became a worker. 

[antsandmore]

I have given them some sand substrate. they also are down to 5 workers because of my mistakes. one was feeding them honey in a cup that they fell in, and the other was feeding them live prey that they sprayed with formic acid and 2 workers actually sprayed it at each other??? sadly that is what happened. BUT, the queen is doing good, and the 5 workers are too.

also, does anyone know if queens take short breaks between laying eggs? its either because I'm experienced and I don't see the new eggs, or the queen actually isn't laying eggs. 

[antsandmore]

ok. down to 3 workers, 3 or 4 pupae, and larvae and eggs. I am providing them sugars at all times right outside their test tube and also giving them protein 1-3 times a week.

[ANTdrew]

Get some byFormica liquid feeders and don’t feed live prey. Pre-kill insects by popping them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

[antsandmore]

Get some byFormica liquid feeders and don’t feed live prey. Pre-kill insects by popping them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

I will try to get byFormica feeders, and I am pre-killing the insects, but now I will kill them in the freezer. Thank you!  

[Kaelwizard]

I just crush mine. Much quicker.

[ANTdrew]

Freezing is more humane and helps kill pathogens.

[Kaelwizard]

Freezing is more humane and helps kill pathogens.

I haven't had any issues yet so it works for me. I get my feeders from a store, and they are used to feed my lizard and tarantula's as well with no problems.

[antsandmore]

tbh, i have been crushing them, and have no problems with feeding, but i have also froze food yesterday, and they seem to like that. Maybe i will take turns between.

[ANTdrew]

Crushing is fine if that works for you, but keep in mind that store bought feeders can be one of the worst sources of grain mite infestations. Though they don’t really harm colonies, grain mites are very ugly, annoying, and difficult to get rid of. I actually started freezing *and* dipping feeders in boiling water this summer after I got burned bad by grain mites.