8 replies to this topic

[AntsNY]

I have a Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen with 8 workers and tons of brood from a boost.

 

Every time I hook her tube to my Ytong nest the workers act offended by the nest and start to block the entrance with any kind of rubble they have.

 

This has happened twice now. I even tried putting their tube in direct sunlight (supervised) and using a 15w heat cable on their tube at the same time.

 

A few workers went into the nest but most seem to stop right at the entrance and get offended and run back.

 

The nest is properly hydrated and they are in a dry tube. The water cotton was in the entrance to the tube so when hooked to the nest they have no water source,

 

I am now trying to heat the nest itself with the cable to see if they will go inside for the warmth and the humidity, (I tried this once before and they did not go in)

 

The only other thing I can think of is to use a bright hot light and slowly move it closer to the tube but I would like to do that as a last resort.

 

They are not offended by light at all.

 

Any suggestions would be awesome

[drtrmiller]

Did you make the nest yourself?

 

If you used silicone as an adhesive, it may not be fully cured.  Most aquarium silicone gives off acetic acid, aka vinegar, which the ants will find intolerable until fully cured and degassed (a few days).

 

If not, they could just be timid and not wanting to explore that area yet, or something else could be offending them—environmental or chemical.

Edited by drtrmiller, June 24 2015 - 6:45 PM.

[AntsNY]

Nest was made a very long time ago with aquarium grade silicone. Should be fully cured. 

 

They are just very stubborn.

 

I do not want to leave them hooked to the nest with no water source for too long though.

 

This was my design flaw.. I should have not plugged the wrong side of the tube with water cotton. 

[AntsNY]

What are some common signs of dehydration I should look out for?

[cpman]

The first thing that will happen is the brood will disappear from a lack of humidity in the nest.

[AntsNY]

I tried unsuccessfully for 5 hours to get them to move in yesterday, finally gave up.

 

I removed them, fed them and gave them the water plug back,

 

I wake up today and reattach them to the nest and they immediately go inside, queen, all 9 workers and brood.

 

This is why I love ants, I can watch them forever and never understand them. lol

[LC3]

 

 

This is why I love ants, I can watch them forever and never understand them. lol

Sometimes the most simplest things are the most complex.

[Lessian]

I realise that I'm probably making a zombie of this post, but I have been having this exact same problem with a Camponotus queen.  Twice she used up her water supply and I tried to relocate her, twice she outright refused my offerings of new accommodations and got put back in the original refilled tube.  Original posters description of them being highly offended is the best description and highly accurate.  
She has since gone and flooded her tube killing her brood, but at least this time it was enough to convince her to relocate.
All I can think is that maybe Camponotus are just a fussy bunch of little snobs lol.

[Alabama Anter]

I don't get why you call your queens fussy and snobs! I have kept Camponotus pennsylvanicus and Camponotus americanus and they both moved into tubes without problems or issues