7 replies to this topic

[Deanmontague]

So I’ve got a camponotus, lasius flavus and lasius Niger colony on the go

Camp. Has 3 workers now doing well - about to put into a tub outworld for easier feeding.

Flavus HAD 5 workers.

Niger I’ve only had for about a month but she’s already got 3-4 pupae (?!) - this is the fastest I’ve seen the eggs develop so I’m surprised.

I’ve been feeding my flavus for a few weeks and they really were lapping up the honey so I thought I’d give them a bigger drop… big mistake. One night I noticed a worker stuck in it - I managed to save it as it was still alive and I rolled it gently with a cotton bud until it’s legs were free then put it back in for her sisters to clean her.

Checked this morning and another 2 had fallen prey to the honey but had already died. I felt awful - they’re down to 3 workers now. I searched frantically for the rest just incase as I originally thought it had 3.

I’m giving them a tooth pick drop of honey on a bit of foil in the test tube along with some smushed defrosted and chopped in half cricket - I think I need to do even smaller drops of honey they really are so tiny the nanitics - I’ve just ordered a byformica feeder (one micro one and one small) but the colonies way too small to move them to any form of outworld setup I think so I can’t use this yet.

Anyway just sharing my woes!

[Serafine]

If you run out of feeders or need a quick fix you can try this.

 

 

It's a cheap glas vial with a soft metal cap. Remove the cardboard inlay (if there's one on the inside of the cap) and push some holes into the cap with tweezers or a thin knife.

Works with all ants (even as small as Solenopsis fugax) unless they decide to bury the entire thing (like my Solenopsis fugax did).

 

Works best with sugar water or invert sugar syrup. Works with honey water but there's a risk fermentation gases will press the contents out of the feeder, especially during hot weather (byformica feeders have the same issue, that's not a fault of the feeder though, there's a general incompatibility between gravity feeders and stuff that undergoes gas-creating fermentation processes).

 

 

I'd generally recommend not to use honey and instead go for something less viscous and sticky. Yes, ants can also be sucked into and die in sugar water/honey water droplets but pure honey is just a death trap, especially for smaller ants.

 

You can also take a small piece of plastic straw and fill it with a bit of honey. Usually that helps to avoid ants getting trapped because they can't just walk onto it.

Alternative a sponge, q-tip or some cotton kinda works but it's not great.

 

 

Btw, you can move a colony into an outworld even if they are small - just put their tube into the outworld, add some cover (folded cardboard works well) and they'll be fine. Size doesn't really matter, they just won't make a lot of use of it until they have more workers.

Edited by Serafine, August 1 2022 - 2:30 PM.

[futurebird]

It sucks to feel like an ant murderer especially when a colony is small. But your colonies have you and they aren't in the wild so this setback won't be as big of a deal as it would be for a wild colony. Anyway I know the feeling, but we learn something every day we work with ants. It's pretty incredible to be able to care for creature so delicate it's hard to even pick them up without hurting them. 

Any antkeeper who says they've never killed some ants with a dumb mistake is lying. 

[Deanmontague]

Thanks guys!!

You’re right - rescuing that first flavus nanitic I felt like a surgeon 😂 don’t know how I did it but was very fulfilling when I did. I’ve made the honey droplets much smaller now until my feeders come.

I’d like to switch to sugar water when they come - what’s the best ratio to make it? I’ve never really made it before, just 25% sugar to 75% water and mix until it dissolves? Will that cover their water and sugar needs in one?

[Serafine]

Anything between 10 and 25% is fine i guess. The exact ratio doesn't really matter if they have a separate water source (which they always should have) they can just dilute it as they need.

[ANTdrew]

I like to soak tiny squares of paper towel with sugar water to prevent drowning young workers. One part sugar to four parts water is a good ratio. Put a drop or two on the paper towel square.

[Deanmontague]

Thanks!

Another quick question while I’m here; can the pupae survive if they get wet? I moved my camponotus colony to a bigger tube as the old had dried out - I put them on the windowsill to encourage moving with the new tube covered - the cotton wool must have still been moist despite no water because the sun created a lot of condensation and the brood and 2 pupae were quite moist - 2 out of 3 workers moved to the new tube and one worker stayed with the brood… so I just moved the last worker across manually myself and used a small brush to transfer the brood and two pupae (I’m surprised they didn’t take them with them tbh.. maybe in time they would have but I took my chance) they’ve accepted all the eggs and larvae back well but I haven’t seen them touch the two pupae - infact they’re quite far from the brood. Can the pupae die if wet?

[Serafine]

Yes, pupae can survive when they get wet (as long as they don't submerge long enough to drown).

They also often get stored away from the other brood stages as they can better deal with less humidity and benefit from additional warmth.