280 replies to this topic

[Ernteameise]

OMG OMG OMG

Further update!

I cannot believe it! They have started to move into the new nest! Brood is now carried in as I write this down!

 

 

EDIT: I just had a laugh- a friend on Facebook, where I also share some of my ant journey (including this big move) just wrote as a comment: "I feel like I'm watching a Soap Opera." Well, indeed.

Edited by Ernteameise, March 28 2024 - 3:58 PM.

[Ernteameise]

Just a few pictures of the Messor colony in their fancy new home.

As you can see, they have already moved the brood and some seed in there to make it home.

Also, the puppae are moved towards the end with the heat mat, while the larvae are placed on the water tower.

I think these girls are going to thrive in there.

 

Larvae on top of the water tower:

 

 

 

 

Puppae near the heat source:

 

 

[Ernteameise]

Round seed are a real hassle!

It is very funny watching these girls, trying to transport round seed. They have a very awkward way of doing it- they roll them along, while walking backwards. Very slowly.

And then bump into all kinds of things.

People in the audience were laughing when I demonstrated this with a little "ant dance" during my veterinary lectures, but it is the truth.

 

 

[ANTdrew]

Congrats on the new nest and successful move! It is a great looking setup.

[Ernteameise]

So, I thought I attach the heat cable to the mini hearths for the smaller colonies up top on my shelf.

As usual, what I bought was total overkill. The heat cable I bought would be long enough to heat a swimming pool.

So what I did, I put the end of it in between outworld and nest for my Messor colony, so it will produce them additional heat for the girls, there.

I also am not impressed with the look of the heat cable swinging around everywhere, but luckily, I life in a rooftop flat, and in summer it will become so hot, that no heating is necessary.

Until then, I will have to live with the ugly esthetics.

 

At least the girls have it cozy:

 

 

Since today is Easter, I also served my ants a nice Easter dinner (fruit jelly, crickets and some fish food jelly), and the Messors also got some seed up top:

 

 

 

Collecting the seed and then stuffing them into the small connector tube is a real problem, and I think provided some mental enrichment for the girls:

 

 

 

 

Messors are very thirsty ants and you will always see them drinking. They need a lot of water for the production of their ant bread:

 

 

The colony is doing well, just look at all these small newborn larvae!

 

[Ernteameise]

Since FullFrontalYeti made me aware, I have now separated the parts of the heating cable that was touching each other.

I had not paid attention, but this probably prevented a fire hazard, even if the cable does not become very hot.

 

Anyways, the heat is doing wonders for the colonies.

Lots of activity.

 

Just look at all that activity in the outworld, and lots of traffic in the connecting tubes.

 

 

 

(last picture taken before I separated the cable touching itself, fixed now)

Edited by Ernteameise, April 1 2024 - 12:08 PM.

[Ernteameise]

If there was any doubt, now here is certainty: The Messor queen also has moved to the new nest. Here she is, in all her majestic glory.

 

 

[Ernteameise]

I know, I have to leave them alone....

but they will be all by themselves for Friday and most of the weekend, since I will travel home to my parents again.

 

Anyways, I just wanted to show some beautiful pictures, including the most beautiful picture I ever took of my Messor queen.

Isn't she a beauty.

 

There are also tons of new larvae

 

 

And the granary looks well cared for

 

 

They also have hoisted up the puppae to the heat source (heat mat is behind there)

 

 

I just do not get tired watching this beautiful colony.

[Ernteameise]

Since I had been tasked by the UK supplier of Emeraid veterinary diet to try out their Carnivore formula with my ants, I did a little experiment.

 

 

 

It is not their favorite, but after one hour, there was definite interest in this food:

 

[Ernteameise]

Yummy crickets

And, as you can see, they also like to lick the fruit jelly

 

[Ernteameise]

Always hungry

 

[Ernteameise]

Always thirsty.

Seriously, I have offered them 5 watering stations and on each of them, you can always see the ants drinking.

They need a lot of water for the production of their main food- the ant bread which they form out of chewed up seed.

 

 

Now for a kind of cool story-

The guardians of the nest entrance!

It is always these 3 majors.

They just sit there and check the comings and goings.

I have read that older ants often are the colony guards and first line of defense, and that some old ants will not return back into the nest proper- also to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

This makes a lot of sense.

How do I know it is always these three?

Well, I certainly know that one major who has had a broken leg for a year now. She is a pretty old ant. And despite her handicap, she to doing her job just like everyone else.

 

 

[Ernteameise]

I collected a bunch of dandelion seed.

They are great enrichment for harvester ants and the ants love them.

However, I am totally aware that my MESSor ants will make a total mess of it.

They have learned quickly how to process the seed- one ant has to hold the seed down, while another cuts off the floaty bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ernteameise]

After a few hours, the seed were all carried off and only the fluff was left

 

 

[Ernteameise]

The nest is filling quite nicely.

There is some egg and larvae production going, and the older larvae and puppae are kept at the back where the heat mat is.

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty spoiled ants, to be honest.

[Ernteameise]

Today I spend the day at home, so I had plenty of time enjoying this colony. At the moment, they are so active, I could watch them for hours.

I had chicken for dinner, so I offered some to them (they have loved chicken in the past) and they chopped it up and carried the bits to the nest.

I also decided to offer them some more dandelion seed, this time hidden in one of their seed feeders.

This makes it quite tricky for them to get the seed out, and they have been at it for hours, and still working on it. Great enrichment for them.

 

The piece of chicken right after dinner:

 

 

A few hours later:

 

 

Transport to the nest:

 

 

The dandelion enrichment:

 

 

[Ernteameise]

My Messors could not believe their eyes!

Suddenly, there was a HUGE seed in their feeding dish.

The biggest seed they had ever seen!

Now, how does one harvest this?

 

 

This is an organic walnut from the orchard of my parents.

[Ernteameise]

Crickets always get a lot of attention

 

[Ernteameise]

Another feeding experiment-

this time I went to the pet store and got some dog/ cat food (chicken pate as well as dried chicken hearts).

Some people have made good experiences with feeding cat food, let us see if my ants will like it:

 

 

 

Well, after 30 minutes:

I think they like it.

 

 

Only downside is that cat food smells. I think this will be more of a treat than a stable food.

[Ernteameise]

Some pictures of the colony in the new nest.

They have nearly taken up all the bottom shelf of the nest.

And they have stored some rubbish at the top (seed husks) but I hope this won't be too much of a problem.

 

 

Sharing a piece of cricket:

 

 

Chambers on the bottom shelf of the nest: