103 replies to this topic

[Ernteameise]

I just love watching them, feeding their sisters, carrying small bits into the nest and lovingly feeding the larvae, and the workers assisting the puppae to create their cocoons.

This might be a tiny colony, but it is very busy and exciting to watch.

I know that some people say that Lasius are boring, but just look at this one view and all the things going on:

 

[ANTdrew]

Ants are not boring just because they are common!

[Ernteameise]

Ants are not boring just because they are common!

Totally agree!

There is a reason why this species so successful in nature.

However, there is this "Lasius is boring"-meme that has been repeatedly posted in ant social media groups.

[Ernteameise]

Well, besides this small founder colony, for the past weeks, every day when the sun was shining, the colony inhabiting the herb garden on my balcony also was active.

Their foragers were basically scouting the whole of the balcony!

Now, with spring in full swing and unusually hot days, the balcony season has now started!!!

I moved my herbs and cacti and citrus back outside and also put up the balcony feeding station again.

I am going to try the protein powder again with these Lasius niger- they are wild ants, not spoiled inside pet ants, and maybe they will take it. I am curious.

This is a very nice opportunity to directly compare "wild" versus "inside pet" ants of the same species.

 

 

This Lasius niger colony lives somewhere in here, in the herb garden. So far, I did not have it in me to dig them out and see where exactly they are. I will just leave them be.

 

 

And this is the feeding station

 

[Ernteameise]

Well, now, several hours after I have set it up (it is now cold and dark outside), I do get the impression that they might have accepted this feeding station.

They are even eating off the protein powder slurry.

And they have nearly drained the 1ml nectar feeder.

 

[Ernteameise]

Well, this is A LOT of hungry ants.

 

[Ernteameise]

Very nice colony growth with the captive inside colony with a nice pile of larvae and fresh eggs!

 

 

[Ernteameise]

The inside colony has now formed 2 piles in their mini hearth at the two opposite sides of the nest:

The larvae are stored on top of the water tower, the puppae are stored in the dry at the other end.

 

 

[Ernteameise]

The inside Lasius colony is such an amazing colony!

Fast and active, very curious, attentive and there is always something going on and ants are running about.

I am however a bit scared by they incredible growth.

They have another bunch of new eggs and larvae and a huge pile of puppae.

I had heard that they grow reasonably well, but this is (for me) kind of explosive.

 

 

 

Look at these piles!

 

[ANTdrew]

You need to experience at least one explosively growing species.

[Ernteameise]

You need to experience at least one explosively growing species.

Right. I take your word for it.

[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:

 

 

 

After 30 mins:

Well, the inside foragers drag away small pieces into the nest:

 

 

And the balcony colony have completely swarmed it:

 

 

So cat food is a success!

 

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

[Ernteameise]

These ants continue to grow....

but now, we also have some kind of weird fuzzy stuff next to the brood on the water tower.

Did they drag in some cotton?

Or is this some kind of mold?

If it is mold, why is not not cleaned up?

 

 

 

[TacticalHandleGaming]

That's definitely cotton. I've had a few colonies do this.

[Ernteameise]

That's definitely cotton. I've had a few colonies do this.

I never knew this!

I also asked on Facebook, and several people answered that this will be the cotton from the test tube up top, and that their ants all do it to help the larvae spin the cocoons.

Wow!

This is amazing.

I will add some sand to the outworld which they can collect and make it easier for them to spin cocoons.

I am very relieved that I do not have a rabid mold infestation.

[Ernteameise]

An avalanche of workers coming up!

 

[ANTdrew]

Look out!

[rptraut]

 

So cat food is a success!

 

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

 

Hello Ernteameise:

 

I feed all my ants canned dog food as part of their weekly feeding rotation.    Mine didn't really like cat food all that much.    I also want to try dry dog food as a vacation food while I'm away.    Dry cat food might work too.

RPT

[Ernteameise]

 

 

So cat food is a success!

 

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

 

Hello Ernteameise:

 

I feed all my ants canned dog food as part of their weekly feeding rotation.    Mine didn't really like cat food all that much.    I also want to try dry dog food as a vacation food while I'm away.    Dry cat food might work too.

RPT

 

Well, dry cat food might be something I have to try. But it seems to be such a waste to buy a packet if I do not own a cat...

[rptraut]

Hello Ernteameise;

I’ll get some from my sister-in-law….she’s cat crazy!
RPT