4 replies to this topic

[Ernteameise]

A question to the experienced Camponotus keepers out there.

This week, I bought a small founder colony of Camponotus piceus.

This is a small European species with small colony sizes (average colony size of mature colonies up to 200 workers, rarely they get bigger).

 

The colony is from last year.

Right now, there are 6 workers and one queen and some larvae.

 

The seller from whom I got the girls from luckily provides A LOT of information on his website, and the says the following about the colony growth in this species:

- 1st year 5-20 workers

- 2nd year 20-100 workers

- 3rd year several hundred.

 

Looking at these numbers, this is a HUGE discrepancy.

 

I have seen that Camponotus grow slower than other species.

 

What are your experiences?

What are the reasons for these wildly differing numbers? After all, 100 workers are 5 times more than 20!

 

 

[ANTdrew]

With heat and lots of insect protein, you should easily get to the upper end of those numbers.

[Ernteameise]

With heat and lots of insect protein, you should easily get to the upper end of those numbers.

Question.

I live in a flat right under the roof (with poor insulation).

So in summer, my living room has average temperatures of 25-30 degrees centigrade.

I figured that this would be fine for my ant colonies (especially the Messor and Camponotus come from warm Mediterranian regions in Portugal and Spain).

Currently, heating mats and heating cables are switched off (I had the heating mat on for my Messor colony last night since it was a cool and rainy day, though).

 

Should I still keep the heating on?

I do not want to over-heat the colonies.

 

How do you manage this?

Right now, my thermometer says 24 degrees (but outside temperatures will go up to 28 today).

 

In winter, I have the opposite problem and during the day, average temperatures in my living room will be around 10- 15 degrees (and go up to 18 when I will be home during the evening when I switch the heating on).

I think this will also be pretty natural for my Messor colony from Sevilla....

[ANTdrew]

That sounds ideal! Definitely no need for heating in those conditions. My house is basically the same temps and even warmer in the kitchen where my ants dwell.

[Ernteameise]

That sounds ideal! Definitely no need for heating in those conditions. My house is basically the same temps and even warmer in the kitchen where my ants dwell.

Great, thank you.