6 replies to this topic

[1tsm3jack]

I have an A. Rudis colony, somewhat on the smaller side for now, but I was wondering when I may be able to move them into a larger nest? I have an Antscanada hybrid nest mini. The colony seems to be about 10-20 strong, but I can't exactly tell because I have them in dirt, and it also seems they are trying to double size before hibernation, as they have a lot of brood. 

[Ants_Dakota]

I have an A. Rudis colony, somewhat on the smaller side for now, but I was wondering when I may be able to move them into a larger nest? I have an Antscanada hybrid nest mini. The colony seems to be about 10-20 strong, but I can't exactly tell because I have them in dirt, and it also seems they are trying to double size before hibernation, as they have a lot of brood. 

I know it is tempting to splurge on a new nest, but an AC hybrid nest can fit hundreds of workers. I always recommend leaving ants in their habitat until they absolutely need to move. This helps in two ways.

1. it saves you money from buying more nests before they need it, as well as having to buy a new nest if your ants cause a mold outbreak in one section because they had extra space

2. It saves your ants stress from having more space than needed, and attempting to block it off.

[1tsm3jack]

It is a mini though, and they seem to be getting pretty crowded.

[1tsm3jack]

I probably will end up waiting until next year when they are active again and the queen has started laying again, maybe like once she's on her third batch for the year or something like that.

[Ants_Dakota]

It is a mini though, and they seem to be getting pretty crowded.

Perhaps edit your first post to display this, I am intrigued to see how crowded it is.

[1tsm3jack]

Perhaps edit your first post to display this, I am intrigued to see how crowded it is.

I have them in a dirt test tube to compare them to my other queen to see how they would do, it was kind of just a little experiment of mine. The queen in the empty test tube with no dirt has only one nanitic and only has a few eggs currently, while the one in the dirt has 10-20 workers. The ones in the dirt spend alot of time right in the front with all the brood but they have tunnels that go all the way to the very back and they use every bit of the space, I have them attached to a test tube portal where I give them a wet cotton ball for water and also I feed them in there as well. ( I do make sure to keep the food away from the water and if I notice it gets dirty I just change the cotton and clean the whole portal as well).

[RushmoreAnts]

It is a mini though, and they seem to be getting pretty crowded.

The Hybrid Nest Mini is still 4 in. by 4 in. That is quite large for an ant colony, and as Ants_Dakota pointed out, it can hold hundreds of workers. Ants are eusocial, and they thrive on being crammed together. If you think it looks crowded, they probably don't. If they're so jam-packed that you can barely even distinguish between individual workers, then it may be time to move them, but it is not necessary before that.

 

 

This is an example of 'not quite too crowded but would not hurt to move them.'

Edited by RushmoreAnts, October 16 2024 - 10:25 AM.