172 replies to this topic

[drtrmiller]

As long as you don't get a pungent, vinegary or unknown odor, it should still be fine.  I've actually started cutting up my cubes, and then freezing them for storage.  If you ever notice a strong, unusual odor after the food has been at room temperature for a day or so, do let me know.

 

The benefit of this is that liquid will not leach out during storage, and the cubes are much easier to handle for feeding.

 

Make certain that you freeze them separately, or you will have a difficult time with them being frozen together, due to the high moisture content.

Edited by drtrmiller, November 29 2014 - 4:00 PM.

[ToeNhi]

I cut them into cubes and freeze the ones I don't use immediately. I find that if I let them thaw a little, they are easier to cut into smaller squares or triangles. One of my Tetramorium colonies like to cover the cubes with substrate and burrow into the cubes.

Dr. Miller, I do have a question about the Formula 100. In some of the setups, it turns green after a day or two. Is that normal?

[drtrmiller]

Hey there!  Glad to see you back here!

 

Blue 100 has preservatives in it that generally make it resistant to molds, but it still may be decomposed by bacteria, especially some specialized bacteria that get a foothold in really messy nests where feeder insects are commonly introduced.  As per the instructions, I recommend removing uneaten Blue 100 after 24 hours to avoid issues.  Small bits brought into the nest, as long as the nest is ventilated and there is not 100% humidity, should be fine.

 

You should really add one cube per day, and remove it the day after, regardless as to whether you add another cube after the one is removed.  One, 1cc cube should be fed every 1-2 days.

 

Have you had a chance to try Blue 100 in the liquid feeders?  You do still want to cook it, but not to the point that it boils—my ants seem to prefer the cooked product.  And you may want to add more water to make the usable portion last longer (40-60 ml).  For all but the largest of colonies, Blue 100 works best with the tiny, 1" liquid feeder, and you only need to add 1 to 1.5 ml, of the 2 ml capacity, so not quite full.

[ToeNhi]

Hey Dr. Miller,

I'm sure it has to do with the humidity in the various enclosures, but some dry up fairly quickly and some stay moist for at least a day or more. I've been feeding them in cycles. I will make a batch of Formula 100 and feed it exclusively to all my colonies until it runs out, usually 2-3 weeks as I cut the cubes down to a size I think won't be wasteful. Then I go for a week or two with honey, insects, and seeds. I usually take everything out two or three days before I start a new cycle.

I have not tried the liquid version yet. I am waiting for the new Lightyear feeders.

[drtrmiller]

High humidity will definitely cause problems, regardless as to whether you use Formula products.  The reason for that is that most formicaries with high humidity also commonly have other problems, such as poor ventilation, making the high humidity a symptom of an unsound setup, as opposed to a feature.  Combine poor ventilation with high humidity and you will inevitably end up with mold.

 

Your feeding variety sounds like a sound strategy.  What works for my colonies,and what I'd recommend is:

• 1 cube Formula 100 every 1-2 days;
• 1 cube Formula 600 in the place of honey or sugar water, every so often (maybe once every week or two);
• Constant access to a liquid feeder of distilled water;
• Other foods, such as insects or seeds once every 5-10 days

[dean_k]

Just a small update.

 

The new girl has been going around and asking for food (Regurgitation). I have yet to see her doing anything productive yet. She's either idle or asking for regurgitation (4:20 & 9:00).

 

Meanwhile, in early part of video, a pupa appears to be close to eclose and I also see new eggs (5:20) which is a welcome news because the egg file was getting smaller. I see 10ish new larvae.

 

Shocking(3:39 & 6:45)! They've chosen to eat the carcass of a mealworm piece. Boy, it's over 2 months old. They are also vigorously consuming Blue 100 throughout the video.

 

Edit: Actually, I think the carcass on 6:45 is the shell of a pupa that eclosed few days ago.

 

 

Edited by dean_k, November 30 2014 - 7:49 PM.

[dean_k]

Amazing ... I think .. I think the ants are learning how to manipulate Blue 100.

 

1st step: They used to just eat it in outworld at first.

 

2nd step: They mine it and bring pieces to food chamber.

 

3rd step: They learn that moisture makes it eatable again, so they stick them onto gaps of Omni nest. Speaking of which, I think AntsCanada Omni nest and Blue 100 are meant to be together. Whenever I add water to the blue foam of Omni nest, excessive water tends to get into gaps of plastic which actually moists pieces of Blue 100 they store.

 

 

 

It is very hard to see from just the photos, but whenever I add water to the foam, it also adds moisture to pieces of Blue 100 that are stuck in gaps, and whenever the pieces of Blue 100 regain moisture, ants feed on it right away.

This also means that the ants have learned that they get water through the gaps of the nest and also know how to manipulate Blue 100.

[drtrmiller]

Ha! You seem more and more enthralled with this with every post.  I just hope the excess moisture doesn't lead to a disaster!  

 

If your ants are putting this near water sources, do allow it to dry out or get eaten before rehydrating, just to be on the safe side.

 

Looking at your photos, it almost appears as if they're using the Blue 100 as substrate, for wherever there is a small gap in the plastic assembly. . .

[dean_k]

Well, that's because I am intrigued. I haven't given much of thoughts on this before but it started to click for me when I saw them moving their stored Blue 100 further into queen's chamber.

 

Two videos to add and about dominant queen & the other queen in this colony.

 

There are 2 queens in this colony and the dominant queen looks after the brood constantly. The other queen stays low. Crystals also told me they'd do this also. Here is the thing. The second non-dominant queen has 2 followers. Whenever she goes out for some reasons, she almost always has 2 workers following her. The video below shows that and I believe I also noted a similar thing when I just got the colony from Crystals.

 

 

 

 

 

One queen is back in the nest. The other queen is hanging on the dish of egg white. 2 workers are consistently licking her and checking her out. They are literally with her all the time. I don't know what this behavior means. Maybe, the 2nd queen isn't feeling well ?

 

Above observation was made on Oct 12. And I still see that the non-dominant queen maintains 2 followers even in the video below as well. I find it very interesting.

 

The focus of the video moves onto the non-dominant queen who goes out of queen's chamber and her 2 loyal followers after around 7-minute mark. Unfortunately, timing was running out for me and I had to leave for work but she was acting weird with her gaster. I believe she laid eggs while I was at work because the egg file became much bigger in the 2nd video.

 

 

The 2nd video is short but it was taken right after I added water to the foam. You can see how Blue 100 pieces regain moisture again and around 2-minute mark you can kind of see now-much-bigger egg file.

 

Edited by dean_k, December 2 2014 - 4:32 PM.

[dspdrew]

Haha, the queen has her minions.

 

You should try making the background darker. I think it would brighten up the ants in the foreground a lot more, and make it easier to see more detail. The brighter the background is the more it looks like a silhouette.

[drtrmiller]

I do like the backlighting, but would prefer solid front lighting, as well, to compensate.  Something like the LED on a cell phone would probably do the trick.  

[dean_k]

Haha, the queen has her minions.

 

You should try making the background darker. I think it would brighten up the ants in the foreground a lot more, and make it easier to see more detail. The brighter the background is the more it looks like a silhouette.

 

I attempted to brighten with more light from front but the acrylic panel reflects direct light, so the only way to give more light was more ambient light, and the brightest room I have is my bathroom...

 

I will be purchasing a camcorder during the upcoming holiday season, so I will find a better way soon.

[Crystals]

You could try brighter light, at a different angle than the camera.  I often hold a flash light above the nest, while holding my camera at a 40 degree angle.

[dean_k]

You could try brighter light, at a different angle than the camera.  I often hold a flash light above the nest, while holding my camera at a 40 degree angle.

 

The problem is that my two hands are occupied handing the webcam and I do not have anything to make a stationary light source other than ambient light. The webcam has LED light but the light is reflected.

[drtrmiller]

You would be better off buying an inexpensive DSLR as opposed to a "camcorder."  

 

A good one I'd recommend is the Canon T3i.  The newer models, including the T5i, lose the digital zoom functionality while recording video, and so I can not recommend them for macro shooting.  

 

Here's what I use:

• Canon T3i
• 55-250mm lens
• Inexpensive extension tubes (you won't need auto-focus)
• (Optional) Macro LED light

[Crystals]

The problem is that my two hands are occupied handing the webcam and I do not have anything to make a stationary light source other than ambient light. The webcam has LED light but the light is reflected.

Perhaps place the light on a box and tilt it a bit?  Even if you have to tape the light on the top.

It wouldn't be the first time I put a flash light on a box and stuck an old paper towel tube under the back of the flash light. 

[dean_k]

Canon T3i doesn't seem cheap to me. It's 500 bucks.

 

Camcorder I was looking at which had zoom function with HD capabilities was 300 bucks.

[dean_k]

This is the camcorder I am looking at http://www.futuresho...42cf6f5f896en02

 

 

Perhaps place the light on a box and tilt it a bit?  Even if you have to tape the light on the top.

It wouldn't be the first time I put a flash light on a box and stuck an old paper towel tube under the back of the flash light. 

 

Well, if I do that, the ants will freak out and might take a while for them to calm down.

[drtrmiller]

Before I was into product design, I ran a small video production studio (not that my YouTube channel is any indication), and purchased and used extensively both inexpensive camcorders like the one you linked, as well as $4,500 semi-pro ones.

 

Camcorders are designed to record normal sized things at regular or far-away distances.  They are not designed to record ants.

 

I'm just trying to be helpful when I say that I really don't think you'll get any use out of any fixed-lens camcorder.

[dean_k]

In that case, I might as well try a better quality webam.

 

I am using a cheap 20 bucks webcam with a moderate success.