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Anyone noticed this about lasius niger?

Started By Byronicus1 , Aug 3 2017 10:33 PM

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#1 Offline Byronicus1 - Posted August 3 2017 - 10:33 PM

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I have a small colony of lasius niger in a natural setup and they seem to be active for two weeks and then just stay inside their nest for another 2-3. Has anyone noticed this?

#2 Offline Serafine - Posted August 4 2017 - 5:11 AM

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That's normal. They fill up their stomaches, eat as much as they can and then retreat to the safety of their nest. They may even completely close the entrance. In the wild the biggest enemy of Lasius niger are other ants like Lasius niger or Formica fusca. A young colony does well when moving under their radar.

Also it has probably something to do with how the queen lays eggs. When the colony has no larvae there is no need for protein (eggs and pupae don't eat) so no need to forage (they are probably coming out at night do drink sugar but their consumption will be minimal).

Edited by Serafine, August 4 2017 - 5:12 AM.