15 replies to this topic

[anttics]

So I have a colony of camp fragilis. They are housed in a test tube inside a container. So their test tube got a bit flooded. enough to drown larva, but not enough to drown the smallest of workers. They been like this for 2 days. I believe the cacoons close to the cotton were is more flooded have died. The ones close to the exit seem fine. I was surprised they have not move to a clean dry test tube place nextbto theirs. Its been 2 days and they can not understand their tube is flooded. Ill have to force them out. Or use heat and cold to move them. Oh fragilies are well cute but cowards compared to.my other colonies. Who are bolder and meaner here are pocs of them swiming on their test tube.


These larva are dark so they are dead. Ill be force to move them so mold don't kill them all




2 days with the dry tube. They go inside yet they like to drown their larva in the flooded tube. This ants are cute but dumb. Lol

[T.C.]

That's an unfortunate situation. I lost one of my largest Formica colonies when the tube flooded. That's why I move large colonies out soon as possible.

[Shifty189]

i don't understand why test tubes flood. Is there something that can be done to prevent flooding? is there something that people do that causes the flooding? does this only happen when heat is applied to a tube? Sorry for these questions, but i'm new to ant keeping and would very much like to avoid a situation like this with one of my colonys

[FeedTheAnts]

i don't understand why test tubes flood. Is there something that can be done to prevent flooding? is there something that people do that causes the flooding? does this only happen when heat is applied to a tube? Sorry for these questions, but i'm new to ant keeping and would very much like to avoid a situation like this with one of my colonys

I'm sure it just happens when the seal made by the cotton is not strong enough(basically if there isn't enough cotton to actually be stuffed in there hard). I apply heat to my test tubes, and it does usually cause a good bit of condensation which can build up and cause flooding. If you only heat the part of the half of the tube away from the water reservoir then you should be fine though.

[StayLoki]

^^^can the same be said for hibernating/chilling? The seal being broken?
I've seen you guys mention flooding during hibernation and I'm wondering if it's something to look out for also and how to avoid it as well..!

[anttics]

Yeap i mess it up. I put the heat mat over the watet reservoir.
The seal is ok. Other wise i wohld have lost all, but the largest ants and the queen. That was my mistake i did not kniw this might happen. So i learn my leason. The only concern i have is mold. Growing on the dead cacoons and a few fruit flies that have been inside there for a week. So today after work I will dump them all out of thar test tube. Or just cool it and apply heat to a new test tube for them to.move. ill post here how it goes.

[Shifty189]

 

i don't understand why test tubes flood. Is there something that can be done to prevent flooding? is there something that people do that causes the flooding? does this only happen when heat is applied to a tube? Sorry for these questions, but i'm new to ant keeping and would very much like to avoid a situation like this with one of my colonys

I'm sure it just happens when the seal made by the cotton is not strong enough(basically if there isn't enough cotton to actually be stuffed in there hard). I apply heat to my test tubes, and it does usually cause a good bit of condensation which can build up and cause flooding. If you only heat the part of the half of the tube away from the water reservoir then you should be fine though.

 

so with all that being said, wouldn't it be best to leave them in an outside or non-air conditioned room? i don't understand why take the risk. it might just be because i live in Florida (AKA the natural heating pad)

[FeedTheAnts]

 

 

i don't understand why test tubes flood. Is there something that can be done to prevent flooding? is there something that people do that causes the flooding? does this only happen when heat is applied to a tube? Sorry for these questions, but i'm new to ant keeping and would very much like to avoid a situation like this with one of my colonys

I'm sure it just happens when the seal made by the cotton is not strong enough(basically if there isn't enough cotton to actually be stuffed in there hard). I apply heat to my test tubes, and it does usually cause a good bit of condensation which can build up and cause flooding. If you only heat the part of the half of the tube away from the water reservoir then you should be fine though.

 

so with all that being said, wouldn't it be best to leave them in an outside or non-air conditioned room? i don't understand why take the risk. it might just be because i live in Florida (AKA the natural heating pad)

 

Your not taking any risk as long as you put the dry(not water reservoir side) on the pad. also, the condensation would take a few days to build up, so would probably catch it.

But if you can then it would be a great idea to just have it in a muggy room of your house.

Edited by TennesseeAnts, May 24 2018 - 12:57 PM.

[gcsnelling]

Yup, pack that cotton tight, but be careful as I have broken a tube or two. Also you can elevate the open end of the tube a bit which will help keep the water in place.

[Reacker]

Yup, pack that cotton tight, but be careful as I have broken a tube or two. Also you can elevate the open end of the tube a bit which will help keep the water in place.

I liked to find the thickest tubes possible to prevent the tubes breaking like that.

[noebl1]

I observed an interesting one where I had a bunch of test tubes I had taken out of hibernation.  We had a record low as a Nor 'Easter went thru, and as I was watching the pressure bottom out on the weather station, all the test tubes started flooding at once.  They had been out of the fridge for 1-2 weeks, so wasn't like they had just had a major temperature change. I raised them up, and after a couple hours the started drying out.  

 

I've also had flooding when the room jumps in temperature substantially.  This Spring before I turned on the A/C, one hot day my office jumped up from low 70s in the AM, to 90F by the evening.  Several of the test tubes started to flood.  Fortunately the ants seemed to do fine relocating, or in the case of my Aphaenogaster, they used sand and coconut fiber to raise their level of their test tube and were fine.

[anttics]

I observed an interesting one where I had a bunch of test tubes I had taken out of hibernation. We had a record low as a Nor 'Easter went thru, and as I was watching the pressure bottom out on the weather station, all the test tubes started flooding at once. They had been out of the fridge for 1-2 weeks, so wasn't like they had just had a major temperature change. I raised them up, and after a couple hours the started drying out.

I've also had flooding when the room jumps in temperature substantially. This Spring before I turned on the A/C, one hot day my office jumped up from low 70s in the AM, to 90F by the evening. Several of the test tubes started to flood. Fortunately the ants seemed to do fine relocating, or in the case of my Aphaenogaster, they used sand and coconut fiber to raise their level of their test tube and were fine.

Well we know now. Camponotus fragilis are not the smartest ants out there. Unless my colony is dumb like that. I'm using cold and heat to move them. its working very slowly. I'm taking pics and videos

[anttics]

Little issue. The pupae are stuck to the tube. Any suggestion in the next few minutes will help.

[drtrmiller]

I observed an interesting one where I had a bunch of test tubes I had taken out of hibernation.  We had a record low as a Nor 'Easter went thru, and as I was watching the pressure bottom out on the weather station, all the test tubes started flooding at once.  They had been out of the fridge for 1-2 weeks, so wasn't like they had just had a major temperature change. I raised them up, and after a couple hours the started drying out.  

 

Precisely why shipping doesn't fare well.  Altitudinal changes can cause sudden changes in pressure, resulting in flooding.

 

Wouldn't it be great if perfectly prepared test tubes could be manufactured and sold?  Never going to happen, because physics.

[KBant]

Take the old test tube and dump contents, queen, workers, brood and all into the outworld. Cover new test tube with some aluminum foil to make it look extra enticing. Of course use heat too.

Remove the eggs, larvae and pupae that don’t fall out with a bamboo skewer and drop into the outworld. They’ll have no choice but to go into the new test tube.

[anttics]

Yeap. It worked out well. Here are some pics


I joined both flooded tube with new clean tube. I place ice cubes on top of flooded tube. Took exactly 15 minutes for them to decide to move. First the larva, queen was next. Then the pupae.


Here you can see pupae stuck to the tube.




I tuened it upside down for gravity to give them a hand.

It did not work. So once all larva and eggs were moved. i dump them in the outworld. It took a lot of shaling for the pupae to fall.


Here they are in their new test tube.


I also connected an empty test tube To put under the heat mat. Well. I checked them in the morning. the queen and pupae were in the hot dry empty tube. Eggs stayed in test tube with water. The Move took 30 minutes, and was a success. I lost about 5 larva who drown. Every one else seem good. The colony is at 50 strong. I hope this new set up will help. Which I can tell it will. Ill take a pic of set up so you get an idea. Thx for ideas. And learn from my f up.


Here you can see them better in the dry tube. I'm keeping them next to the novo colony. I got back from my brother a few days ago.

Edited by anttics, May 25 2018 - 9:50 AM.