11 replies to this topic

[AntLoverAdam]

Hello,

My Myrmica Rubra colony are always moving chamber to chamber every single day. There currently housed in a ant kit size 2 nest. They have 20 workers. Any idea why?

[Shifty189]

It’s normal for this kind of thing to happen. They are chasing the perfect temperature and humidity.

[Serafine]

Myrmica like it very very moist. I'd consider giving them a test tube (with a straw as entrance) which is probably a better place for them than a fast-drying acrylic nest.

[Jadeninja9]

If you do what Serafine says, just don’t do the straw as entrance. They can move into the straw and you won’t be able to see what goes on in there. It can also be hard to get a head count and brood count if they move in there.

[AntLoverAdam]

Myrmica like it very very moist. I'd consider giving them a test tube (with a straw as entrance) which is probably a better place for them than a fast-drying acrylic nest.

I am hydrating the nest every day. I don't want to move them back to a test tube since I recently moved them into the nest. Will there be any consequences if I don't move em back into a test tube? Thanks.

[noebl1]

If you do what Serafine says, just don’t do the straw as entrance. They can move into the straw and you won’t be able to see what goes on in there. It can also be hard to get a head count and brood count if they move in there.

 

I do this technique with several ant species and never seen it happen.  My straws are usually barely 1/2" long going thru the cotton ball, so not sure how it would obscure much?  The straw technique is great as it's a smaller "more natural" opening, and if you add any substrate to an outworld, they can open/close/adjust the opening of the straw which is a bit more natural for them to what happens in the wild.

[AntLoverAdam]

I have another question. Is this nest too big for my Myrmica Rubra colony? There taking half of a chamber. There's two chambers. There always scatter across the nest. If it is should I move them back into a test tube? Thanks.

Edited by AntLoverAdam, May 27 2018 - 2:40 PM.

[rdurham02]

 

If you do what Serafine says, just don’t do the straw as entrance. They can move into the straw and you won’t be able to see what goes on in there. It can also be hard to get a head count and brood count if they move in there.

 

I do this technique with several ant species and never seen it happen.  My straws are usually barely 1/2" long going thru the cotton ball, so not sure how it would obscure much?  The straw technique is great as it's a smaller "more natural" opening, and if you add any substrate to an outworld, they can open/close/adjust the opening of the straw which is a bit more natural for them to what happens in the wild.

 

Yeah, it works well for some of smaller ant as well, such as Temnothorax sp. However, I usually use some aquarium airline tubing or vinyl tubing for larger ants instead of straws since that is what I tend to have lying around in my supply drawer. 

[Leo]

My leptogenys moved nests 12 hours 

Edited by Leo, May 28 2018 - 2:43 AM.

[Serafine]

If you do what Serafine says, just don’t do the straw as entrance. They can move into the straw and you won’t be able to see what goes on in there. It can also be hard to get a head count and brood count if they move in there.

If the ants move into the straw then your test tube is too large. I've done that with several species though ranging from large (Camponotus) to itsy (Solenopsis fugax) and they NEVER even tried to nest inside the straw. Ants often happen to nest inside vinyl tubing due to humidity, airflow and temperature reasons however this is not the case with straws.

The only thing that ever happened was that my Camponotus (which are a meditarranian species) sometimes stored their pupae inside the straw while I use a red light to heat the outworld (that is however very unlikely to happen with Myrmica).

 

And yes, the straw as entrance is necessary because it allows to plug the test tube with cotton which keeps the air inside the test tube humid and prevents rapid evaporation of the water in the tank (which is especially important for ants that like a moist nest like Myrmica does). I've had 20x200mm test tubes that lasted for over a year.

[AntLoverAdam]

Can anybody answer the other questions I had about moving the colony? Thanks.

[YsTheAnt]

Can anybody answer the other questions I had about moving the colony? Thanks.

Leave a test tube in their outworld, leave it and the nest dark. If they feel the nest is too exposed, they will move into the tube.