Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2011 21:59:49 GMT 1
Hello Members and Non-Members,
The Staff have put together a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for your use.
Q1: I can't see my ants, what should I do?
I assume you have a starting colony with only a few ants. Ants like it dark (it makes them feel secure) this means they will find a place to hide and eventually nest. Depending on the species this could be underground, in a piece of wood, etc. A small colony means there is hardly any need for foraging, the colony does not have enough brood to need to forage every day.
You'll notice that once the colony grows they will come out more, so be patient and give it some time.
If it is winter at the moment the colony will have went into hibernation and will need little food. (If you are heating them than they will not have went into hibernation.)
Experienced Ant Keepers hardly ever risk digging up a colony as the potential for disaster is too great. This should only be done as a last resort or if an emergency happens; flooding, cave in, etc.
Q2: How often should I feed my ants?
If you are feeding them food that cannot really mould like seeds then just fill up a soda bottle cap with seeds and make sure they don't run out.
If you feed them insects or ant jelly then it comes down to trial and error, there is no exact number as it depends on season, colony size, species, type of food, etc.
Start with tiny bits and keep increasing it every feeding time until you notice you have reached the maximum amount the ants will accept. Gradually start to increase the amount of food as the colony expands. You should keep in mind that you want to prevent food from moulding. Once that starts happening it means you are feeding them too much.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/diet.html
Q3: How to prevent my ants from escaping
There are several methods and it depends a bit on the size and/or type of ant on what works best.
You can find specific tips in the care sheets.
What methods are there?
• Talcum Powder: Talcum Powder (talc) is most used because it is cheap and simple to use, there are two ways of making a talc "border". 1) Take pure talc and just press it on the glass or plastic using your finger, press it hard enough until a nice white border of about 1cm width appears. 2) Mix talc with 80%+ alcohol and paint it on the wall, the alcohol will evaporate and leave the talc behind. Both methods need to be checked on a monthly basis and if needed be re-done. (Please note that the amount of time talcum powder works depends on the amount of effort your colony expends on trying to escape their enclosure. The more they attempt to escape the shorter the talcum powders lifespan will be.)
• PTFE (Teflon): Can be bought at www.antstore.net/shop/, costs a bit more than talcum powder but is said to be the most secure method. Simply use it to paint a border and it should stay on for ages. Works great against ants who can still manage to walk over the talk powder.
• Lid: The most secure way to contain would be escapees has to be a lid. The lid should have a grid that allows air to come in but prevents ants from escaping. (The grid can be a tough feature to incorporate with smaller ant species.)
Read care sheets and journals about the ant species that you want to keep and see what method others use for that specific situation.
Q4: What kind of medium is best for my ants?
For most species a sand/dirt medium would be best, just picture how they live in nature. In some cases you can replace the sand/dirt with a hand crafted or bought nest made out of ytong or clay.
*Please note that the Staff is currently working on a database for soil mediums used for different ant species.
Q5: My queen is not laying any eggs, what now?
Unfortunately there is no easy way to detect if a queen has mated 100% and if she is therefore able to lay any fertilised eggs. If you bought her from an online anting shop than the odds are high she is. If you bought her from eBay or caught her yourself than it's always a gamble as to whether she is fertilized.
During the winter season she might not lay any eggs at all or only at a small rate, so keep that in mind. Other than that it can take weeks before the queen feels secure enough to start laying eggs, some queens lay after a day others after 2 months or more.
Make sure the queen has all she needs, keep her in the dark, make sure she has a water supply and ventilation. Constant checking will only stress her and stops her from laying any eggs. I know it's hard, but leave her alone for 1-2 weeks and then check in dim light so you won't stress her too much.
Q6: My queen has died , can I just replace her?
Unfortunately, in 90% of the cases, no. If the species are polygyne than it means they can grow with multiple queens working together and if one dies the others will carry on. If the species are monogyne than the colony will slowly die out as no new workers will get born. The problem with replacing a queen is that she has her own specific colony pheromones. The workers will not recognize these different pheromones and assume she is from a different colony and kill her.
Q7: Can I add ants from my garden to my colony?
A common mistake made by many new ant keepers, but it will most likely result in the death of the worker(s) or the queen.
By nature ants will not tolerate unknown ants in their nest and will never see them as their own. This is due to the fact that each colony has a specific pheromone odour. If an ant does not have exactly the same odour than she will most likely be killed.
There are methods for doing this that could work, but seeing it's nothing a novice ant keeper should try we'll leave them out. If you really want to try this then I suggest asking on our forum for guidance.
Q8: I want those cool leaf ants, is that smart to begin with?
No, Leaf Cutter ants are VERY hard to keep. They require a massive nest, they are expensive to buy, and they must have access to freshly cut plants (or live plants) at all times. Even experienced ant keepers have trouble with this species due to their requirements.
Q9: I think I have mould in my nest, what now?
Sometimes mould can be seen to be growing inside some ant farms but this is often dealt with easily. Mould in ant farms thrives on damp and warmth. It can be avoided by placing food in a 'Feeding Dish' or avoiding the use of foods that mould quickly (such as Egg), and by not keeping your ant farm to humid. If you see any mould in the ant farm that is easy for you to get to then simply scrape it out. If you can then wash the affected sides of the ant farm with a very dilute mix of warm water and washing up liquid. If it is in the part of the nest that is not occupied but you can't get to it easily then try to use a long thin object and collapse the affected tunnel/chamber.
Ants will often remove the mould themselves but may need a helping hand from you by using the methods mentioned above. You may want to consider letting the ant farm medium dry out a little if you believe the mould has been caused by too much humidity. This can be done by removing the lid off the ant farm for 24 hours or so. This can be tricky though as it could be ants being able to escape.
Q10: What species should I start with? Which ones are good for children?
Well, for the first question, I am assuming you are a beginner. If you are Europe-based, I would suggest Lasius Niger, Lasius Flavus, or if you have some experience, Messor barbarus. If you are North American-based, I would suggest either Tetramorium caespitum (Species E.), Lasius Neoniger, or Formica fusca. Any of these are suitable for adults and children alike.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/species.html
Q11: Which types of ant farms are good for Children? Adults?
Well, this obviously depends on the age, but assuming the child is 10+, then Slim Ant Farms, AntsCanada Habitat Nests, Pumice Stone Nests, and Y-tong nests. You can use a basin type antfarm, it can be harder to view the ants underground though. I would not suggest plaster to anyone under 12, as it takes more to keep in-condition. All of those are suitable to adults, but most would normally prefer to have a nicer slim farm than one of those plastic "Uncle Milton" farms.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/keep.html
Q12: Help, what do I feed my ants?
Well first of all, we need to know if you just have ''Worker'' ants or a ''Whole'' colony (Queen, Workers and brood).
Feeding workers: For workers you only need to feed them high energy, sugary foods. This can be honey, sugar water. Basically anything sugary and high energy so that the workers can accomplish their daily tasks such as; Creating tunnels.
Feeding a queened colony: If you have a queened colony, you will need to feed them various foods. You will need food for the workers and food for the larvae.
For workers as above, you will need to feed them high energy, sugary foods. (Honey, Sugar water, etc.) The larvae you will need food that are rich in proteins. Insects are the most commonly used. For small colonies give them just small, dead insects (fruit flies, flies, parts of crickets, etc). For larger colonies you can give them larger insects and if you feel comfortable you can feed them live insects. Larger insects include mealworms, crickets, spiders,etc. Myrm’s Ant nest Forum does not recommend feeding ants live spiders. The problem with feeding live spiders is simply because if they get away and create a web in your enclosure the ants will keep getting stuck in the web trying to attack the spider.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/diet.html
Q13: How long will my workers live in my antworld?
Worker ants in captivity normally live from 8 months – 1 1/2 years.
You must provide proper care otherwise that number dramatically decreases. If you have caught the workers from outside or ordered them than the lifespan will generally be shorter. Colonies send older workers out foraging because of the danger of them never returning. Therefore if you catch a worker from outside she is most likely already through half of her life.
Q14: How big should my ant farm be? People on the internet always say not too big, let the colony grow into it, but I went to a museum and one was huge! Why do I have to keep small ones?
There are several reasons why you should not put your young/small colony into a large formicarium. The biggest factor is that the ants will feel insecure. In the wild the colony digs their nest according to their needs. This way it is never too large and never too small. Another problem with starting off large is mould. If the nest is too large the ants will designate part of the nest as a midden chamber. All of their waste will go to this chamber and eventually collect mould. If the nest is a proper size the colony will use up the nest for what you intended it to be. A nesting area for the colony. Therefore there will be nowhere for the garbage to go than out into the foraging area where it is easy to clean up. Another problem with having a large nest is that the workers may get lost. It is sort of like moving from a country home to a large city for them.
Q15: How can I increase my colony size without waiting for the queen to produce workers?
There are two methods that are frequently used, one is the "Boost" method, which involves finding a nest of the same species as those you intend to boost, taking some of their pupae and adding them into your nest. The workers should care for the pupae as if they were their own.
Secondly is the riskier chill method, where you chill the workers of a different colony and add them to a queen.
Firstly, the ants must be of the same species for there to be any chance of success. In order to lessen risk, it's almost always better to chill the workers of the colony rather than the queen if you are introducing one. Brood should not be chilled if at all possible, as it can be deadly to them. Place the ants you are chilling in your fridge and watch them carefully. Within ten to fifteen minutes, maybe less, the ants should have become sluggish and stopped moving completely. Don't worry, they aren't dead. Take a single worker from the colony you have chilled and place her in with the queen you intend to introduce, and make sure that you can remove the worker if you need to. As the ant warms up, watch how she reacts to the queen. If it gets even slightly aggressive, (IE, opening and shutting mandibles, little jumps towards each other, increased rate of movement, biting, attempting to sting,) immediately remove her. It's vital that you don't let the ant get a grip on the queen, as they will hold on to the death, and you will either end up with a queen with a worker's head attached to her (it gets in the way) , or a queen missing a leg. If the process has not worked, repeat it again once the ants have warmed up. Be aware, however, that repeating this too often and too quickly can lead to the deaths of the ants you are chilling. If it doesn't work on the second attempt, try chilling the queen as well. If the procedure was successful, the worker will usually show mild interest in the queen, examining the queen with her antennae, even ignoring her. Let them get used to each other for about an hour before adding the rest of the colony. If the colony is large then only add smallish amounts of ants at a time. This could be tedious but it has a higher rate of success. This method is not recommended for beginners.
I hope that you enjoyed this FAQ and if you have any questions you would like added to it than please PM a Soldier Ant.
The Staff have put together a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for your use.
Q1: I can't see my ants, what should I do?
I assume you have a starting colony with only a few ants. Ants like it dark (it makes them feel secure) this means they will find a place to hide and eventually nest. Depending on the species this could be underground, in a piece of wood, etc. A small colony means there is hardly any need for foraging, the colony does not have enough brood to need to forage every day.
You'll notice that once the colony grows they will come out more, so be patient and give it some time.
If it is winter at the moment the colony will have went into hibernation and will need little food. (If you are heating them than they will not have went into hibernation.)
Experienced Ant Keepers hardly ever risk digging up a colony as the potential for disaster is too great. This should only be done as a last resort or if an emergency happens; flooding, cave in, etc.
Q2: How often should I feed my ants?
If you are feeding them food that cannot really mould like seeds then just fill up a soda bottle cap with seeds and make sure they don't run out.
If you feed them insects or ant jelly then it comes down to trial and error, there is no exact number as it depends on season, colony size, species, type of food, etc.
Start with tiny bits and keep increasing it every feeding time until you notice you have reached the maximum amount the ants will accept. Gradually start to increase the amount of food as the colony expands. You should keep in mind that you want to prevent food from moulding. Once that starts happening it means you are feeding them too much.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/diet.html
Q3: How to prevent my ants from escaping
There are several methods and it depends a bit on the size and/or type of ant on what works best.
You can find specific tips in the care sheets.
What methods are there?
• Talcum Powder: Talcum Powder (talc) is most used because it is cheap and simple to use, there are two ways of making a talc "border". 1) Take pure talc and just press it on the glass or plastic using your finger, press it hard enough until a nice white border of about 1cm width appears. 2) Mix talc with 80%+ alcohol and paint it on the wall, the alcohol will evaporate and leave the talc behind. Both methods need to be checked on a monthly basis and if needed be re-done. (Please note that the amount of time talcum powder works depends on the amount of effort your colony expends on trying to escape their enclosure. The more they attempt to escape the shorter the talcum powders lifespan will be.)
• PTFE (Teflon): Can be bought at www.antstore.net/shop/, costs a bit more than talcum powder but is said to be the most secure method. Simply use it to paint a border and it should stay on for ages. Works great against ants who can still manage to walk over the talk powder.
• Lid: The most secure way to contain would be escapees has to be a lid. The lid should have a grid that allows air to come in but prevents ants from escaping. (The grid can be a tough feature to incorporate with smaller ant species.)
Read care sheets and journals about the ant species that you want to keep and see what method others use for that specific situation.
Q4: What kind of medium is best for my ants?
For most species a sand/dirt medium would be best, just picture how they live in nature. In some cases you can replace the sand/dirt with a hand crafted or bought nest made out of ytong or clay.
*Please note that the Staff is currently working on a database for soil mediums used for different ant species.
Q5: My queen is not laying any eggs, what now?
Unfortunately there is no easy way to detect if a queen has mated 100% and if she is therefore able to lay any fertilised eggs. If you bought her from an online anting shop than the odds are high she is. If you bought her from eBay or caught her yourself than it's always a gamble as to whether she is fertilized.
During the winter season she might not lay any eggs at all or only at a small rate, so keep that in mind. Other than that it can take weeks before the queen feels secure enough to start laying eggs, some queens lay after a day others after 2 months or more.
Make sure the queen has all she needs, keep her in the dark, make sure she has a water supply and ventilation. Constant checking will only stress her and stops her from laying any eggs. I know it's hard, but leave her alone for 1-2 weeks and then check in dim light so you won't stress her too much.
Q6: My queen has died , can I just replace her?
Unfortunately, in 90% of the cases, no. If the species are polygyne than it means they can grow with multiple queens working together and if one dies the others will carry on. If the species are monogyne than the colony will slowly die out as no new workers will get born. The problem with replacing a queen is that she has her own specific colony pheromones. The workers will not recognize these different pheromones and assume she is from a different colony and kill her.
Q7: Can I add ants from my garden to my colony?
A common mistake made by many new ant keepers, but it will most likely result in the death of the worker(s) or the queen.
By nature ants will not tolerate unknown ants in their nest and will never see them as their own. This is due to the fact that each colony has a specific pheromone odour. If an ant does not have exactly the same odour than she will most likely be killed.
There are methods for doing this that could work, but seeing it's nothing a novice ant keeper should try we'll leave them out. If you really want to try this then I suggest asking on our forum for guidance.
Q8: I want those cool leaf ants, is that smart to begin with?
No, Leaf Cutter ants are VERY hard to keep. They require a massive nest, they are expensive to buy, and they must have access to freshly cut plants (or live plants) at all times. Even experienced ant keepers have trouble with this species due to their requirements.
Q9: I think I have mould in my nest, what now?
Sometimes mould can be seen to be growing inside some ant farms but this is often dealt with easily. Mould in ant farms thrives on damp and warmth. It can be avoided by placing food in a 'Feeding Dish' or avoiding the use of foods that mould quickly (such as Egg), and by not keeping your ant farm to humid. If you see any mould in the ant farm that is easy for you to get to then simply scrape it out. If you can then wash the affected sides of the ant farm with a very dilute mix of warm water and washing up liquid. If it is in the part of the nest that is not occupied but you can't get to it easily then try to use a long thin object and collapse the affected tunnel/chamber.
Ants will often remove the mould themselves but may need a helping hand from you by using the methods mentioned above. You may want to consider letting the ant farm medium dry out a little if you believe the mould has been caused by too much humidity. This can be done by removing the lid off the ant farm for 24 hours or so. This can be tricky though as it could be ants being able to escape.
Q10: What species should I start with? Which ones are good for children?
Well, for the first question, I am assuming you are a beginner. If you are Europe-based, I would suggest Lasius Niger, Lasius Flavus, or if you have some experience, Messor barbarus. If you are North American-based, I would suggest either Tetramorium caespitum (Species E.), Lasius Neoniger, or Formica fusca. Any of these are suitable for adults and children alike.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/species.html
Q11: Which types of ant farms are good for Children? Adults?
Well, this obviously depends on the age, but assuming the child is 10+, then Slim Ant Farms, AntsCanada Habitat Nests, Pumice Stone Nests, and Y-tong nests. You can use a basin type antfarm, it can be harder to view the ants underground though. I would not suggest plaster to anyone under 12, as it takes more to keep in-condition. All of those are suitable to adults, but most would normally prefer to have a nicer slim farm than one of those plastic "Uncle Milton" farms.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/keep.html
Q12: Help, what do I feed my ants?
Well first of all, we need to know if you just have ''Worker'' ants or a ''Whole'' colony (Queen, Workers and brood).
Feeding workers: For workers you only need to feed them high energy, sugary foods. This can be honey, sugar water. Basically anything sugary and high energy so that the workers can accomplish their daily tasks such as; Creating tunnels.
Feeding a queened colony: If you have a queened colony, you will need to feed them various foods. You will need food for the workers and food for the larvae.
For workers as above, you will need to feed them high energy, sugary foods. (Honey, Sugar water, etc.) The larvae you will need food that are rich in proteins. Insects are the most commonly used. For small colonies give them just small, dead insects (fruit flies, flies, parts of crickets, etc). For larger colonies you can give them larger insects and if you feel comfortable you can feed them live insects. Larger insects include mealworms, crickets, spiders,etc. Myrm’s Ant nest Forum does not recommend feeding ants live spiders. The problem with feeding live spiders is simply because if they get away and create a web in your enclosure the ants will keep getting stuck in the web trying to attack the spider.
Read More: www.antnest.co.uk/diet.html
Q13: How long will my workers live in my antworld?
Worker ants in captivity normally live from 8 months – 1 1/2 years.
You must provide proper care otherwise that number dramatically decreases. If you have caught the workers from outside or ordered them than the lifespan will generally be shorter. Colonies send older workers out foraging because of the danger of them never returning. Therefore if you catch a worker from outside she is most likely already through half of her life.
Q14: How big should my ant farm be? People on the internet always say not too big, let the colony grow into it, but I went to a museum and one was huge! Why do I have to keep small ones?
There are several reasons why you should not put your young/small colony into a large formicarium. The biggest factor is that the ants will feel insecure. In the wild the colony digs their nest according to their needs. This way it is never too large and never too small. Another problem with starting off large is mould. If the nest is too large the ants will designate part of the nest as a midden chamber. All of their waste will go to this chamber and eventually collect mould. If the nest is a proper size the colony will use up the nest for what you intended it to be. A nesting area for the colony. Therefore there will be nowhere for the garbage to go than out into the foraging area where it is easy to clean up. Another problem with having a large nest is that the workers may get lost. It is sort of like moving from a country home to a large city for them.
Q15: How can I increase my colony size without waiting for the queen to produce workers?
There are two methods that are frequently used, one is the "Boost" method, which involves finding a nest of the same species as those you intend to boost, taking some of their pupae and adding them into your nest. The workers should care for the pupae as if they were their own.
Secondly is the riskier chill method, where you chill the workers of a different colony and add them to a queen.
Firstly, the ants must be of the same species for there to be any chance of success. In order to lessen risk, it's almost always better to chill the workers of the colony rather than the queen if you are introducing one. Brood should not be chilled if at all possible, as it can be deadly to them. Place the ants you are chilling in your fridge and watch them carefully. Within ten to fifteen minutes, maybe less, the ants should have become sluggish and stopped moving completely. Don't worry, they aren't dead. Take a single worker from the colony you have chilled and place her in with the queen you intend to introduce, and make sure that you can remove the worker if you need to. As the ant warms up, watch how she reacts to the queen. If it gets even slightly aggressive, (IE, opening and shutting mandibles, little jumps towards each other, increased rate of movement, biting, attempting to sting,) immediately remove her. It's vital that you don't let the ant get a grip on the queen, as they will hold on to the death, and you will either end up with a queen with a worker's head attached to her (it gets in the way) , or a queen missing a leg. If the process has not worked, repeat it again once the ants have warmed up. Be aware, however, that repeating this too often and too quickly can lead to the deaths of the ants you are chilling. If it doesn't work on the second attempt, try chilling the queen as well. If the procedure was successful, the worker will usually show mild interest in the queen, examining the queen with her antennae, even ignoring her. Let them get used to each other for about an hour before adding the rest of the colony. If the colony is large then only add smallish amounts of ants at a time. This could be tedious but it has a higher rate of success. This method is not recommended for beginners.
I hope that you enjoyed this FAQ and if you have any questions you would like added to it than please PM a Soldier Ant.