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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 20:52:10 GMT 1
How does cotton in a nest control humidity and why is it important?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 20:54:00 GMT 1
How does cotton in a nest control humidity and why is it important? I am not sure what you mean? Could you elaborate more. Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 20:56:50 GMT 1
Anything that absorbs and holds will moisture will gradually release that moisture (rate depending on temperature, air flow etc) thus altering humidity, the way it is used controls humidity.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 20:57:18 GMT 1
Well, I just watched a video on youtube and this is what was said about how the colony died
'well it was my fault ... i changed the cotton inside the nest which was responsible for the humidity. unfortunately the new cotton dried very quickly ... and the colony dehydrated. but it was too late when realized, most ants were already dead'
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 21:06:13 GMT 1
Think I figured it out.... They dehydrated becuase they didn't have anything to drink? There should always be available water for the ants to drink and then they won't dehydrate?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 22:06:56 GMT 1
It reads as though he put too much cotton in and/or packed it too tightly and water could not seep through it
EDIT: just realised it's not a test tube in the description, sounds like he has a very odd and unstable humidity control! I assume it's just drinking water? I would not control humidity in a nest with just wet cotton wool :s
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 22:21:01 GMT 1
So what would you recommend. I was thinking of testtubes filled with water and bunged with cotton. In the ytong nest where the ants can drink and it's in the nest so direct link to tunnels and stuff.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 22:34:49 GMT 1
Depends on the type of nest, soil just water it (not flood), ytong moisture control should be included when designed and constructed, what others?
Wetting the ytong and providing water to drink are two separate issues, which is it that you need advice for?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 22:52:40 GMT 1
Well pheidole pallidula like a dry climate and, I think nest too. I'm planning on a ytong nest connected to a foraging area. So I don't want the problem the youtuber had and was wondering what would be best. To be honest I don't understand the humidity thing but I don't think that would be a problem because of pheidole pallidulas place of origin.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 23:11:29 GMT 1
I have a drinking thing like: antstore.net/shop/index.php/cat/c169_drinking-trough-drinking-trough.html/XTCsid/3ae50760a71211dcc99a8113165f6643 in each arena, with cotton wool at the bottom of course! Not seen them use it yet though as they are hibernating and go to the seramis at the bottom of the nest and get water from there I assume as they always go straight to the Queen and share with her. I would include a method of watering the ytong when I design/buid it. I dont think you fully understand what 'humidity' is, humidity is the amount of moisture held in the air, ever been somewhere hot and dry? You can feel the air is 'dry', whereas somewhere even hot and wet (doesn't have to be hot really) you can feel the air is 'wet', it is given as a %, for example 60% humidity. You could just water the nest a bit (however you include this in the design) every week or so with P.Pallidula, if you get condensation it's probably a tad too wet, so alter your routine until you get it "right". There are two things to avoid, letting it get completely dry, or soaking wet, you just need to strike a balance somewhere between the two, slightly at the drier end for P.Pallidula
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 23:21:02 GMT 1
I knew what humidity was but not how it involved ants. Exalt!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 23:38:26 GMT 1
Antstore says pheidole like a dry climate compared to lasius Niger which like a moderate climate. Any ideas on what I could do for maintaining the right conditions? Involving ytong nest.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2011 0:35:53 GMT 1
Antstore says pheidole like a dry climate compared to lasius Niger which like a moderate climate. Any ideas on what I could do for maintaining the right conditions? Involving ytong nest. Have you viewed other peoples Ytong nests? Shiver has a really good one. myrm.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=nests&action=display&thread=3632&page=1Basically you just allow for a small water reservoir in the top of the nest if it is a vertical nest. Then you add water when needed. If you have the tools available to cut a neat hole through glass then I could explain that method. Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2011 13:00:12 GMT 1
If ants like a dry climate should their nest still be damp?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2011 22:39:00 GMT 1
In my opinion yes, ants dig into soil in nature (mostly) and if you go somewhere very dry like Kenya and start digging, you will eventually hit water, maybe even only a metre down or so (not like a blanket across the country but in areas. Elephants can 'smell' this underground water, or hear/feel it as they have sensitive feet and dig to it)
Ants don't dig down to water but generally it will be damp in almost all places where ants live.
There are exceptions I guess, Cataglyphis ants that live in deserts will have a hard time finding water and probably get most theirs from their prey.
You can learn from your colony by offering different areas (wet/dry, cool/warm) and observing what they prefer, I think you will find that larvae and cocoons for example, have different needs.
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