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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2011 22:48:23 GMT 1
That will sometimes happen. The queen will feed one larvae all of the other eggs and larvae so that she has a healthy strong worker. If the queen was fed during the founding stages of the colony then she will generally not do this. Yes, you will want to start feeding her protein and sugar rich substances. Try to place the tube in a small container without any decorations and place the food in the container. That will help minimize the disturbance to the colony. Flavus And to back up what flavus said, I know for a fact that formica fusca make only 2-3 workers normally anyway, so it is normal to have very few. One does surprise me.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2011 23:14:06 GMT 1
Thanks Miles, I don't know why only 1 (worker) either, but she only has 1 so far so maybe that was an only egg afterall? Only time will tell, anyway this thread is about the ytong/aerated concrete design and build so I will update you all now. I tried the "paint" (orange sand and water as suggest by Antstore) and it doesn't work well, I did it on an out of sight face to test and the brick is too dark, not to worry, this is a first try and functionality is the main aim I have also made the covers for the top water pits by cutting some thin see through plastic/perspex, I used thin because it is bendy and the face I cut is not perfectly flat, so the silicon will do the hard work of sealing it. I cut a hole in the centre that is the exact same size as the inside of the tube that I have since siliconed to the perspex, just leaving it overnight to dry then I will silicone it to the ytong which could take a while because I need to hold each in place until the silicon sets enough to hold the perspex in the correct shape (my fault for not being able to carve a perfectly flat face). The tube, once fitted, will have a cotton wool bung that will enable me to water the brick without ants being able to get into the water pit and die. I have placed the ytong brick into position inside the tank for a dry run to make sure it fits before I try to do it properly of course The paper is there to make sure the glass didn't get scratched as the ytong brick was made to be quite a tight fit, when I do it properly I will use car number plate stick on pads on the glass below the brick for it to sit on, I get these from work as I mentioned I am a car mechanic. For the sides I may use nothing and then add sand once silicone is dry or I may use sealing tape, ie. the one from Antstore that goes inside the lip of the lid, although you will be able to see this. The decision will be made once I see just how tight the nest face and sides sit to the glass. Think that's all for now Edited a couple of grammar and spelling mistakes - MilesBL
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2011 23:22:10 GMT 1
Oh I forgot to mention I tested my 'cotton wool on string to manually enlarge nesting area' (lol!) by holding a sheet of perspex firmly against the brick, it worked an absolute charm and I am fully confident to use it after siliconing the brick in, it did leave the odd piece of cotton fluff but only very slight, nothing of concern
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2011 4:25:47 GMT 1
That's great All I could say is the chambers are slightly deep but It looks great anyway!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2011 17:24:20 GMT 1
Looking good shiver! I'm really enjoying reading about this project ;D
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2011 18:28:35 GMT 1
That's great All I could say is the chambers are slightly deep but It looks great anyway! Ants will always be glad of extra space. ;D Well done, shiver, at least you plan your nests. I never do that
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 12:39:55 GMT 1
Hello again, I have made progress last night and this morning as my girlfriend finally came round to do her bit haha! This will be mainly pictures, as it's fairly self explanatory, but feel free to ask if it's not. Taped round the lip to make a neat edge for the PTFE which we applied with a syringe (masking tape was not that good, PTFE got under it and needed scraping off) Sorry about rotation --------------------------- Car number plate stickers (with only one side of the self adhesive strip removed), where the aerated concrete block will sit, to avoid scratching the glass --------------------------- That's me, applying the silicone to the aerated concrete block, only round the edges so the ants can only get out via the entrances I have made, if they can move between chambers through gaps between the glass and brick that is my fault and not too much of an issue really, but will be better next time I use this design. Sorry about rotation --------------------------- I forgot to put the cotton wool on string in oops! This is not really a problem because I can push it down the tunnels with a stick of somekind --------------------------- Weighing it down while the silicone dries, we left it overnight because there was no need to rush... --------------------------- My moisture system on top of the brick, seramis clay type stuff (400g, from Antstore) to absorb moisture from the brick and sand above and two rubber bungs pushed from inside. (I was going to silicone perspex over the holes but decided not to in case I was to use the tank with piping in future, not with this colony though) --------------------------- Polystyrene filling to "waste space", sadly the sand I bought yesterday (play sand £3.99 for 20kg) is wet so I am having to dry it out before I put it in the tank :/
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 12:55:07 GMT 1
Looks really cool! I bet your ants will love their new home... ;D
[Exalt+1]
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 13:09:16 GMT 1
Thanks fraggs, I have not used cotton wool to bung the watering tubes, instead I have used some of those conical bungs Antstore use when they send ants out in test tubes, I bought 10 of the smaller size ones just in case and turns out that was good forward thinking The first load of sand is in the oven at 100c to dry it out, should be ready within an hour.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 17:40:13 GMT 1
It is looking really good. I am sorry for just saying this now. I would not use the polystyrene as the ants will make a huge mess of it if they manage to dig to it. You will have a huge mess of tiny white balls all over the place and it will be very hard to clean out the stuff that the ants bring into the nest. I am not sure if polystyrene is harmful to ants either because it will most likely have a lot of chemicals in it. Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 17:50:58 GMT 1
Place plastic liner over it to stop them reaching it???
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 17:53:59 GMT 1
Yes, that would work. Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 18:03:59 GMT 1
Thanks for the tips but both a bit late eeee The idea was and has been to fill the tank with something they cannot dig in, play sand (DRY!!!), I have been drying it fully in the oven and virtually finished filling tank now, as long as it stays dry they can't dig in it I am sure, stick something in it and pull it out and the hole collapses in on itself and re-fills. It won't get wet enough from the brick to enable them to dig, plus I have some white aquarium stones that I washed this morning to place in too, whether I fully cover the sand or not I am yet to decide, I may start by covering one area and see how it looks etc
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 18:54:10 GMT 1
Yes, I apologize for being so late on telling you that. As long as the sand stays completely dry then you should be fine. Will you be showing pictures of the finished product? Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2011 19:07:04 GMT 1
I am worried that you will find the ants go inside the watering areas via the open tubing.
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