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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2011 14:58:21 GMT 1
Hey guys ive got a M. Rubra colony of 1 queen and roughly 30 workers. It also has some larvae.
The first two days I put them in the tank they dug a tunnel extremely fast. When i used to take the lid off and put food in or blow gently all the ants would come out the nest. Now they dont come out at all.
There is only about 3/4 workers that are scavenging.
Why are they not comming out?! is it possible the tunnel has collapsed and they are all trapped? can this happen?
Is it possible the tunnel is very deep and blowing wont reach the lower chambers?
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Post by Myrm on Apr 24, 2011 15:06:40 GMT 1
Hi Sainter It's nothing to worry about. Normally only a certain percentage of the ants in a colony would be foraging. Others will be tending to the nest, queen and brood. Only about 5% of the worker force in my Lasius umbratus colony forages.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2011 17:44:06 GMT 1
Ah okay cool. Also remember the jelly you sent me, if one ant eats it and goes into the nest, will it be able to pass it onto the other ants? Im just wondering because its not like they are carrying a spider into the nest, its like goo.
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Post by Myrm on Apr 24, 2011 18:34:00 GMT 1
Yes they will be able to feed to other ants via trophyllaxis.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2011 18:40:13 GMT 1
Delightfull
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2011 19:37:55 GMT 1
Haaa, it is isnt it.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2011 23:08:48 GMT 1
From experience, Really bad experience, This won't be a tunnel collapse and with my rubra's theres always at least 1 ant out anywhere, But hey how do ant's make chambers??
DIGGING.
If a tunnel collapsed there would be rubra's on each side so they could dig through it, This happens weekly when I wet my rubra's, I tend to squirt most down their main chamber (Never reaches the bottom)
Best regards,
Rubra
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2011 19:24:45 GMT 1
Oh okay, but if they are digging wouldnt you see ants comming to the surface to dump the sand?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2011 19:28:08 GMT 1
Yes, normally. But they might do it at night when your asleep OR it might not even be a tunnel collapse like myrm pointed out
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