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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 10:04:43 GMT 1
Hi all I'm new here, alto i have been reading these forums for a few days now since 1 of my boys asked if he could have ants. I myself find them fascinating so decided that we could make a nest together, i see that there are many forms of homemade nests so i would like to ask a few questions if thats ok. i have done research on ants and their basic needs but want to try and get it right from the start if i can. so what i really need to know is for Myrmica rubra ants (not sure of spelling). we don't have y-tong bricks here but we do have thermal bricks will they be just as good? are they as easy to carve out? do they hold the water moisture as good? do i still have to add any sort of soil to the nest? should i keep the nest covered dark at all times? (would be hard to watch them) or best use low light in room they kept in? can they chew thru thermal brick ? do i need the brick in a container? (going for carved brick with glass on top) have made foraging area already with soil and bits of wood/stones if that is wet will they nest in it instead of the nest i made them? really silly question now but can they climb well if we make the nest and foraging area stacked? as in have no trouble climbing up a tube as well as down? is calcium sand and play sand safe for ants? how big is best to build if i want to keep the colony (all going well ) for years to come. was going to use 2 6inch thermal blocks together. is that too small/big? sorry for all the newb questions (especially as i said i had researched) but i have already ordered Myrmica rubra 2 Queen +20-30 workers but then realized after researching better that the first nest we built was not the most appropriate for them so now only have a few days to get it right. thank you to all in advance who can answer any of my questions.
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Post by Myrm on Aug 17, 2012 10:20:15 GMT 1
Hi Wizardaire and welcome to the forum, it is good to have you with us, and it's great to see a parent allowing and encouraging their sons' interest in ants. I do not have any experience with the "block" ant farms so I will let the others have a go at answering them as some have these sort of farms. Calcium sand I have never heard of but play sand is fine so long as it is kept slightly damp if you want the ants to dig tunnels in it. Builders/coarse sand is better if you can get it as it is easier for the ants to dig (bigger granules). How old are your boys?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 10:25:11 GMT 1
Not sure about the top 3 you don't need to add any soil but you can so they can block up chambers if they one to, if they wanted to do it that badly they could bring it in from the foraging area. keep it covered normaly and then lift the cover up to look at them. I don't think they can chew trough brick, keep the soil in foraging area spread thinly over the ground and it would be best if it was dry so they won't nest in it. I don't understand what you mean by stacked. they can get up a piping tube thing, dunno I don't have experience with ytong nests.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 10:39:20 GMT 1
Hi again, by stacked i mean 1 raised above the other
the son who actually wants the ants is 10 but my other kids at home are 12 and 14 who want to help design the nest, my grands often come over and like us have a great fascination for anything that is not from the human species lol,
the blocks just turned up on my door so we are going to dry them out and draw on them to see how we gona do it and hope we get it right lol.
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Post by Myrm on Aug 17, 2012 10:44:23 GMT 1
If any of your sons wanted to join the forum then only the 14-year-old could as this forum is governed by COPPA law which states that we cannot hold personal information on children under 13, which creating an account would require (date of birth and email address). My number one priority on this forum is to provide somewhere safe and comfortable for our younger members to come and talk about ants. We have a number of regular contributors who are boys aged 13/14/15 and they love helping each other out. However, if you wanted to be the only forum member for your household then that is fine with us, all ages are welcome
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 11:21:33 GMT 1
we don't have y-tong bricks here but we do have thermal bricks will they be just as good? are they as easy to carve out? do they hold the water moisture as good? - I have never tried Thermal bricks, so I can't give you an awnser do i still have to add any sort of soil to the nest? If you make one out of Y-tong, you don'tshould i keep the nest covered dark at all times? (would be hard to watch them) or best use low light in room they kept in? You don't have too, although it will help recreate them being under ground, with the darkness can they chew thru thermal brick ? do i need the brick in a container? (going for carved brick with glass on top) Apparently , Messor Barbarus can chew through Ytong, Im not sure about Thermal bricks.have made foraging area already with soil and bits of wood/stones if that is wet will they nest in it instead of the nest i made them? Maybe, It depends how much soil there is really silly question now but can they climb well if we make the nest and foraging area stacked? as in have no trouble climbing up a tube as well as down? most species are great climbers, one species can evan walk upside down, on a pice of glass, and carrying 200mg, many times heavier then its self is calcium sand and play sand safe for ants? I don't think Calcium sand is, your better off getting soil from your garden how big is best to build if i want to keep the colony (all going well ) for years to come. was going to use 2 6inch thermal blocks together. is that too small/big? Im not sure about Thermal bricks, I think Lasius Niger, could easily out grow 2 6" blocks D:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 12:13:40 GMT 1
we don't have y-tong bricks here but we do have thermal bricks will they be just as good? are they as easy to carve out? do they hold the water moisture as good? Answer - Aslong as you can carve them/Drill them and you think they can absorb water well enough go for it, But do you mean Aerated concrete blocks, if so they ARE Y-tong. do i still have to add any sort of soil to the nest? Answer - I'd recommend adding a very small scattering of Sand so it goes in some of the little holes after drilling, makes them easier to walk and It's more homely for them, if you decide against this they will probably pick up their own substrate out of the foraging tank . should i keep the nest covered dark at all times? (would be hard to watch them) or best use low light in room they kept in? Answer - I would say cut a piece of card (Or a towel) and drape it over, then whenever you feel like watching them, just go for it! can they chew thru thermal brick ? do i need the brick in a container? (going for carved brick with glass on top) Answer - It's possible, but I've not had this problem, I don't think you need to worry about that! really silly question now but can they climb well if we make the nest and foraging area stacked? as in have no trouble climbing up a tube as well as down? Answer - Not necessary but if you want to, sure go for it, it would be better if you have it tipped up leaving the nest and pointing down from the foraging area - E.G stacked under the foraging area, I think that's what you mean . is calcium sand and play sand safe for ants? Answer - I wouldn't use any of those, as some of them have chemicals in to kill things but are still safe for humans, just use Builders sand, it's really fine and ants LOVE digging through that. how big is best to build if i want to keep the colony (all going well ) for years to come. was going to use 2 6inch thermal blocks together. is that too small/big? Answer Preferably the biggest you can get, Myrmica Rubra might do okay in that, but Formica fusca grow to smaller numbers but since you have already ordered It's no problem. Hope my answers help you now and in the future .
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Post by Myrm on Aug 17, 2012 12:14:57 GMT 1
Thank you Poortea Bin Lid and rubra for your excellent replies!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 12:17:07 GMT 1
wow thanks for so many and quick answers am i getting sumthing wrong here? are Myrmica rubra and Messor Barbarus the same ant species? also i found what i think is a lasius niger queen about a week ago and test tubed her not thinkin she would do anything but am i wrong i think that she has laid eggs? not a great pic but am i right and if so can i leave her in test tube where she is now ( in my outside boiler room ) and i set the tube up wrong as you can see not alot of water how do i give her some without disturbing her? Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 12:31:24 GMT 1
Yes you have eggs! I'd move the fluff/cotton closer to the edge of the tube so she has more room. She shouldn't get to disturbed if you move the cotton, If you move it pop in a bit of honey . I really have no Idea why people are posting about Barbarus, they are Harvester ants, the ones that collect seeds in other countries, Myrmica Rubra are the best ant species along with Niger and fusca to start with , your doing everything right, and don't worry, the queen won't need food yet though.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 12:44:42 GMT 1
I really have no Idea why people are posting about Barbarus, they are Harvester ants, the ones that collect seeds in other countries. That was me, I said they can chew through Ytong and areted concrete blocks, sorry for the confusion.
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Post by Myrm on Aug 17, 2012 12:46:40 GMT 1
Looks like a Lasius niger queen to me. Don't worry about water just yet.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 12:47:43 GMT 1
thank you all for so much great and quick info got more info here than the week i have spent looking on the net and you tube lol you can't see all the t/tube as file was 2 big but i added water then cotton wool then added a bit of cotton wool at the bottom of tube ( thought she needed to be comfy?) then plugged the other end. would it be okay to try to move the middle bit of cotton wool? but wasn't sure in case she has eggs too close to it, also did add a tiny bit of jam at the closed side but she hasn't touched it would a drop of honey be better?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 12:55:06 GMT 1
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 13:05:50 GMT 1
if you click the image i have written where the eggs are and you get to see the full t/tube. don't want to damage her eggs, son is loving the fact we got them so would be gutted. Attachments:
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