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Post by Myrm on Sept 3, 2012 20:14:28 GMT 1
3 September 2012, MondayKK, well here is the journal of my new ant colony which I am keeping hidden away in my locker onboard the warship. ;D I ordered them from AntsUK 3 weeks ago when I was home on leave but had forgotten that I had a mail redirection set up on my address to the ship, so although AntsUK despatched them the vary next day after I had ordered them, I actually didn’t get to see them for 3 weeks as they were here on the ship waiting for me. >.< They are a colony of Lasius niger; one queen and about 20 tiny nanitics, and a few little larvae for good measure. I brough back from home with me an Ant Starter Kit foraging tank, one of the tiny ones which fits nicely in the lockable draw inside my lockable locker on the ship. I have placed the test tube in there and removed the cotton wool bung. I have place a dead mealworm bettle (yes, I brought a tub of them with me and they too are in my locker,) in the little tank away from the entrance to the test tube. I also gave them a little bob of wild honey. Hopefully these guys will become a successful colony, and hopefully none of them will be sea sick >.< I will keep this journal here in the Secret Chamber where only my favourite member groups (Staff, Winged Ants & Larvae) can read it. Once I am back home in May I will probably move the journal into my proper journals board. I just wanted it to be a staff/winged ant/bin lid special. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2012 20:17:38 GMT 1
Great! I'm excited for you.
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Post by Myrm on Sept 3, 2012 20:18:17 GMT 1
Great! I'm excited for you. Thank you, Limes Bin Lid ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2012 20:25:52 GMT 1
This seems really cool, good luck with your colony
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Post by Myrm on Sept 3, 2012 20:27:35 GMT 1
This seems really cool, good luck with your colony Thanks PLemon Bin Lid ;D It always amazes me how small nanitics are. My Lasius umbratus look huge compared to them. They are so cute, just like the MANF Bin Lids ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2012 20:32:29 GMT 1
Haha this is brilliant Myrm! ;D can't wait for more updates
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2012 20:53:46 GMT 1
Let's hope you don't get caught! ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2012 7:28:18 GMT 1
Cool! Post pics if possible!
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Post by Myrm on Sept 4, 2012 15:18:52 GMT 1
4 September 2012, Tuesday
Last night I gave my Lasius niger colony a freshly killed mealworm bettle which I placed in their little tank. An ant found it and as soon as it touched the bettle it ran away vary fast in a big wide circle before coming back to it and doing the same. A few other ants examined it too. I didn’t see any eat it, though, of course, they are in my locker so I only see them for a few moments each time I open the locker, which is probably 2 or 3 times a day. I have see a few ants walking on the sides of the glass but haven’t seen any of the underside of the lid so it may be that the PTFE that has been painted on in a band near the top of the tank is working.
I have taken some pictures (as my amazing Dermy Bud has asked ;D ) of my locker and the draw and the ants, though you won’t really see the ants as I didn’t want to disturb them too much be moving them out for a better view. I will post those pictures later.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2012 15:25:09 GMT 1
Sounds brilliant Myrm ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2012 22:36:16 GMT 1
Looking forward to the pictures!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2012 23:16:00 GMT 1
Sounds brilliant
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Post by Myrm on Sept 5, 2012 10:33:32 GMT 1
5 September 2012, Wednesday
Just checked on my Lasius niger about half hour ago (10AM). They are mainly bunched up at the water end of the test tube around the queen and few larvae that are present. One or two move out toward the end of the entrance of the test tube but are not generally going any further. I have seen them exploring all around the little tank they are in. They have a dead mealworm bettle, a blob of sugar water and a piece of apple, but they are not eating anything yet, and neither do I really expect them too seeing as there are so few numbers of ants and larvae.
I just put a piece of apple in the bettle tub and there are currently about 7 bettles on it eating it. (I feel a bit like Dermy and his dermyz feeding them >.< )
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Post by Myrm on Sept 7, 2012 7:51:53 GMT 1
7 September 2012, FridayKK, the Lnigers are all huddled inside their test tube, protecting the queen and the few larvae that are there. The tube is open for them to come out and wander about in the small foraging tank. As mention previously I do have pictures to put on here but it has been difficult to do so as I do not have access to Photobucket from the works computer but I will have the chance to put them on today or tomorrow. Last night a fly came into my office and so I squashed it and put it in the Lnigers tank. They didn't come out to see it but I have left in there over night for them to have a midnight snack >.< Next week (Monday to Friday) we are at sea so my ants will have their first experience of life at sea onboard a warship. I hpe they don't get sea sick ;D The bettles are also doing fine and I gave them some cucumber last night.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2012 15:58:40 GMT 1
I wonder if being at sea will affect them..
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