NOw the fun begins

[jacksun]

Found her in the wild, but she is not doing to well, moving slowly and only a couple of ants hatched even though she has about 30 eggs. Forgot 1 other website http://canadiansilkworms.com. Also you might want to buy 32 oz cups from mantisplace, its a better price.-Emile

Hi Emile, there are several things you need to control with ants:

1) moisture - ants can live months without food, but they MUST have water. The soil or sand they are in needs to be slightly damp at least in one area. Not enough moisture and they die, too much and you get mold growing which kills them. Add a few drops of water, let it soak in, then add a few more. Also get a few drops on the side of the container so they have direct access to the water, if they go to it very quickly you know they are too dry.

2) If you have moisture in the farm, it should not fog the sides of the container, this will cause mold. If this is happening, you do not have enough air circulation to allow the water to evaporate.

3) no direct sunlight - this will assist in mold growth, and bake your ants.

4) Feeding - much of this depends on species (do you know your species? Most will eat insects (mosquitoes, fruit flies, small beetles) but this isn't a necessity. All will eat ant jelly. It is cheap and easy to make:

What you need:

1 egg

62ml of honey

1 multivitamin/mineral capsule/tab crushed fine

5gm of Knotts plain gelatin

250ml water

Dissolve gelatin in 250ml of boiling water - let it cool but not set up

mix in egg, honey, and crushed vitamin until well blended

place in fridge to set

Once set feed to your ants - they should only need a tiny amount, like a single drop sized bit. If the food starts to mold in their farm remove it and add new.

Store this in the fridge, usually good for 1-2 weeks, or until it starts to mold depending on moisture.

5) Temp - too hot they hide or bake and do nothing, too cold and they hibernate. Room temp out of direct sunlight is usually perfect.

6) keep at least 1 side of the farm blacked out with paper/cardboard - ants do not like light in their homes. I keep both sides covered, that way they don't only unnel on one side of the farm.

If you have them in one of the fandangled gel ant farms, get them out of there. These are for short term use, for such a small starter colony an Uncle Miltons ant far works fine.

What species do you have?

Wayne

 

[jacksun]

One other question, what is the average time period between molts? I'm thinking we are talking a week or two in the early stages, a bit longer as they mature....

Thanks,

Wayne