Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

That's crazy Andy, bet the wife was happy. I'm sure they plan their escapes for our holidays lol.

True Jamie, always something happens when yer away.

Last night i found another stray on it's last legs so hopefully that's the end of it and my wife can have some peace, and me from her

All in all since the arrival of the queens the colony has struggled and numbers are definitely down since the escape. There are still new queen arriving yet i have not seen a male ? They have also been very fussy with their choice of leaves, preferring apple over anything but i will only let them have a small piece now and again. Bramble is the main stay when they will take it, and of course rose petals but i can't keep pinching them from gardens I think i need to put the fungus into something bigger and give them a new start, finding the time at the moment is something else.

I hear you Andy, wish u could suck all the queens out. Mine are making it out the garage to the far end of the garden now, it really adds a new dimension to have them going out doors but will need to seal them up before winter. You should get an Atta Andy, I think you would really enjoy them, they're crazy but fun.

Haha.. that is mental... you don't get these sort of stories with other types of pet do you... Hilarious...

True Richard, and i have had another escape but i can't find where they are getting out from. Sometimes i will find a few on the carpet walking around and in the early hours there is a trail heading for the bathroom and under the bath, out through a crack in the over flow pipe, down the wall and up the high street. My wife bought some ant killer last week but ive promised ill remedy it by the weekend.

Lol they like we are going get are own leafs from outside now

I decided to give my girls a new nest site as i can't find where the ants are still escaping from, it's just a complete mystery and with the threat of my wife holding a bottle of Ant killer i have no option but to renew the three pods that have been their nest site from the start. I bought a large plastic Exo Terra Faunarium and converted the lid to hold a piece of acrylic on the top. Added a vent and a hole for the temp and humidity gauge. Drilled a hole in the side to connect the tube going down to the feeding tank. Less joints now so less chance of escape. Ideally i wanted a glass tank but could not find one to purchase in this part of the UK. I didn't want to have an aquarium delivered so i settled with plastic...

The first job was to disconnect everything and bung the holes up with cotton wool, then take everything to the bath and start to empty the original pods of fungus with two perforated kitchen spoons ( unbeknown to my wife ) I had also previously painted the new tanks rim with ptfe to keep the girls from legging it whilst transferring them. Hopefully this doesn't prove poisonous to the fungus. I suppose i'll find out if it is.









The hardest part was emptying the pod with the clay balls in as there were a lot of ants hiding in the gaps. I didn't spot much in the way of larvae or pupae so am wondering if the original queen is still on the thrown. All in all it took me about 3 hours to get everything back, and the ants seeem to have calmed down from their fury and are going about their daily business. Hopefully a new start again for them

Quite a job..!! You can put the ant killer down now Andy's wife..!

I have been forgiven and no escapes

Great stuff, I've done that a fair few times now myself-lots of fun
My colony have came right back Andy so hopefully yours will also, I've got a buyer for them so should be away possibly next week. Will be funny having no ants, been a few years now non stop.