Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

A month on and all is going really well, no escapes. The 3 fungi's are just one big one now . I have also got some more carpenter ants after seeing them in slovenia, could't resist. Jamie what are you planning to get next ?

Andy, long time no speak!! Hows the ant colony doing. Spent ages tidying up the forum and trying to set it up to eliminate spam. Hoping to get the ball rolling a bit with the forum, seems a shame to have it just sitting here getting hacked and spammed. Been so busy lately but this has been growing in my mind as an issue that needs addressed. Would love to hear an update on your colony.

My girls spend more time escaping, and i think i'm on another final warning from her indoors

They haven't done much growing as the colony just seems to want to produce Queens, i wonder why this is ?

Well i have found out why my ants have been on a go slow. Shamefully the foraging area was to cold. I just assumed it was ok and never checked the temp gauge. It was broken. I have raised the temps now from 18 c to 24c and now they are back to full speed and the fungus is recovering quickly. All good.

Nice mate glad they getting back to work

Just goes to show that you have to manage the entire setup, not just the obvious temperatures and humidity at the nest. We normally say that sub 20C the ants wont really forage much. Its strange though, I have seen ants that have escaped in the greenhouse forage at lower temperatures. That colony is a few years old now?

I'm glad the colonies doing well. How old is the colony now - it must be a couple of years old at least.

Just started it's third year. If there is another mass escape it will be their last or the last time i see her indoors

You should look at the design and modify to account for the greater numbers. It is inevitable they will escape again.
And, as I live and breathe, Richard!! Good to see you again! Even if it is in Andy's Buggery room!

I though i had updated my journal at it's end but hadn't. Anyway just to say that i had expanded the whole set up but shortly afterwards the queen died. I wonder if it was just her time, she had produced loads of alates of both sexes or it was something i had done. She had moved from the main part of the fungus where she had always been ( i think ) to where there was fungus in the tubes. The temp there was probably not high enough.