Daubz Atta cephalotes

[Daubz1977]

Theyve been adding a bit of leaf to the fungus but are still spending mast of the time building a wall around the fungus, ive also noticed they are adding leaves to the wall they are building but it looks like they are purposely collecting leaves to add to the wall, i think this because they arnt even taking the cut leaves to the fungus just straight to the wall.

[Britishants.com]

The wall is a good sign! It means they are reacting to the requirements of the fungus! Acro will bury fungus from my experience but Atta just build up around it!

[Daubz1977]

Thats good to know.

[Daubz1977]

Im a little concerned, I dont think the fungus has shrunk but it isnt growing and it is looking quite white now, they are adding to the fungus but not as much as they have in the past, the humidity and temperature are good. Ive given them grape and orange peel and they took both, i dont know what can be wrong, they have been building a soil wall around the fungus the last few days so i dont know if they have just been putting there time into this instead of cutting leaves.

[Britishants.com]

White is good! That's the bit the ants munch on, mycelium I think, no doubt some fungus fanatic will trip me up on that comment! Lol leicoagaricus Gongylophorus

[Deansie26]

As Sean said I don't think you have anything to worry about Dale, fungus seems to get creamy white in soil set ups, probably cause conditions are better than clinical.

[Leafcutter]

White is good! That's the bit the ants munch on, mycelium I think, no doubt some fungus fanatic will trip me up on that comment! Lol leicoagaricus Gongylophorus

Leucoagaricus gongylophorus loads of stuff in that. Cellulose, lignin, antibiotics there such a long list...

My fungus sort of matures, when it becomes all green from the leaves and then slowly becomes white again after the leaves have been digested by enzymes.

[Acromyrmexbob]

White is good! That's the bit the ants munch on, mycelium I think, no doubt some fungus fanatic will trip me up on that comment! Lol leicoagaricus Gongylophorus

Not strictly true. The mycelium are effectively the stalks of the fungus. The bits the ants eat are the fruiting bodies, effectively the mushrooms. Your white fungus suggests they are not adding to it. There will be a reason. Can I suggest you cause a little damage to it or even better, get a spoon and remove around a third and place it a few cm's from the nest so they have to carry it back. Make sure you miss the queen. Also offer privet leaves close to the nest. Its not uncommon for the ants to use leaves to strengthen a thin wall. Also the foragers are bringing leaves to the nest but the gardeners do not want to use them. What soil are you using? Could it be alkaline. Ants like quite acidic conditions in their fungus, which always sits around pH5.
Are you measuring temp and humidity right at the fungus with a probe? Do your conditions remain constant throughout night or does it drop. The trick here is to find the reason why they are behaving like this. There will be a cause, you need to eliminate likely suspects and settle on the real problem.

[Daubz1977]

i have my probe right next to the fungus, dont think the temperature drops over night, there is a slight variance of around half a degree. Im getting a bigger heater delivered in the next couple of days because i dont think the one i have is big enough, so it may drop over night. What soil would be best for me to use, does anyone have any recommendations.

[Deansie26]

I was recommended John Innes number 9 when I started with soil. Any pics of the ants and what there doing?
While my Atta where constructing there chamber they also cut very little at that time to Dale.