Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

in that case I wont intergrate them at all hahaha, I am not going to risk it, ill just steal there brood and some of there fungus for my new colony

I thought it was something that was done regularly, but I was mistaken

Thats some nice fungus!! Your conditions are obviously correct. Shame!

THANK YOU compliments from the master leafcutter ant keeper, I must be doing good well apart from the swimming lessons

14/8/18

HI GUYS

the "colony" is going very well the fungus looks more fungusy, and I cant wait for the huge larva to become the first soldier in this colonys!







this will be the new nest for my new colony, is the holes height ok? is the amount of holes ok? what else needs to be changed to make it better for the ants?

After loosing your queen probably due to her accidents i would be inclined to make the whole set up that little bit safer for her. Perhaps making the island just one piece and getting rid of those tiny sticks which are just begging for the same to happen again. I know the aquarium design is a tried and tested method but to me it's just asking for problems with a wandering queen and that's why i didn't choose this method. Anyway I would do away with the holes completely and just leave the lid slightly ajar which would keep the queen in and allow access to the workers.

ok I may try what you say (getting rid of the holes) and getting rid of the two islands. Also yes I will change the lil sticks for big stems, I did the holes at the top because the queen is very crap at climbing and last time the holes where flush with the bottom I was thinking that this would stop the situation of her coming out.

also andy I love you live cam, one just took a piece of petal hahaha

jimimardlin wrote:also andy I love you live cam, one just took a piece of petal hahaha

Thanks Jim, nice to know it works and it can only get better..

15/8/16

ESCAPES!!! only 3 but still hahaha, the new colony will be shipped today to get to me tomorrow!!! but my queenless colony is doing very well, lots of new growth on the fungus, they have been lacking a bit on the cutting but I think that's because they have a huge amount of leafs stored in there entrance.

I've made a newer nest, with a few improvements such as there is only one hole and also the nest space is a lot bigger, I will use thick bramble stems as a last defence against the queen
trying to have her adventures. also I will place the fungus and the queen on the other side of the holes so she is even less likely to find the hole cozshe will stay near the fungus.

But hopefully the hole is so high and the queens are so crap at climbing she wont be able to get out "fingers crossed (again)"