Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

With the holidays not far away I wonder what the longest people have left there colonies for?
Non of mine have been left longer than 3-4 days, it's hard to get a reliable feeder, so many things seem to go wrong!

Deansie26 wrote: it's hard to get a reliable feeder, so many things seem to go wrong!

When people see Ashas figure, they accuse me of being a reliable feeder. Wait, no, thats not what you mean, is it?

I have left colonies of Leaf Cutters for maximum 8 days. Stacked up Brussel Sprouts, and a potted privet. In theory, if the fungus can survive for, say, 6 days without food, and you can give them enough food for around 4-5 days, then in theory you can leave them for up to 10 days. Dodgy and definitely not recommended but in theory workable. Actually the real threat to your colony is not food availability. Its humidity and temperature. Unmonitored conditions over that period of time are not going to work out well for your colony. Guaranteed they will need sprayed and temp adjusted. Thats the limiting factor. I think it would be possible, if using potted plants, to leave enough food for weeks on end actually. Take a lot of nerve though. And imagine if they got out??!!?!

Another threat is the people we ask to look after them, I'm going to find Ashes facebook profile and send her that comment :twisted:lol

Calling her Ashes will probably get you in as much trouble as me.

My Atta's died just after i came back from my hols. Dont want to go away again.

Acromyrmexbob wrote:Calling her Ashes will probably get you in as much trouble as me.

Ha ha

Yeh I had frequent moat escapes in my last Atta set up because the moat was quite small, if it wasn't cleaned regularly then they bridged the gap.

Andyj wrote:My Atta's died just after i came back from my hols. Dont want to go away again.

It's a tough one, Riccardo is if for 2 weeks shortly, hope they goes ok as his colony seems to be doing well.

I was away once for 2 weeks and stocked the ants up with privet and bramble leaves. When I cam back the fungus was mostly white but didn't look like it had shrunk very much. I added privet then and they made a quick recovery. i suppose the larger colonies with be less affected by 'holidays' than small colonies.

True I've got one my
Family members to look after my atta when am away so it's all good
I'll feed them put food in for them but once it's bit low my family
Member will top it up I'll be giving them 2apples
As well and loads leafs I've left them before a week when I went away and they was fine with leafs but with the size they are now lol like are like a cow in my
Garden eating all the leafs lol