Atta - Aquarium setup

[RichardP]

I wonder if they are not entirely happy with the second chamber. It is normally a sign that they are discontent if they start to build in the pipework when there is an area already being worked on. Have you set it up exactly as the first one?

The second chamber had less soil in it than the first but is in most respects identical.. But, the second fungus is being tended, has most of the brood in it and is growing very quickly.

I think it could be to do with light.. I have full aquarium lights on all day and the place they've chosen is naturally shielded from the worst of it.

Another thing I've noticed recently is that after lights out the queen creeps up onto the top of the fungus in the first full chamber. She's even got her own furrow that has been formed. Because it was so dark and grey outside this morning she was still there at 9am when I got into my office. she slowly creeping back down as we speak. I can only assume it's slightly cooler at the top of the chamber at night when there are no lights on above the chamber.?

Overall though everything seems to be going very very well. The sheer number of ants is at times frightening. And I have some very large soldiers that appear occasionally. I'll see if I can get a photo of queeny lounging about.. I don't want to freak her out though so it may be poor quality. I'll see what I can do.

[Acromyrmexbob]

Can you lessen the lights a little or shield the part where the queen sits by placing a piece of paper or something directly above the spot?

[Magic]

IT looks really great Richard
Mine were growing fungus in the pipe for some time, after I reduced the light they in the middle of the nest now

[RichardP]

As I say not a great photo but you can see her majesty and where they have cut a furrow for her.. I've left the lights off today. I could easily put some card on top of the chambers or I was using some red film previously which I could reinstate. I wonder if the warmer weather is affecting things (although it seems unlikely as the temperature in the tank (25 degrees) shouldn't be exceeded by the room temperature at it's hottest (23 degrees).

[RichardP]

Further update is that they have, in the night, moved all the brood back down into the two nests in the aquarium. Queen is still lounging about atop the first nest.

[Andyj]

Richard, it's interesting what you say about your temperatures. My ambient room temp where the incubator is, is 21 c and inside the incubator is 24.5. The heating hasn't come on at all during this warmer spell, yet the incubator temp is still higher than outside. It seems that perhaps the garden could generate it's own heat which is something i didn't account for. I don't know if this is the case or i have super insulating Nice pics

[RichardP]

Second fungus growing nicely...

[Deansie26]

And how fast, looking fantastic! Gives you a sence of how fast they get going after a year or so.

[Acromyrmexbob]

Colour of the fungus is interesting. What are you feeding them or is it just the picture. Is the fungus darker than that in real life?

[RichardP]

Colour of the fungus is interesting. What are you feeding them or is it just the picture. Is the fungus darker than that in real life?

That is I think where the aquarium lights cause some glare on the picture. But the new fungus is not a great deal darker than the picture. The first fungus is snowy white.

I have fed them pretty much exclusively on Euonymous recently... and some forsythia leaves.

I'll post another picture shortly.