Atta - Aquarium setup

[Acromyrmexbob]

It all forms a very interesting display, lots of components and that most important of elements: it is not clear straight away what is going on, people seeing it for the first time will discover step by step how the whole display makes sense. Thats always the best way.

[Deansie26]

Richard brilliant, the music was so funny! Colony is looking great, don't know why Andrew had to ask about the informational chart, seemed as clear as day to me why it was there lol

[Britishants.com]

Love the vid!

[Magic]

Awesome !!!

[Magic]

Is that the dump the little box with sand and water conteiner ?

[RichardP]

Is that the dump the little box with sand and water conteiner ?

Hi, I did put it on there with the intention that one day it might be a dump but as they are only using the nest boxes in the aquarium at the moment they dump in the water. I am hoping that when/if they move into the lower box then it will become a dump.

Interestingly as far as I can tell they are using the external nest box as a dump for the dead ants but not the waste matter. If yo look closely at the video you can see a pile of dead ants in the bottom left corner of the external nest box.

[Acromyrmexbob]

When ants die the workers remove them (supposedly because of the risk of disease) and treat them completely differently from normal waste, dumping them as far from the nest as they can. I read somewhere recently that in Atta colombica the dead workers are deposited outside the nest and a separate workforce, comprising old workers, pick them up and cary them to the graveyard. Supposedly these workers do not enter the nest, possibly because if they are frequenting the graveyard, they too are a disease transmission risk! So the ants have established the principle of Biohazard and differentiate the general waste from the dangerous waste. Always amazing how advanced they are.

[RichardP]

So on Saturday I went in to feed my ants around mid day only to find about 10 ants in the aquarium water and/or walking around the interior of the aquarium. Put them all back and tried to work out why so many had tried to escape.

Now I usually feed a lot earlier than mid day so I started to wonder if not feeding them had stressed them and they had started making a bid for freedom.

sure enough there were another ten out by 6pm. I'll be honest I was a bit panicky. The last thing I wanted to do was mention it to my wife as she's a bit jumpy at the best of times without worrying her about escaping ants.

Anyways, I went in Sunday morning to feed them and there's another 10 or so floating or on the inside of the tank. More panicking.What could this be caused by... they are just leaping into the water at a frightening rate.

I finally plucked up the courage to mention it to my wife last thing Sunday night. She thought for a minute and said,

"Is it where the loose soil mound outside their nest has reached the edge of the glass so they are just slipping in every time they walk over it?"

Bingo.. problem solved... removed the soil last night. No ants in water.

I don't know what the lesson is here.. Don't hide things from your wife maybe..? Or could be just don't hide things from my wife!

Anyways, panic over.

[Acromyrmexbob]

So much to talk about there. So much rich material!!
Firstly perhaps your wife spends more time than you think watching your ants. She seems more connected to the vagaries of your setup than you are. Secondly, and women have a talent for invoking these irrational thoughts in their men, how could you jump from ants in water to keeping secrets from your wife! I told you I would never mention her to your wife so your secret is safe where you left it! Stop worrying, Richard. I think the pile of soil is perhaps a metaphor for your troubled life and the ants falling down your soiled pile is probably an indication that the slippery slope that is your life needs cleared away in order to return it to normal. Here endeth the sermon! By the way, you would never think I was stuck in a hotel room in Dubai during Ramadan with nothin else to occupy my mind than writing this senseless drivel whilst dreaming about feeling tired!

[Deansie26]

Don't know how I missed this post Richard, I've had a similar type of experience with my wife, they listen to us going on about our ants mire than we realise ha ha