I have decided to make a little bit experimental "prototype" nest. Same , like my previous topic "Stormhold" this is same new to me. Please do not hate me - I like to call my own formicaries by project names
I thought , how to keep ant species which almost all of their year spend in underground nest - like Prenolepis nitens or some species of Chthonolasius.
Last two months I´ve to be keen on Chthonolasius species. There , except Lasius umbratus and some more species , almost all lives underground in soil in grass areas and keep root - aphids. It means , that if it is not neccessary , they do not go out of the nest on surface to see sun.
In formicaries , ant-keepers can teach them to let them hunt outside of the nest for honey water or similar mixes. In my hobble opinion , there can start little bit small complications when colony grow to big colony. Then the whole social food to not spread so well in all nest , as we like to imagine. I think , in this situation we need to create solution , how to feed the ants in chamber , like root-aphids do that.
I think in underground species Prenolepis it is more important , if you would like to keep bigger healthy colony.
PROJECT ASURAS
This prototype nest is made in formicary 40x20x20cm
with:
- piece of technical cork 15mm
- cork soil/dirt
- 1kg of plaster
- 6/4mm pipes
- soil etc from nature
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Lasius distinguendus (determined by local myrmecologist)
- parasitic Lasius in host Lasius alienus or Lasius platythorax (in my experience possible to add Lasius niger or L.flavus too)
- nests in hot steppe grassy lands , in limestone soil mostly
I have not any good photo of them , but here is video of moving queen to the nest
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It is little bit funny , but this is how it all beguns
:
I think only I can understand what is on that paper.
Indeed , it all stays on principe of pipe system inside the nest. In this prototype I´ve made only 2 pipes inside - for test.
It all is there for simulate of feeding by root aphids.
I have tested it successfully on pipes - only (before I put it to formicary) , so let´s example that simple physics
It looks not so good ... but it need to train to make it good working. I think it is just for improve feeding , not as full service feeding of ants.
Okay , now , let´s look on whole formicary.
I´ve cut 3 pieces of cork.
1. chambers etc.
2. deeper chambers + installed pipes
3. safety cover from back + hold of pipes
To make it more natural , just put it in plaster and smash in soil ... (i discovered that plaster do not glue on cork so well as on ytong
)
Cork - holders , just to to fix cork nest
I´ve filled aquarium with cork soil. It can little bit take moisture , same it is very bad for creating nest in - very mealy. All I covered with fix cork plate - with fixed pipses
Pipe reduction - I can now join it with small pressure syringe
Chambers with pipes are not full filled with soil mix , but all the others or (except top - for young colony)
And easily made grassy arena - It is not so beautyful , but enough for prototype
And young colony moves from acrylic nest ... , I hope Seifert´s books (make dark nest) will give some aura to this formicary
It get moisture like all the others of my formicaries I use - I just put water in arena and substrate in moisture air in all formicary include nest part.
I will create video - where you can see how pipes work , but not today ... wish during this week
Adrian
