Lunk's Formicariums

 Have you ever been stung by an ant and experienced excruciating pain that seemed to last forever? Well, researchers at the University of Queensland have made an amazing discovery about some of the world's most painful ant stings. They found that these stings target our nerves, similar to how snake and scorpion venom work. This groundbreaking research, recently published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, provides new insights into understanding pain and developing innovative ways to treat it. Understanding the Study: Led by Dr. Sam Robinson and his colleagues at UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the research focused on two ant species: the Australian green ant and the South American bullet ant. These ants are known for their stings that cause prolonged pain, unlike the brief discomfort of a bee sting. How Ant Venoms Affect Nerves: Through their study, the researchers discovered that ant venoms specifically target the nerve cells responsible for transmittin...

Understanding Nuptial Flight 'Nuptial flight', also known as the "swarming" or "flying ant day," is an annual event when winged reproductive ants, both males and females, leave their colonies in large numbers to mate and establish new colonies. This behavior is crucial for the survival and expansion of ant populations. The Life of Lasius Niger Lasius niger is one of the most widespread ant species in Europe, known for its characteristic black coloration. These ants build their nests in soil, often under stones or in rotting wood, and are commonly found in gardens, parks, and forests. Lasius niger colonies typically consist of a queen, worker ants, and a few males. The Nuptial Flight Process During nuptial flight, Lasius niger ants engage in a synchronized and spectacular event. It usually occurs during warm, humid summer days. Before the flight, young winged ants, called alates, develop within the colony. When the conditions are favorable, these alates under...

 Just now an hour ago many Queens landed all over the backyard... I caught 4 in Test-tube setups.

  In the intricate world of ants, one can observe a remarkable phenomenon known as stigmergy, a fascinating form of indirect communication and organization. Stigmergy plays a crucial role in shaping the behavior and collective intelligence of ant colonies. This phenomenon, derived from the Greek words "stigma" (sign) and "ergon" (work), offers valuable insights into the decentralized and self-organizing nature of ant societies. Let's delve into the captivating world of stigmergy and explore how ants utilize this mechanism to accomplish complex tasks. At first glance, an ant colony may appear as a chaotic and bustling environment, with numerous individuals scurrying about. However, upon closer observation, one can discern a pattern emerging from this apparent chaos. Ants exhibit an innate ability to work collaboratively towards common goals, such as constructing intricate nests or foraging for food. Stigmergy provides the framework through which this cooperative ...

 In the bustling world of insects, ants have long captivated researchers with their remarkable navigational abilities. These tiny creatures are known for their adeptness in finding their way back to their nests, even when confronted with complex terrains devoid of prominent landmarks. While visual cues are undoubtedly crucial, scientists have discovered that ants possess an additional sensory gift—an ability to sense and navigate using the Earth's magnetic field. This fascinating phenomenon, known as magnetoreception, unveils a hidden aspect of these industrious insects' navigation prowess.  The notion that ants might utilize Earth's magnetic field for navigation emerged from observations of their remarkable homing abilities. Researchers hypothesized that magnetic sensing could play a vital role in aiding ants' orientation and navigation, leading them to explore further. The subsequent investigations shed light on the presence of magnetite—a magnetic iron mineral—in ant...

 Yessss, Messor Barbarus (Harvester Ants) arrived and was immediately coupled to the larger outworld with all kinds of things to eat in it so they can build up energy after the mail trip of about 12 hours. The Lasius Niger setup is on top. There are some seeds in the tube and the mini seeds package will arrive tomorrow so they will be fine until then. Messor barbarus, commonly known as the harvester ant, is a fascinating insect species that inhabits various regions of Europe and Northern Africa. These ants have earned their name due to their remarkable ability to harvest and store seeds, which forms a significant part of their diet. Let's take a closer look at the remarkable characteristics and behaviors of Messor barbarus. One of the most distinctive features of Messor barbarus is their impressive size. They are relatively large ants, with workers measuring around 10 to 15 millimeters in length. Their bodies are predominantly black, although some individuals may have reddish or br...

 Article in the make... plz come back soon to see the finished article... Lasius niger  Likes:   Freeze Dried Tubifex Worms Cooked Chicken Mosquito Larva Moths Honey Water Pear Strawberries Honey Flies Mealworms Boiled egg Aquarium snails Fruit flies Dislikes: Beetle Jelly Brown sugar water Bluebottle Flies Banana Chocolate Raw chicken Kiwi May like: Honey water Gammarus Pork Jelly from pies Spiders (Has to be fresh) Earwigs Crickets Maggots Hummingbird nectar Source: Formiculture.com Forums

In the intricate world of insects, ants have long been celebrated for their remarkable teamwork and resourcefulness. These tiny creatures have an innate ability to adapt and overcome various challenges in their quest for survival. One of their most fascinating feats is the construction of ramps, which play a crucial role in their daily activities. Let's delve into the remarkable world of ant engineering and explore the significance of their ramp-building prowess. Building a Network of Efficient Pathways: Ant colonies are highly organized societies where each member has a specific role to fulfill. One of their primary concerns is establishing efficient pathways to navigate their surroundings. In their quest for food, water, or shelter, ants encounter a myriad of obstacles, including uneven terrain, vegetation, or even man-made structures. However, they possess an extraordinary skill for constructing ramps that allow them to conquer such hurdles. Construction Techniques: When f...

 So, when I am doing hobby things I often forget 2 things.. 1. Time... 2. Taking photos... What happened... Queen moved from the funky tube-setup she came in to a fresh test-tube setup. I left the dark cover off the old tube and put it on the new one overnight, so slowly increasing light intensity from the rising sun would be the 1st (indirect) light they saw. When I woke up they had moved to the clean new tube. I created a smaller out-world for this tiny 10 worker Lasius Niger colony then posted in a previous post. Hooked it all up and here it is... Yes, the test-tube is under the dark cover (microfiber black sun-glasses cover sack thingy.)

 A pretty detailed anatomy page can be found here: Mississippi Entomological Museum Below is image with more basic schematic overview: Source: Wikipedia       More will be added over time...

This is what my full starting setup look like now... I use external tubes connected thru splitters to feed sugars and protein separately. I find it easier to feed this way without disturbing the nest and the feeder tubes are easy to clean and refill. Click for larger image.

 

I had a quick 1st look at the Lasius Niger starter colony today. They were exposed to light for only 20 seconds and did not get very aroused. Perhaps because they've filled up on sugars overnight. So here is the first picture of my Lasius Niger starter colony.  This is the Gyne (Queen) with about 12 nanites (1st brood worker ants). As far as I could see there are 2 dead nanites in there and I do not see any 2nd brood. Perhaps my untrained 50 year old eyes are missing something so let me know if you see any brood or eggs. As you can see the cotton-wool in the test tube they arrived in has become a bit funky. They will need to be moved to the small nest or another basic setup test-tube soon. Before I do that I have fed them a juicy freshly swatted fly which I cut in half with a razor-blade for easy access to the juicy parts. I'll let them gorge on that for a few hours before using the light/dark method to enthuse them to move.

 YESSS ! This morning the package with Ant supllies and the Lasius Niger starter colony have arrived. 1 Gyne (Queen) and I counted 12 nanitic workers. I have connected the delivery tube to a T-slitter, and connected a feeding tube and the larger nest, see 1st post of this blog. I din't take the time to make pictures because these girls have been in the mail on the road for 3 days. Upon arrival I immediately put together this setup with the tiniest smear of honey to rebuild their strength. Perhaps tonight Ill add some protein gell. 1 Lasius Niger ant exploring the feeding tube. The Setup as it is now, on top of their future outworld...

 Was hoping for the ants to arrive today... They din't but the SaugWunder sponges for the Ytong nests arrived :) € 3,99 per set of 2pc. Ordered from here: TEMU - Saugwunder sponges Arrived in 4 days in NL.

 So in a previous post I made a gypsum block witch was then meant to become a nest, but since then I found a big piece of YTong that will be used for nest building... To repurpose this gypsum block I carved it down to some cool shapes so it can function as decorational piece in the outworld and be a humidifier stone at the same time :) I will just drip water over this and it will soak in and disperse evenly into the environment.

I found a great place to put my Lasius Niger Formicarium :) We have a 180 liter Juwell aquarium with tropical fish, the temperature of the water is allways 26 degrees, the TL-lighting gives a little extra warmth... On this spot on top of the back-lid the temperature is a stable 27.7 all day long. (Test in the images below is done without ants ;) ) Perhaps a little too hi, but if I put a layer of triplex or multiplex underneath it I bet it will be a nice 24-25 degrees celcius there. At night the light goes off and the temperature drops just a couple of degrees. The Aquarium and Formicarium are both in a place in the room where direct sunlight never comes.

 I think I have asius Niger living in my garden, plz  help identify :) Hello Fellow Formicarians :)  I think I have Lasius Niger living in my garden, plz  help identify :) I'd like to know If I am right that the species living in my garden is Lasius Niger :) All the ID-template questions I could answer: I made these pictures in my backyard in Velserbroek Netherlands just now. Just now is June 20th 2023 @ 00:25AM (local time) They live in between the bricks around my garden. They are about 2 to 3 mm max. To me they look black with golden bands on the abdomen. Can't tell you anything about the nest because it's probably under the stones. Here are my best images I can make (few out of 100 tries (at least)) Thanks for you help in advance ! PL. Click images for larger version...

After advice from Full_Frontal_Yeti on the formiculture.com Forums... I was 1st planning on keeping the new Lasius Niger colony in a small nest until the 1st hybernation period in just a cotainer and tubes nest. But as he advised he Ants will show much more interesting and natural behaviour when they have a outworld with plenty (not too much) space. So I bought a small food container to make a simple 1st outworld... Bigger and later outworlds will be 100% DIY ;) The food storage container for the outworld: Sand for bottom substrate thoroughly washed and cooked for 10 minutes to kill all fungii and parasites, now drying in the sun: Gathered some rocks and dead wood for decoration of the outworld, I disinfected the wood by putting it in the microwave for a minute. Here is the result for now, when the Ants arrive (Wednesday says the post info) I will put the Lasius Niger colony tube in here once they have settled after the mail journey (a few days after arrival. 0.3 mm holes drilled al a...

 Mini update... Forget the previously posted gypsum casting :) I got y hands on a 60x20x4cm block of Ytong... Should be enough to last my 1Q 12worker starter colony for a Year at least.... I'll make several nest extentions when they are needed :)