Science Museum, Naples

[Deansie26]

This display is in an Italian Science Museum, it houses a large Acromyrmex Octospinosis that is producing alates and looks large. I was chatting to person who made it and he explained how it is constructed of 2 large pieces of Ytong glued side by side with vinyl glue. Hollowed out tunnels and chambers and a glass front for viewing.
The unit is heated from below by heatmats that come on when the temp falls below 20 degrees, it's dimensions are LXHXD 130x50x10 cm. It's interesting how thin the unit is at just 10cm!
There is a new larger unit currently being constructed for the colony.

The colony is 3 years and 4 month old

[Formica123]

Ah yes I know this one, seen loads of pictures on their Facebook page, just a year ago it never even half filled that setup!

[Acromyrmexbob]

Jamie, front to back of 10cm, thats inpressive. Havent done one like that. Might give it a try. I have a few set ups coming up which might suit that style. I like the visual access that gives. Also interested in the temperature settings. So they are looking to guarantee the temperature at 20C only. That seems low. I suspect thats because the ambient temperature in the place they are is normally over this and the setting is just a fail safe. Otherwise a 20C temperature would not suit the fungus or the humidity.

[Deansie26]

I thought that also Andrew, I've asked the set ups creator if he has some time if he could come on and chat about his set up so fingers crossed he will.
Mean while below is a copy and paste of my conversation earlier today.

Q: Really appreciate the information. So if your heat mats come on at 20 degrees-is that the temperature you maintain the unit at?

A: Yes, I have a thermometer inside that measure temperature inside the nest. In summer temperature range from 25 to 29 degrees into the nest, at 28 they stop cutting, so the fungus doesn't grow, but under 28 they are active again. Luckily into the room where they are temperature never exceeded 29 degrees

[Guglielmo]

Hi, thanks for the pics Jamie, I couldn't add the pictures time ago when i registered to the site. Thanks for doing it. My name is Guglielmo and I made the nest in the picture for Naples' Science Museum.
For the ones interested, here there is the size of the nest - I used four y-tong blocks, each one sizing 65 cm (length), 25 cm (hight) and 10 cm (depth). The four blocks were glued with vinyl glue so to have a total surface of 130x50x10. In them i carved several rooms as you can see in the picture, put it in a glass case sizing 135x80x 15. My mistake was to leave 4 cm behind the nest, and the ants were able to dig a hole in the tong and also grow the fungus in the background, where i cannot see it...
Now the fungus is also on the top of the nest, so I need to enlarge the nest and it will be done in september, I still didn't think how to make it bigger, so any comment is more than appreciated.
I have several hundred queens but no male. Nearly one hundred queens are de-alated (without wings) and they cut leaves, work at the garden or take the garbage out

[Jackie62]

Hi, thanks for the pics Jamie, I couldn't add the pictures time ago when i registered to the site. Thanks for doing it. My name is Guglielmo and I made the nest in the picture for Naples' Science Museum.
For the ones interested, here there is the size of the nest - I used four y-tong blocks, each one sizing 65 cm (length), 25 cm (hight) and 10 cm (depth). The four blocks were glued with vinyl glue so to have a total surface of 130x50x10. In them i carved several rooms as you can see in the picture, put it in a glass case sizing 135x80x 15. My mistake was to leave 4 cm behind the nest, and the ants were able to dig a hole in the tong and also grow the fungus in the background, where i cannot see it...
Now the fungus is also on the top of the nest, so I need to enlarge the nest and it will be done in september, I still didn't think how to make it bigger, so any comment is more than appreciated.
I have several hundred queens but no male. Nearly one hundred queens are de-alated (without wings) and they cut leaves, work at the garden or take the garbage out

Hi Guglielmo, nice to see you here. Your set up is great, I love how you can see so much going on! Interestingly, our colony tank temperatures go up to around 28 degrees C and we also have lots of queens and those without wings that work. We also have males and have had them on a regular basis for some time now. We had a nuptial flight two years ago and I'm anticipating another one maybe soon!

[Acromyrmexbob]

Great to see your colony. Did you ever get the go ahead for the revamp. Last time we talked you were anticipating a new setup for the ants.

[Guglielmo]

As the old nest is getting dirtier and dirtier (plus ants were able to carve a hole through the ytong), I had to start a new nest project. They are two ytong blocks, each one sized 80cm x 25cm x 10 cm (thick). I hope to finish it before the opening of the museum (11 october). Then the problem will be to convince my girls to move into the new home....

[Deansie26]

Brilliant Guglielmo, it would be great if you could get someone to film the move! Just let me know and I'll post it for you. Will be tricky I imagine

[Andyj]

You and Jackie are getting a lot of sexuals, do you share the same problem as Jackie losing her larger workers ?