Atta cephalotes.

[fourmis 91]

My Atta cephalotes colony bought on May, 2015. The queen is from Trinidad. I keep them in a antstore cylinder with a hunting area from antstore too.
I put plaster in the cylinder to keep a good humidity for the fungus.

[Formica123]

How are they heated?

Looks amazing !!!!!

[fourmis 91]

I have a small heating in my lab (my bedroom lol).

[Acromyrmexbob]

That looks a really nice setup. Great to see. Is that a temperature probe in the top. The condensation in the nest area suggests that the temperature in the nest tank is higher by a few degrees than the surrounding room. If you heat the room does the condensation come and go throughout the day or stay the whole time. Is it more noticeable in the morning? I take it the condensation runs down the sides back into the plaster. Fantastic you have posted this. Andrew

[fourmis 91]

Thank you for your comment.
I heat them at 6 am to 8 am, 3 pm to 5 pm and 9 pm to 11 pm.
I don't think it is a problem for them, the water isn't in contact with the fungus.

[Acromyrmexbob]

Its obviously working for you. They are not that old but are growing well. When, I think, the condensation may become a problem is when the fungus grows to the point where it starts to fill the container. There are many ways to eliminate this though. You have a very strong and healthy colony there, you must be very pleased with it.

[Deansie26]

Hey, thanks for sharing this!
The ant store stuff is expensive but it does look great I must admit.
If this was my colony though I would be concerned about that condensation, that's not just a little misting that's major drips is the making. As Andrew already talked about. Are they there all day or only when your heating is off?
Can I ask why your heating is on in stages and you don't have it on a pulse thermostat?
Can you elaborate on this as Its not clear to me "I have a small heating in my lab (my bedroom lol)."

[Acromyrmexbob]

Jamie, I think Fourmis91 heats the room, probably central heating, and this comes on for a couple of hours, throughout the day. I do not think the unit itself is separately heated.

[Deansie26]

Ah right got you.

[fourmis 91]

I heat the room with a small heating controlled by an electric controller.
As you can see, where the fungus is in contact with the cylinder, the condensation is gone, so I think than when the fungus will be in contact with all the cylinder, the majority of the condensation will gone.