Almost two months ago, I caught a Lasius Neoniger queen ant. I was going to keep her in a test tube over the winter, but I watched an Ender Ants video, which gave me an idea. I created a natural digging nest for her as an experiment to see if she would create a claustral cell.
The first step in making this nest was to modify a container. I cut a rectangular hole into the lid, then, I 3D printed parts to secure the mesh. Next, I mixed some sand with water to create a natural digging medium. Later, I used a toothpick to create two starter holes. Lastly, I removed the lid and put her into the setup, and I put on the lid to contain her.
After I put her in, she ran around the tank trying to escape. She soon found a spot and began to dig. After a few minutes, she changed her mind and moved to my original starter hole, but that was also rejected. Finally, she found my second starter hole, and that is where she did most of her work.
She continued to dig her nest all night, and the next day, she was still digging! Overnight, she built a dome over the hole, and she finished a few hours later. As I had planned, I could see her chamber from below. This will help determine how far she is into the founding process.
