Introducing queens. Good idea or bad?

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

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BleedingRaindrops
Posts: 156
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:33 am
Location: Pennsylvania

Introducing queens. Good idea or bad?

Post: # 17821Post BleedingRaindrops
Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:42 am

Back in November I caught two Pheidole queens, and I've been raising them separately for the past 14 weeks. Two weeks ago one of them laid eggs after I was able to introduce a heat source, but I'm pretty certain the other one is infertile.
Image
I've heard Pheidole are polygynous, so I'm considering introducing the two queens, but I'm not sure if it would be harmful or helpful, and I'm nervous about ruining my first colony while there are eggs on the way.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?
Ants kept
Nylanderia sp.
Camponotus sp.
Paratrechina Longicornis
Pheidole sp.

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Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Introducing queens. Good idea or bad?

Post: # 17829Post Batspiderfish
Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:27 am

They've been apart for too long. You might try after they have some nanitic workers, but the two queens are likely to be hostile to each other without a sort of chemical diplomacy carried out by the workers. This situation may lead to one colony killing the other, or the workers abandoning one of the queens.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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