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Do workers latch on to elates before they fly off?

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 4:43 pm
by Micmanisenchicken
Is it possible for workers to latch on to elates before they fly off?
I found a queen, put her in a test tube and a couple days later found a worker in the same test tube. I can't figure out how the worker got in there. Any ideas?

Re: Do workers latch on to elates before they fly off?

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:10 pm
by Aquaexploder
No clue, but my best guess is that you collected the worker by accident when collecting the queen. If I were you I would separate them.

Re: Do workers latch on to elates before they fly off?

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:29 pm
by ACaseoftheMondays
A stowaway.

Re: Do workers latch on to elates before they fly off?

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:13 pm
by Batspiderfish
Yes, this happens every once in a while, especially with small species like the Solenopsis thief ants. The extra worker should be a boon to your queen.

Re: Do workers latch on to elates before they fly off?

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:31 am
by Hunter36o
Batspiderfish wrote:
Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:13 pm
Yes, this happens every once in a while, especially with small species like the Solenopsis thief ants. The extra worker should be a boon to your queen.
Really? Would it not stress her out? The worker may be a sister I get that but would the worker be of use to the queen and not a burdon?
I have never spotted this as a question before so I find it really interesting.

Re: Do workers latch on to elates before they fly off?

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 3:41 pm
by AntsDakota
If they don't fight I would keep them together, because she would be a great help to the queen while raising her workers. Although I would recommend feeding them through the founding stage so the queen doesn't have to use any extra wing muscle to feed that worker.

Re: Do workers latch on to elates before they fly off?

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 3:42 pm
by AntsDakota
Another possible scenario is that the worker started attacking the queen after she mated and you picked her up and the worker let go in the test tube.