Camponotus queen won't switch tubes

[justrws]

My queen *finally* has some nanitics and they are girls! Yay! I was so worried she may not have mated as it's been a year since I caught her; a lot of drama.

Anyway, she ran out of water probably about a month ago. I taped a second tube to the first but she doesn't seem to want to move. I figured that once some of the nanitics hatched they would help her move to 'the other end' closer to the water but that doesn't seem to be happening. Earlier this evening I opened the drawer I had her in, left the light on and covered the water tube with black paper to see if that will coax her to move. I noticed that when I lifted the black paper there was a nanitic checking out the water cotton but ran back to the queen right away. Any ideas on how I can get them to move? The tube she's staying in has no water left. I want them to move so I can disconnect the tubes, give them some food and cotton them up in the new one.

I'm also wondering what is with the white stripe on the one nanitic? First picture is a close up of her and her brood and nanitics. Second picture is showing the complete setup. I have covered the water tube up with black paper. the grey wire is a heating cable as the desk is in the basement which is cooler and I heard they like warmth.

https://imgur.com/a/ufRhlTp
https://imgur.com/a/aeFn6eQ

[antperson24]

My queen *finally* has some nanitics and they are girls! Yay! I was so worried she may not have mated as it's been a year since I caught her; a lot of drama.

Anyway, she ran out of water probably about a month ago. I taped a second tube to the first but she doesn't seem to want to move. I figured that once some of the nanitics hatched they would help her move to 'the other end' closer to the water but that doesn't seem to be happening. Earlier this evening I opened the drawer I had her in, left the light on and covered the water tube with black paper to see if that will coax her to move. I noticed that when I lifted the black paper there was a nanitic checking out the water cotton but ran back to the queen right away. Any ideas on how I can get them to move? The tube she's staying in has no water left. I want them to move so I can disconnect the tubes, give them some food and cotton them up in the new one.

I'm also wondering what is with the white stripe on the one nanitic? First picture is a close up of her and her brood and nanitics. Second picture is showing the complete setup. I have covered the water tube up with black paper. the grey wire is a heating cable as the desk is in the basement which is cooler and I heard they like warmth.

https://imgur.com/a/ufRhlTp
https://imgur.com/a/aeFn6eQ

Light does not help Camponotus move, it just stresses them. Only heat the new test tube, that should help. You might try putting a small drop of honey in the new test tube. Also, in the photo the white line just looks like a reflection.

[justrws]

Well, still in the old tube and I think more nanitics have eclosed (she had 6 when I made this original post). I ended up connecting the old test tube separate from the new one via a test tube portal. I had put a drop of honey on the side of the new tube when they were together and none of them seemed interested in it to the point that they were going around it. With the portal, the new tube is completely enclosed in black paper, the old one has been getting indirect light through the day (partially covered with a cloth.

I have tiny little feeding dishes that I can put in the main portal area with tweezers. I put a couple drops of honey in one of them (don't seem to have any interest in that one) and a couple drops of 'protein mix' in the other (they are either drinking it or the water from the mixture is evaporating).

It's impossible to tell the nanitics apart but I think only 1 specific one of them is ever leaving the old tube. I've got a night vision camera in there and it seems that when it ventures out it does a combination of various things. Sometimes it will go to one or both of the dishes (even though it went to the honey one every so often, when I took it out it didn't look like it had been touched). Other times it goes into the new tube and comes out a minute or so later. I'm pretty sure it's getting water from over there. Why it's not telling everyone else that they should move there is beyond me. When I've looked in on them it seems like most of them have expanded gasters so if it's only the 1 that is leaving, she's feeding everyone else.

I'm going to try replacing the honey with sugar water and see if she's interested in that one. I have no idea how to get them to move though. I don't think I can cover them and leave them at this point.

[Antloverhuman]

Just a tip, don't feed them sugars too much. They will stop doing anything and will not leave their nest or eat anything else (thats what I observed with mine)

[justrws]

(This is the 3rd time I'm writing this as it prompts me to sign in when I go to post and wipes out the entire thing).

EDIT: It tried to do it a fourth time but I copied it before I hit 'Preview' so I was able to paste it back. So stupid.

There is a question in all of this, I swear.

Fun fact: I was trying to determine if Camponotus Pennsylvanicus ants are sensitive to IR lights. I'm seeing mixed reviews online. My very unscientific and random finding seem to suggest they do notice it but to what degree I'm not sure. After turning the IR lights off on my night vision camera, 2.5 days later, the majority of the colony moved, save 2 nanitics and the queen. About a day later the nanitics left and the queen followed a few hours later. When the lights were on, and when I would turn them on briefly to check on them (I could faintly see them with no IR during the day with the ambient light that got into their covered area) they seemed to be/get more active. I've been leaving the IR off the majority of the time since then but I'm going to try them full time again shortly.

Since their move, I've moved their new tube over to a clean portal setup (I can't bring myself to cotton the end of the tube after I let them taste 'freedom'). I gave them 6 drops of protein water (p-water for short) in a small dish (easier cleanup/refilling) and put it in the main portal area. Also some honey, slathered on a tray, and put into another test tube connected to the portal. In less than 24 hours the p-water was either drank or evaporated. I can't tell the status of the honey as it's on the periphery of the camera and doesn't show up very well, even in IR.

My plan is to refill the p-water, put fresh honey on the tray and put it in the main portal area as well, turn on the IR lights and watch. It seems that only 1 ant leaves their test tube and I'm thinking it's probably the same ant every time. She comes out a few times per hour and does a 'patrol' before going back in. With the honey and p-water in the main area and the IR lights on, I should be able to see what is happening to the water and if she has any interest in the honey. I might end up trying the sugar water again with IR as well, since it was either drank or evaporated when I cleaned it out last night.

If you've come this far, my question. Due to either the evaporation of the p-water, or how quickly they are drinking it, can anyone recommend a different protein source that would last longer? I need something small, can be stored over a long period of time, preferably won't make a mess if put directly in the portal (the cockroach head and super worm Mike gave to his last round of carpenter ants come to mind; pretty messy) and are available in my area. I'm near Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Also, other ideas for sugar or other nutrients would be helpful as well.

I'll be back with another update over the weekend sometime. Thanks.