Question about Solepnosis Geminata

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Phoenix
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Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 17904Post Phoenix
Wed Mar 08, 2017 4:46 am

How much does a queen lay, once a day?
Another note, are the eggs normally yellowish or no?

EDIT: Don't mind the second question, turns out that my eyes were playing a trick on me.
'Have Fun.' - Gabe Newell

Serafine

Re: Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 17906Post Serafine
Wed Mar 08, 2017 6:29 am

Once the colony really gets rolling (which may take 3-6 months), is well-fed and at a good temperature (>25°C) a Solenopsis geminata queen can lay up to 11.000 eggs per week/about 1500 eggs per day. But the workers will only live for about 3-4 months (unlike Camponotus whichg can live for several years) which limits the growth a bit (but just a bit). Also the queen usually only gets 6-7 years old.
Someone at the antkeeping forum had a fully-grown (several years old) S. geminata colony that consumed about half a can of dog food per day.

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Phoenix
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Re: Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 17942Post Phoenix
Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:14 am

Well that's not too reassuring for me, my queen has already laid 30+ eggs; and it's her first batch as well.
'Have Fun.' - Gabe Newell

SpeciesK

Re: Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 17982Post SpeciesK
Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:56 am

11,000 eggs per week?!?!? Per week??? :o
11,000 X 3 months X 4 weeks= 132,000 fire ants! Or 4 months=176,000 fire ants! Trying to get out. With 11,000 ants dying every week after that! :!:
Oh my gosh... :shock:

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Phoenix
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Re: Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 17984Post Phoenix
Sat Mar 11, 2017 7:40 am

I thought it was an exaggeration; now my queen has now laid, 40 or more eggs as her first batch.
'Have Fun.' - Gabe Newell

Serafine

Re: Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 17987Post Serafine
Sat Mar 11, 2017 8:04 am

Phoenix wrote:
Sat Mar 11, 2017 7:40 am
I thought it was an exaggeration; now my queen has now laid, 40 or more eggs as her first batch.
No it isn't. Although the egg-laying rate highly depends on the temperature, at 22°C and below even Solenopsis geminata colonies are growing rather slow.


There's a nice AC video series where you can watch the growth of a Solenopsis geminata colony.

October '13, colony doesn't even fill a single large Omni Nest:
https://youtu.be/G72OYo75zIE

Same colony in January '14:
https://youtu.be/lgJFqLDn6go



And the best thing, Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ants, which is essentially pretty much the same) has developed strains in some US areas that are POLYGYNOUS (not just during founding but permanently).

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Phoenix
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Re: Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 18229Post Phoenix
Sat Mar 18, 2017 3:29 am

Another Q: What's the exact amount of indefinite time required, for the shells to enclose?
'Have Fun.' - Gabe Newell

Serafine

Re: Question about Solepnosis Geminata

Post: # 18232Post Serafine
Sat Mar 18, 2017 5:39 am

You mean the time it takes for an ant to develop into an adult? That highly depends on the temperature (and the supply of proteins) but usually about 4 weeks from egg to worker.
Some small ants can do it faster and larger ants (most Camponotus, Myrmecia, etc.) often require 6-10 weeks.

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