New Ant Queen Introduction

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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WiseHollow
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New Ant Queen Introduction

Post: # 23470Post WiseHollow
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:35 am

I have three Solenopsis Invicta and one of them died shortly after her first few workers enclosed. Is it possible for them to get along with one of my other queens that are also Solenopsis Invicta? Or should I release the workers outside? :?:

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Aquaexploder
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Re: New Ant Queen Introduction

Post: # 23471Post Aquaexploder
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:43 am

It is possible that they will join the other queens colony. However their is always the risk they won't and will fight. If you don't plan on taking this risk you can at least save the brood with a moist q-tip and put them with the other colony.
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WiseHollow
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Re: New Ant Queen Introduction

Post: # 23472Post WiseHollow
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:56 am

Aquaexploder wrote:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:43 am
It is possible that they will join the other queens colony. However their is always the risk they won't and will fight. If you don't plan on taking this risk you can at least save the brood with a moist q-tip and put them with the other colony.
Are there any warning-signs other than pure fighting? I took a single worker and put her with the queen. They both seem to interact in most expected ways. There is one thing that has me puzzled, the worker will often climb on top of the queen and start doing "something". It's hard to tell since the worker is so small. I've seen the worker checking out her legs quite often too.

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WiseHollow
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Re: New Ant Queen Introduction

Post: # 23474Post WiseHollow
Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:13 am

It looks like the single worker may be warming up to this new queen. The worker found a small drop of honey that I put in the tube a couple weeks ago. She drank it and went to the queen and started sharing the honey with her. :D Now I'm deciding between putting the other workers in, or just calling it quits and just transferring the remaining eggs over.

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Aquaexploder
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Re: New Ant Queen Introduction

Post: # 23483Post Aquaexploder
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:25 pm

WiseHollow wrote:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:56 am
Aquaexploder wrote:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:43 am
It is possible that they will join the other queens colony. However their is always the risk they won't and will fight. If you don't plan on taking this risk you can at least save the brood with a moist q-tip and put them with the other colony.
Are there any warning-signs other than pure fighting? I took a single worker and put her with the queen. They both seem to interact in most expected ways. There is one thing that has me puzzled, the worker will often climb on top of the queen and start doing "something". It's hard to tell since the worker is so small. I've seen the worker checking out her legs quite often too.
He may have been grooming her. Since they interacted pretty well I would continue the same process of adding one worker at a time. Assuming everything goes well, when their is just one worker left I would tape the tubes together (leave a little gap so they can breathe) so it gives them a chance to move the brood over.
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WiseHollow
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Re: New Ant Queen Introduction

Post: # 23595Post WiseHollow
Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:58 pm

Aquaexploder wrote:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:25 pm
WiseHollow wrote:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:56 am
Aquaexploder wrote:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:43 am
It is possible that they will join the other queens colony. However their is always the risk they won't and will fight. If you don't plan on taking this risk you can at least save the brood with a moist q-tip and put them with the other colony.
Are there any warning-signs other than pure fighting? I took a single worker and put her with the queen. They both seem to interact in most expected ways. There is one thing that has me puzzled, the worker will often climb on top of the queen and start doing "something". It's hard to tell since the worker is so small. I've seen the worker checking out her legs quite often too.
He may have been grooming her. Since they interacted pretty well I would continue the same process of adding one worker at a time. Assuming everything goes well, when their is just one worker left I would tape the tubes together (leave a little gap so they can breathe) so it gives them a chance to move the brood over.
Is it more risky the longer I wait? It's been several days and I only moved one worker. However I did manage to grab their remaining brood, so I don't believe there would be a significant benefit at this point.

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Aquaexploder
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Re: New Ant Queen Introduction

Post: # 23609Post Aquaexploder
Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:27 pm

Its up to you if you want to move them. Personally at this point I would not risk it since you have been very successful so far.
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