Very Few Larvae?

[nolan1]

Hi everyone.

I recently acquired my formica queen about 4 weeks ago.

I have checked up on her a few times and the most recent time i noticed that she only has 2 larvae, and although they look healthy to my relatively untrained eye, I could have sworn that she had more than 2 eggs when she first laid them.

So my question is a mix of is this normal and will 2 nanitic works be enough to sustain the queen if they both make it?

Thanks

[AqdasHassaan]

Answer 1. This is quite normal. If the queen gets stressed, she will eat her eggs so its completely normal if you find less no. of Larvae than total no. of eggs if you've observed earlier.

Answer 2. A single nanitic is more than enough to sustain a queen because soon she will have more nanitics and there you will have quite a nice no of workers in no time to start a successful colony.

[nolan1]

Okay that is very relieving!

I had noticed a larvae a week or so ago that was a brownish color but has disappeared. So im pretty sure that one was eaten.

thanks for the help

[AqdasHassaan]

Happy to help. good luck .

[Batspiderfish]

Formica usually only have 1-6 workers after their first summer. They also do not keep any brood over the winter, so sometimes they will wait until the spring.