Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

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unleashed111
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Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

Post: # 33404Post unleashed111
Sat Jan 06, 2018 11:41 pm

This is the very first queen ant I ever caught and I actually caught her very late August and put her in a test tube set up where she lived for months until I came back for winter break and I forgot to hibernate her in the cold but also she never laid any eggs so I’m wondering if she’s dead now from improper temperature or if she was not fertilized and died or if she’s just hibernating. Thanks!

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shaky33
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Re: Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

Post: # 33406Post shaky33
Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:14 am

Well we're gonna need pics. It's gonna be a lot easier to tell if she is dead if we can actually see her :lol:
- Rhytidoponera metallica
- Camponotus consobrinus x2
- **** sp.
- Nylanderia sp.
- Melaphorus sp.
- Camponotus cairns
- Crematogaster sp.
- Colobopsis sp.
- Myrmecia nigrocinta
- Iridomyrmex purpureus
- Camponotus eastwoodi

unleashed111
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Re: Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

Post: # 33412Post unleashed111
Sun Jan 07, 2018 9:56 am

Image
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Batspiderfish
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Re: Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

Post: # 33414Post Batspiderfish
Sun Jan 07, 2018 10:51 am

Looks dead, sorry. On top of a lot of things going wrong with hibernation (she should have been in the cold a while ago) temperate fall-flying Camponotus have a low rate of survival because of lower nutrient reserves and because they also have trouble finding mates. Queens do not die from being unfertilized, though -- that is a myth.

Camponotus queens will often curl up if they are hibernating in low temperatures, but that posture doesn't look like this. You have nothing to lose by holding onto her until it's more clear that she is dead or alive.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

unleashed111
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Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2017 4:59 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

Post: # 33417Post unleashed111
Sun Jan 07, 2018 11:58 am

Awwww I’m sad but thank you for replying.

Delphie
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Re: Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

Post: # 33464Post Delphie
Sun Jan 07, 2018 10:16 pm

The cotton looks dry. Was there water in the other end of the test tube?

unleashed111
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Re: Camponotus queen dead or hibernating?

Post: # 33468Post unleashed111
Mon Jan 08, 2018 12:51 am

Yes there was water on the other side but for some reason she stuffed herself on the other side of the tube

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