Moving my Queen Without Workers!..

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Masterchief
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun May 06, 2018 5:50 pm
Location: Elk Grove, CA

Moving my Queen Without Workers!..

Post: # 36924Post Masterchief
Tue Jun 05, 2018 1:54 am

So when I caught Queen Lucy (Liometopum Occidentale), I didn't own a glass test tube so I placed her in florists water pic for single stem roses. She layed her eggs the next day happily tucked away. Now her tiny temporary test tube is out of water and I have much larger ones on hand (Official AC equipment otw). I wrapped the new test tube with tissue then electrical tape to make a "tube sock" for it after filling the water chamber. Now here are images of her current setup for the transition. The heating element has the temp gague on it and is set to 90 to prevent over heating. My guess is it actually never gets above 88 to 89 in there. Please tell me what you think. I hoped having her old test tube off level would also help to encourage her to move. I have a white light heating lamp above her as well mostly just used for light and not heat. Any and all advice would Rock! Here are first picks of her current situation as far as brood and what she needs to move. Then, picks of her moving setup.
Please comment with any thoughts!
Brood:
http://imgur.com/gallery/ZLBBWYq
Setup:
http://imgur.com/gallery/8yXRgwa
Keeper of
1 Liometopum Occidentale (Velvet Tree Ant)
1 Tetramorium (Pavement Ant)

Cerbenix
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:06 pm
Location: Latvia

Re: Moving my Queen Without Workers!..

Post: # 36971Post Cerbenix
Tue Jun 05, 2018 4:25 pm

That is pretty much what I would do minus the heating pad cuz I don't have one. Sooner or later she should move, most of my ants are reluctant at first and usually takes a couple of days sometimes more than a week for them to decide that they have had enough of the bright light. Just leave her to it. I don't think anything bad could happen. If she really wants the water, you have provided her with that in the other tube. She just has to decide that she wants to move closer to the source and when she does she will take her brood to it.

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Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Moving my Queen Without Workers!..

Post: # 37001Post Batspiderfish
Wed Jun 06, 2018 12:13 am

You might want to just leave her like that. Now that the tubes are attached, the humidity between them is probably pretty consistent.
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.

Masterchief
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun May 06, 2018 5:50 pm
Location: Elk Grove, CA

Re: Moving my Queen Without Workers!..

Post: # 37032Post Masterchief
Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:28 pm

Thank you Both Very much for your thoughts! That puts my mind at ease knowing she will just take her time to do it on her own. The heating pad is not making direct contact with her tube so I figure it's not hot enough to bother her. She actually probably likes it! Going on day 3 so far and she has explored to the end of the tube. I think the residual moisture in her old cotton is just enough to keep her comfortable. I know it'll be dry in maybe as soon as 24 hrs. The new water source is like 10 times larger and will absolutly last until she is ready for a farmicarium setup (hopefully 6 months)! Anyway, thanx for the info! I'll keep you posted when she makes the big move!!
Keeper of
1 Liometopum Occidentale (Velvet Tree Ant)
1 Tetramorium (Pavement Ant)

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