my ant project

If you're starting up or involved in an ant-related project, website, store, initiative, or advocacy post about it here so people can hop on board!

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Rovvov99

Re: my ant project

Post: # 2330Post Rovvov99
Fri Aug 14, 2015 5:10 pm

K3v1n8 wrote::idea: i wanted to test out want would happen if i put 2 queen ants in the same formicarium separated by a room and some water in the formicarium. :geek: I spent a week away from them and by the time i came back. :ugeek: one escaped :o i did check my formicarium (which i created) and i found a whole which the queen had escaped :cry: i am left with one queen. Though i would like to know if anyone has tried this not saying you should but i would like to know what would happen.

Two things could happen:

1: The most likely of the two, they would be living in rivalry and attack each other at any utility.

2: The most interesting one, they would still be in rivalry, but eventually they would develop the same scent because they are living so close together. If that happened the two colonies would see each other as the same and wouldn't attack each other.

Delmonte

Re: my ant project

Post: # 2478Post Delmonte
Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:24 pm

I had an interesting find with some of my ants I collected outside. I decided to flip a few rocks and stones over to try to find any queens and new ant colonies for my collection. Well I flipped over one large stone and I found two new queens working together raising the same eggs. They were the same kind of ants and probably from the same colony from the same flight but I was just amazed that I saw this cause I've never seen this before. I of coursed got my large spoon and managed to get them both and all the eggs in one scoop without disturbing them or the little home they made. They are still working together and I'm hoping the first workers will emerge in the next few weeks.

Delmonte

Re: my ant project

Post: # 2753Post Delmonte
Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:43 pm

Well that's weird. Why would they raise eggs together then try to kill each other after they hatch? One of them wanted to be the dominant one? Or did they get hungry? Cause I know there are some ant colonies that have multiple queens.

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ooper01
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Re: my ant project

Post: # 2760Post ooper01
Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:45 pm

I could be wrong, but I believe that most of the time it is the workers who select the queen who will survive. They slowly get rid of the queens until the strongest, most fertile, etc., is the last surviving queen. Not sure how the can determine that?? Having said that, there are also many species that have multiple queens for the entire life of the colony, so it is definitely a species-specific thing.
~ ooper

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Delmonte

Re: my ant project

Post: # 3001Post Delmonte
Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:53 am

I'll keep you posted on what happens. Unfortunately they buried themselves so right now I cannot see what is exactly going on with them. I'm also in the process of moving so it might be a few weeks before I get back with you guys. I'm going to try move so of the dirt around so I can see them again and watch what they are doing.

Delmonte

Re: my ant project

Post: # 3238Post Delmonte
Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:42 am

I still haven't seen the two queens. I decided to leave them alone until the colony gets bigger and healthier. Right now I have about 4 workers walking around their enclosure. I gave them some organic agave nectar and I also dropped in a house fly that I caught and killed for them. They looked like they were searching frantically for food. Which I figured having 2 queens they would be. Once there's more workers and I know the colony takes off I will try to find the queens. I'm going to feed them often in hopes the queens don't kill each other

Delmonte

Re: my ant project

Post: # 3574Post Delmonte
Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:39 pm

Well bad news people. I looked at m colony today and found one of the queens dead and pushed outside the nest. I couldn't tell if she was killed by the other queen or the workers. I'm not sure how the other Queen is doing. Still haven't dug her up yet. But from my findings I wouldn't put two queens together. I still see workers going in and out the nest so I'm hoping the other queen is OK.

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idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: my ant project

Post: # 3598Post idahoantgirl
Fri Sep 18, 2015 2:23 pm

K3v1n8 wrote::idea: i wanted to test out want would happen if i put 2 queen ants in the same formicarium separated by a room and some water in the formicarium. :geek: I spent a week away from them and by the time i came back. :ugeek: one escaped :o i did check my formicarium (which i created) and i found a whole which the queen had escaped :cry: i am left with one queen. Though i would like to know if anyone has tried this not saying you should but i would like to know what would happen.
What did you make the formicarium out of? I'm planning on making one for my lasius neoniger queen
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

deadl0v3

Re: my ant project

Post: # 4598Post deadl0v3
Wed Dec 23, 2015 8:40 pm

idahoantgirl wrote:
K3v1n8 wrote::idea: i wanted to test out want would happen if i put 2 queen ants in the same formicarium separated by a room and some water in the formicarium. :geek: I spent a week away from them and by the time i came back. :ugeek: one escaped :o i did check my formicarium (which i created) and i found a whole which the queen had escaped :cry: i am left with one queen. Though i would like to know if anyone has tried this not saying you should but i would like to know what would happen.
What did you make the formicarium out of? I'm planning on making one for my lasius neoniger queen
sorry i forgot my password just made a new account. :? it was an office tray to hold small objects made out of hard plastic i fixed it up a little and covered the top and made holes. :mrgreen: that is really about it but now i have a new setup for them its a 50 gallon fish tank with sand. :geek:

MaxP00
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 4:32 am
Location: Austria

Re: my ant project

Post: # 64732Post MaxP00
Fri Oct 11, 2019 4:41 am

Delmonte wrote:
Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:24 pm
I had an interesting find with some of my ants I collected outside. I decided to flip a few rocks and stones over to try to find any queens and new ant colonies for my collection. Well I flipped over one large stone and I found two new queens working together raising the same eggs. They were the same kind of ants and probably from the same colony from the same flight but I was just amazed that I saw this cause I've never seen this before. I of coursed got my large spoon and managed to get them both and all the eggs in one scoop without disturbing them or the little home they made. They are still working together and I'm hoping the first workers will emerge in the next few weeks.
That's a very interesting observation. Thanks for sharing.

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