Multi Solenopsis Queens?
Moderator: ooper01
Multi Solenopsis Queens?
Yep multi queens in the same colony! A well established colony at that!
While out at the paintball field (Good friends with the owner) he was out spreading poison on the fields to get rid of the fire ants that were all over the playing fields (yes a sad time), we have to keep them off the fields because players kneel down, crawl, and walk every inch of the field while playing paintball the last thing we need is for them to get stung by the ants. We did have one case where a player slid into a bunker and right into a fire ant mound, he was highly allergic to them (wasps and bees too) and thank god he had his epipen with him!!
Well I was kinda curious on how developed the colonies were and scraped back the top 3-4 inches to check them out and was rather surprised to what I found! Every mound I uncovered had a minimum of 3-6 queens (not algates) near the surface and a lot of eggs and pupa (near the surface for the sun's warmth), that caught me by surprise. I have seen that multi queens have been together when establishing a new colony but for there to be so many in a well established colony? Interesting! I went and got my phone and did a video of me uncovering one. Please excuse the video quality and also the shaking of the video.
While out at the paintball field (Good friends with the owner) he was out spreading poison on the fields to get rid of the fire ants that were all over the playing fields (yes a sad time), we have to keep them off the fields because players kneel down, crawl, and walk every inch of the field while playing paintball the last thing we need is for them to get stung by the ants. We did have one case where a player slid into a bunker and right into a fire ant mound, he was highly allergic to them (wasps and bees too) and thank god he had his epipen with him!!
Well I was kinda curious on how developed the colonies were and scraped back the top 3-4 inches to check them out and was rather surprised to what I found! Every mound I uncovered had a minimum of 3-6 queens (not algates) near the surface and a lot of eggs and pupa (near the surface for the sun's warmth), that caught me by surprise. I have seen that multi queens have been together when establishing a new colony but for there to be so many in a well established colony? Interesting! I went and got my phone and did a video of me uncovering one. Please excuse the video quality and also the shaking of the video.
MadVampy
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Re: Multi Solenopsis Queens?
I would totally keep them....
Keeping.
lepisiota capensis colony
Cardiocondyla sp.
Founding
Messor. Sp. X 4
Myrmicine Sp. X 2
atopomyrmex Sp. X 2
Ants SA
YouTube :
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC404jNiUH33dFnxqSZajoPg
lepisiota capensis colony
Cardiocondyla sp.
Founding
Messor. Sp. X 4
Myrmicine Sp. X 2
atopomyrmex Sp. X 2
Ants SA
YouTube :
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC404jNiUH33dFnxqSZajoPg
Re: Multi Solenopsis Queens?
Would've been better for the environment if he did.
What's interesting though, is that Solenopsis geminata, the tropical imported fire ant, is actually native to the southern U.S., including Alabama.
Keeper of
Selliing:
Selliing:
Re: Multi Solenopsis Queens?
I did keep 3 queens. Starting another colony.
MadVampy
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Re: Multi Solenopsis Queens?
Ok this is a next day update on the 3 Solenopsis Queens I got yesterday. I went back out the the paintball field and using a tupperware container I got a bunch of workers and also some eggs and larva and brought it back to the house. I wanted to give the 3 Queens some support from the workers that they had already gotten use to (this wasn't a new founded by the queen colony). I hooked them together. I had put the Queens in a AC Hybrid nest yesterday and the rest of what I got was in the soil from the nest today, so far they have chosen to move 2 of the 3 queens into the soil nest and are coaxing the 3 right now. Their choice, I'll give it a few days and see which one they like better.
MadVampy
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Re: Multi Solenopsis Queens?
This isn't really that special or new. The further south you go the more the Solenopsis genus tends to multiqueen colonies (across most if not all species).
Re: Multi Solenopsis Queens?
Ok well as many fire ant mounds and such that I have dealt with in the over 15yrs I've been in Alabama this is the first time I've come across a mound having multi queens, I'm not talking about winged algates but fertile queens. Yes multi queens founding a nest that's a common thing I've come across but this particular mound has been around for over a year.
MadVampy
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Head Forum Admin
Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people.
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants.
Re: Multi Solenopsis Queens?
I am surprised that you scooped off some of their mound and found several queens even if no one else is. With honeybees, they mark the queen sometimes but putting a spot of nail polish on the middle segment. Maybe you could try that. If we see videos with your fingernails different colors then we will know you went a tiny bit overboard but had fun anyway.
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