My first colony - Lasius Niger

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Carl75

My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 1451Post Carl75
Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:01 pm

If I'm successful I will be keeping track of my first colony here. I have queens in test tubes that I recently caught.

I read a lot of people have had eggs the day after catching their queens. I have only had mine 4 days and the queens are just sitting on the cotton at the water end.

do they generally lay eggs before or after hibernating?

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larynx
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Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 1453Post larynx
Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:08 pm

very cool. keep us updated. :mrgreen:
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Carl75

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 1554Post Carl75
Wed Aug 05, 2015 4:14 pm

I think one of my queens have laid her first egg :D I was checking briefly that my cotton at the open end of the test tube was not pushed in too tight. I was surprised at how small the eggs are. I have only seen pictures that have been enlarged.

The egg is near the cotton at the water end with the queen standing guard.

I didn't take a picture as I don't want to disturb her.

Carl75

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 1577Post Carl75
Thu Aug 06, 2015 2:42 am

She seems to have a small group of eggs this morning. :D

Carl75

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 3249Post Carl75
Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:46 pm

I have lots of eggs and I think there are lava too. :)

Carl75

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 4030Post Carl75
Wed Oct 07, 2015 9:14 am

I have my first Nantics. They are so small (I was suppressed at just how small). They are active and feeding from the queen and each other. They have moved the eggs etc a little.

Carl75

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 4047Post Carl75
Thu Oct 08, 2015 1:28 pm

My individual queens in test tubes died. But three I put in my omni nest vertical have co-founded my colony. I only did this due to lack of test tube setups available.

I have at least five nantics. They were very active and have killed a fruit fly. I thought the fly was dead, but after putting it in for them it started to move.

Carl75

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 4231Post Carl75
Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:05 pm

I seem to be getting more workers each day. I have about ten now. They don't seem to be ready to hibernate yet either. They forage a little in the out world too. Mainly taking fish food (flakes). I say they, I have watched and think it is the same one or two who forage, while the others tend to queens/brood.

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larynx
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Location: Georgia USA

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 4234Post larynx
Mon Oct 19, 2015 5:03 pm

Carl75 wrote:I seem to be getting more workers each day. I have about ten now. They don't seem to be ready to hibernate yet either. They forage a little in the out world too. Mainly taking fish food (flakes). I say they, I have watched and think it is the same one or two who forage, while the others tend to queens/brood.
sounds like they are doing great. i have a couple colonies that have dedicated foragers and dedicated door keepers as well. keep it up, and keep us up to date. good luck! :)
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Carl75

Re: My first colony - Lasius Niger

Post: # 4895Post Carl75
Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:35 am

Unfortunately my small colony has died. The queen was found in the out world and the workers etc were in the nest.

My queen in her test tube had eggs, but the test tube flooded. So I will have to wait until this years nuptial flights and try again.

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