Eggs not Hatching

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

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Mjolnir
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:11 pm
Location: Sault Ste Marie

Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86467Post Mjolnir
Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:14 pm

Hello, I'm new to the ant keeping world and have been pretty confused by the behaviour Iv seen in a queen carpenter ants I found this past July. She layed eggs a few weeks after she was caught. But even now her eggs have not hatched. I don't think they have turned into larvae either. Is it possible that they are dead eggs? She still protects and cares for them. She's in a very dark, quiet place. What am I doing wrong?!?!

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86476Post SolenopsisKeeper
Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:28 pm

Mjolnir wrote:
Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:14 pm
Hello, I'm new to the ant keeping world and have been pretty confused by the behaviour Iv seen in a queen carpenter ants I found this past July. She layed eggs a few weeks after she was caught. But even now her eggs have not hatched. I don't think they have turned into larvae either. Is it possible that they are dead eggs? She still protects and cares for them. She's in a very dark, quiet place. What am I doing wrong?!?!
If they were dead, she would eat them or remove of them. They also should be rotting. It may be that she is preparing for hibernation, as Camponotus hibernate in the winter. Have you put her through hibernation?(Unless of course you are in a tropical country) My ants will go through diapause even though it is 60 degrees in the morning and 80 degrees midday.(That town is in Michigan right?)

Another possibility is that she eats her eggs and lays new ones constantly. I have never heard of this, but it is possible, as my Camponotus ants somehow went from egg to cocoon in 3 weeks!!! (I do have a different species of course)
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

AntsLuxembourg
Posts: 1578
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:17 am
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Re: Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86488Post AntsLuxembourg
Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:04 am

Mjolnir wrote:
Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:14 pm
Hello, I'm new to the ant keeping world and have been pretty confused by the behaviour Iv seen in a queen carpenter ants I found this past July. She layed eggs a few weeks after she was caught. But even now her eggs have not hatched. I don't think they have turned into larvae either. Is it possible that they are dead eggs? She still protects and cares for them. She's in a very dark, quiet place. What am I doing wrong?!?!
What is the general temperature around the testtube? Do you know the species of your ants?
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

Need help or want to help? https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18153#p70566

Currently not keeping any ants anymore.

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86501Post SolenopsisKeeper
Wed Jan 05, 2022 7:12 am

AntsLuxembourg wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:04 am
Mjolnir wrote:
Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:14 pm
Hello, I'm new to the ant keeping world and have been pretty confused by the behaviour Iv seen in a queen carpenter ants I found this past July. She layed eggs a few weeks after she was caught. But even now her eggs have not hatched. I don't think they have turned into larvae either. Is it possible that they are dead eggs? She still protects and cares for them. She's in a very dark, quiet place. What am I doing wrong?!?!
What is the general temperature around the testtube? Do you know the species of your ants?
He said carpenter ants, but eggs I don’t think hibernate… my theory is possible
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

AntsLuxembourg
Posts: 1578
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:17 am
Location: Luxembourg
Contact:

Re: Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86507Post AntsLuxembourg
Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:41 am

SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 7:12 am
He said carpenter ants, but eggs I don’t think hibernate… my theory is possible
Well eggs don't hibernate but if the temperatur stays at around 16°C then the eggs don't die off but also perhaps don't hatch. Which means they are kind of stuff in egg hatching limbo. About the species, I always think of camponodus in general when I hear carpenter ants. I don't think of carpenter ants as only Camponotus pennsylvanicus or Camponotus herculeanus. I just like to know the proper name so I can look up more information.
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

Need help or want to help? https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18153#p70566

Currently not keeping any ants anymore.

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86510Post SolenopsisKeeper
Wed Jan 05, 2022 2:02 pm

AntsLuxembourg wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:41 am
SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 7:12 am
He said carpenter ants, but eggs I don’t think hibernate… my theory is possible
Well eggs don't hibernate but if the temperatur stays at around 16°C then the eggs don't die off but also perhaps don't hatch. Which means they are kind of stuff in egg hatching limbo. About the species, I always think of camponodus in general when I hear carpenter ants. I don't think of carpenter ants as only Camponotus pennsylvanicus or Camponotus herculeanus. I just like to know the proper name so I can look up more information.
True.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

AntsLuxembourg
Posts: 1578
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:17 am
Location: Luxembourg
Contact:

Re: Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86524Post AntsLuxembourg
Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:44 am

SolenopsisKeeper wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 2:02 pm
AntsLuxembourg wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:41 am
Well eggs don't hibernate but if the temperatur stays at around 16°C then the eggs don't die off but also perhaps don't hatch.
True.
Sorry, I have to correct myself. I should have said that the eggs might not die off. I'm no expert so I cannot tell at which temperature ant eggs die off and don't hatch at all. So it is possible the eggs have died off but the queen doesn't seem to think so.
I know that Lasius Niger eggs should die off at 6°C during hibernation but they can survive temperatures around 16°C for sure. However it is possible that camponotus eggs manage to survive that as well but I cannot confirm nor deny this.
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

Need help or want to help? https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18153#p70566

Currently not keeping any ants anymore.

Mjolnir
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:11 pm
Location: Sault Ste Marie

Re: Eggs not Hatching

Post: # 86795Post Mjolnir
Thu Jan 13, 2022 5:35 am

Update
Iv left her alone more. Not checking as often. Once every two weeks or so to make sure she's still alive. Eggs have definitely became larvae now. They've lost there round shape and now kinda curve at the top. Temperature of the house has be fluctuating lately because of winter and main heat being wood stove. So I moved her to an area with a more maintainable heat source. Species is I believe Camponotus ferrugineus and I'm in the Canadian Sault directly across the border from its sister city in Michigan.

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