The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

I have recently gotten a colony of western harvester ants (Pogonomymex). I got them a week before Christmas, I think they were ordered from "live ants enclosed" or something (they were unfortunately shipped over. It was a big surprise for me because I wanted to catch a Tetramorium as my starter but I'm not too picky. The only problem is I haven't seen a queen or any new ants, there were 22 when I first got them and now there are about 15 and after this time I would think I would see new ants or something but I haven't yet. also, my ants aren't leaving the water test tube. I give them food and sugar every day in small portions but they haven't touched the food and I also gave them more space but they still won't move. PLEASE HELP

melinatharp13 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:48 pm

I have recently gotten a colony of western harvester ants (Pogonomymex). I got them a week before Christmas, I think they were ordered from "live ants enclosed" or something (they were unfortunately shipped over. It was a big surprise for me because I wanted to catch a Tetramorium as my starter but I'm not too picky. The only problem is I haven't seen a queen or any new ants, there were 22 when I first got them and now there are about 15 and after this time I would think I would see new ants or something but I haven't yet. also, my ants aren't leaving the water test tube. I give them food and sugar every day in small portions but they haven't touched the food and I also gave them more space but they still won't move. PLEASE HELP

did you get them from "antsalive.com"?
if so you did not get a queen, as they do not sell complete colonies. they sell worker ants for observation, not to raise. this would be the reason for no new ants and no queen present.

larynx wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 13, 2017 6:11 pm

melinatharp13 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:48 pm

I have recently gotten a colony of western harvester ants (Pogonomymex). I got them a week before Christmas, I think they were ordered from "live ants enclosed" or something (they were unfortunately shipped over. It was a big surprise for me because I wanted to catch a Tetramorium as my starter but I'm not too picky. The only problem is I haven't seen a queen or any new ants, there were 22 when I first got them and now there are about 15 and after this time I would think I would see new ants or something but I haven't yet. also, my ants aren't leaving the water test tube. I give them food and sugar every day in small portions but they haven't touched the food and I also gave them more space but they still won't move. PLEASE HELP

did you get them from "antsalive.com"?
if so you did not get a queen, as they do not sell complete colonies. they sell worker ants for observation, not to raise. this would be the reason for no new ants and no queen present.

no thank goodness, they came from amazon with good ratings. So any idea what I can do now?

They still most likely do not have a queen.

A link to the Amazon product may help.

the link is https://www.amazon.com/Live-Ant-Farm-Ants-Shipped/dp/B00GVHEQV0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1487078695&sr=8-2&keywords=ants+for+ant+farm
but my ants still dig very rarely, do they still make holes and stuff when the queen is dead (i have a dirt set-up that came with the ants)

melinatharp13 wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 14, 2017 7:27 am

the link is https://www.amazon.com/Live-Ant-Farm-Ants-Shipped/dp/B00GVHEQV0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1487078695&sr=8-2&keywords=ants+for+ant+farm
but my ants still dig very rarely, do they still make holes and stuff when the queen is dead (i have a dirt set-up that came with the ants)

Read before you buy stuff

Taken from the products comments
"
Q: is there a queen in the packaga?
A: No, They won't ship the queen with the rest of the ants. The regulations are different for queens then just harvesters."

Taken from the product description:

1 Tube of LIVE Ant Farm Ants shipped to your house right now. Instructions and 30 LIVE red Harvester Ants for ant farms, ready to tunnel though your ant farm. We ship live ant farm ants all year to anywhere in the continental USA. LIVE arrival guaranteed. DO NOT ORDER if below 40 degrees or above 85 degrees in your area. Our live arrival guaranty will be void if ordered during these temperatures. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHECKING TEMPERATURES IN YOUR AREA to be sure your ants arrive alive. We ship this item via USPS (post office) within 4 business days. ****************Ant FAQ: **How long can the ants stay in their tube after I receive them? They should be put into the habitat as soon as possible. However, if they have come too early, they can be put into the refrigerator for up to 4 days without harming them. **Do you send Queen Ants? Sorry, no. The USDA rules prohibit us from shipping queen ants because they do not want them to establish colonies where they do not belong. Also, ant farms are not designed to contain a large queen and the thousands of young she produces. Your ants will work without the queen. **How long will my ants live? They usually live 3 to 6 months. We’ve had them live as long as 8 months. **Can I use the same sand for my 2nd batch of ants? Yes. The sand is good for at least 2 batches of ants before it needs to be replaced. Just sift out dead ants and old food and put back into your farm **Replacement sand and gel is available in our Amazon store www.amazon.com/shops/naturegiftstore

I guess that answers my question, thank you. its a shame I couldn't raise them like I wanted but there's nothing I can do now. thanks again for your help.