my first queen ant, possibly?
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my first queen ant, possibly?
Hello. So I bumped over the youtube videos randomly and I liked them so i thought i could give antkeeping a try. I got no knowledge besides what i learned from those videos, I don't even know if the and I caught is a queen. I went to look after queens a few times but no luck and I improvised a tube out of a 10ml syringe till I actually caught one and carried that with me all the time and I actually got this one randomly and I want to know if it's a queen.
is it a queen and do you have any advice or some knowledge that I could use?
Here's the pic after I caught it. sorry for the bad quality, I dont have my camera on me
https://imgur.com/a/lWZMRfF
is it a queen and do you have any advice or some knowledge that I could use?
Here's the pic after I caught it. sorry for the bad quality, I dont have my camera on me
https://imgur.com/a/lWZMRfF
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
Looks like a Formica social parasite. She will need about 6-8 Formica pupae to start a colony.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
and how long does it usually takes till she would lay eggs?
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
That question never has a reliable answer.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
I would like to know more about this, if possible... Do you know any place where I could find some data over this species? it's my 1st colony, i don't really know what i'm doing. I mean, if she will lay eggs, like what should I expect? are they big/small? Is it gonna expand fast or slow. I really only watched some AntsCanada videos and I wanted to try and I don't want to screw up.
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
The preparation aspect is just providing what your queen needs; all the rest is patience. She will be fine in test tubes for at least a year or two. Since she will have workers right away, you just provide care similar to when claustral queens eclose their first workers. They will need access to a foraging space regularly supplied with sugary liquid and insects for protein.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
thank you very much for the help and advice
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
oh. i developed 1 more question. so it's the test tube stuff. if water runs out, how do i refill it without damaging eggs and the queen?
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: my first queen ant, possibly?
You don't refill, you just give access to another test tube, which they will move into if the old one ever becomes uncomfortable.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
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