Found a queen, have a question

Here we curate the wealth of ant keeping knowledge, experiences, and posts of ant keepers of various experiences levels, geographical locations, and specific ant species.

Moderator: ooper01

Topgun757
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:58 am
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78329Post Topgun757
Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:31 am

Yesterday I found a queen red carpenter ant (red mesozoma, black head and gaster), but she seemed to already have been part of a very, very small colony. It’s too late to return her by now though. I have her in a test tube, should I feed her? I know normally you don’t feed them, as they are fully claustral, but I was wondering if you should only not feed ones that were on their nuptial flights. Sorry for long post, I’m very new here.

User avatar
Antloverhuman
Posts: 1135
Joined: Wed May 19, 2021 3:38 am
Location: Delhi, India

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78330Post Antloverhuman
Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:40 am

if it is possible you should go back and try to collect some brood and workers of her colony. make sure you have correct species of worker because if you collect the wrong worker they would kill your queen. if you have at least one of her worker, it can feed her and protect her. you can either give food in her test tube or you should put her test tube in another Tupperware type container so that you can feed her easily.( you should keep her test tube in another container only if you have at least 5+ workers)
Ants I have-
camponotus compressus colony- the shadow warriors.
Pls just let me have a tetramorium colony

Topgun757
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:58 am
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78331Post Topgun757
Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:43 am

So I should feed her? And after I got her into the test tube I went back to where I found her, the workers were gone.
Colonies: A Camponotus Novaeboracensis queen with eggs, 1 Lasius (possibly neoniger) queen caught just as the male flew away from her.

User avatar
Antloverhuman
Posts: 1135
Joined: Wed May 19, 2021 3:38 am
Location: Delhi, India

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78333Post Antloverhuman
Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:49 am

yes you should feed her. you can use a toothpick to put a small drop of honey on a thick piece of paper and put that paper in her test tube. just quickly remove the cotton, put the paper and close the test tube with cotton. but don't push the paper too close to the the queen, keep it near the the cotton.
Ants I have-
camponotus compressus colony- the shadow warriors.
Pls just let me have a tetramorium colony

Topgun757
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:58 am
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78334Post Topgun757
Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:53 am

Ok, later today I might check if any of the workers are there, probably not though. At least I know she is fertilized.
Colonies: A Camponotus Novaeboracensis queen with eggs, 1 Lasius (possibly neoniger) queen caught just as the male flew away from her.

User avatar
Antloverhuman
Posts: 1135
Joined: Wed May 19, 2021 3:38 am
Location: Delhi, India

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78336Post Antloverhuman
Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:22 am

also you should give her small amount of food every week and should wait for one half to one hour after giving food so she have enough time to eat and if you leave food in her test tube for too long the cotton can mold and if there is liquid food she and her brood can drown. giving her food every week can make sure the queen is healthy. Fully claustral queen ants use energy stored in their wing muscles which are no longer needed. they convert this energy into a "tasty soup" which they feed on and give their brood. a queen ant who already have a colony with 3 or more workers probably do not have enough energy to survive alone and give to her brood. So if anyone has a fully claustral queen they dug up from a colony should feed her weekly or depending on how she's doing.
Ants I have-
camponotus compressus colony- the shadow warriors.
Pls just let me have a tetramorium colony

Topgun757
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:58 am
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78337Post Topgun757
Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:28 am

Ok, I put paper with honey on it with her, and I will take it out once she stops eating.
Colonies: A Camponotus Novaeboracensis queen with eggs, 1 Lasius (possibly neoniger) queen caught just as the male flew away from her.

Topgun757
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:58 am
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78343Post Topgun757
Tue Jun 08, 2021 1:04 pm

I found two more queens and a bunch of workers from the same colony as each other. Should I release the first one I found since I don’t have any workers for it? And why are the ants seemingly attacking one of the queens When I put one with the ants they’re all from the same colony. And I wouldn’t be allowed to poke holes in a Tupperware so what else could work?
Colonies: A Camponotus Novaeboracensis queen with eggs, 1 Lasius (possibly neoniger) queen caught just as the male flew away from her.

Topgun757
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:58 am
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78344Post Topgun757
Tue Jun 08, 2021 1:16 pm

Is it a good idea to put the 2 queens together?
Colonies: A Camponotus Novaeboracensis queen with eggs, 1 Lasius (possibly neoniger) queen caught just as the male flew away from her.

Topgun757
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:58 am
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Found a queen, have a question

Post: # 78369Post Topgun757
Wed Jun 09, 2021 1:02 pm

I released all but one queen, and I have some workers (5) in the test tube with her, one of the workers seems to be constantly pulling on one of her legs, is this bad?
Colonies: A Camponotus Novaeboracensis queen with eggs, 1 Lasius (possibly neoniger) queen caught just as the male flew away from her.

Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests