Brachymyrmex

[Nylanderiavividula]

I have a small wild-caught colony of Brachymyrmex. They are not our native B. delpilis, but some other, totally black species (patagonicus?). When I caught them I managed to get the queen, around 30-40 workers, and probably 100 or more eggs/larvae...all in a cork-top four ounce muth jar. I connected the muth jar with tubing to a cork-top test tube/water set up, but they have refused to move! My concern is for the eggs and their humidity requirements. I have noticed multiple workers with distended gasters hanging around and on the eggs. When I caught them I did not see any with distended gasters. Do they keep a sort of replete? Will these engorged workers somehow keep the eggs humidified? Any help would be great!

[SolenopsisKeeper]

I have a small wild-caught colony of Brachymyrmex. They are not our native B. delpilis, but some other, totally black species (patagonicus?). When I caught them I managed to get the queen, around 30-40 workers, and probably 100 or more eggs/larvae...all in a cork-top four ounce muth jar. I connected the muth jar with tubing to a cork-top test tube/water set up, but they have refused to move! My concern is for the eggs and their humidity requirements. I have noticed multiple workers with distended gasters hanging around and on the eggs. When I caught them I did not see any with distended gasters. Do they keep a sort of replete? Will these engorged workers somehow keep the eggs humidified? Any help would be great!

They may move overnight, and the repletes feed the larvae that are hatching. Give them some time, patience is key

[SavANT]

I have a small wild-caught colony of Brachymyrmex. They are not our native B. delpilis, but some other, totally black species (patagonicus?). When I caught them I managed to get the queen, around 30-40 workers, and probably 100 or more eggs/larvae...all in a cork-top four ounce muth jar. I connected the muth jar with tubing to a cork-top test tube/water set up, but they have refused to move! My concern is for the eggs and their humidity requirements. I have noticed multiple workers with distended gasters hanging around and on the eggs. When I caught them I did not see any with distended gasters. Do they keep a sort of replete? Will these engorged workers somehow keep the eggs humidified? Any help would be great!

They may move overnight, and the repletes feed the larvae that are hatching. Give them some time, patience is key

Tell that to Camponotus ants

[SolenopsisKeeper]

I have a small wild-caught colony of Brachymyrmex. They are not our native B. delpilis, but some other, totally black species (patagonicus?). When I caught them I managed to get the queen, around 30-40 workers, and probably 100 or more eggs/larvae...all in a cork-top four ounce muth jar. I connected the muth jar with tubing to a cork-top test tube/water set up, but they have refused to move! My concern is for the eggs and their humidity requirements. I have noticed multiple workers with distended gasters hanging around and on the eggs. When I caught them I did not see any with distended gasters. Do they keep a sort of replete? Will these engorged workers somehow keep the eggs humidified? Any help would be great!

They may move overnight, and the repletes feed the larvae that are hatching. Give them some time, patience is key

Tell that to Camponotus ants

Only once my Camponotus didn’t move within three days, usually nocturnal ones move overnight if there are no vibrations and it is completly black-in both test tubes. They don’t do well with moving with light, as it does is stress the queen. I move mine my making the new tube heated, instantly the workers move brood and the queen

[SavANT]

Interesting