Lasius niger - no new pupae

[MarniC]

Hello everyone!
I'm new here on the forum so wanted to introduce myself and ask for help with an issue I have with my Lasius niger colony. I have the colony for about a year now and at it's peak it had approximately 200 workers. For the last 2 months however I've noticed that despite the queen laying new eggs and the eggs developing into larvae there are no pupae at all. I raised that same issue at other forum and no one was able to tell what is the reason.
Ants are kept in an Y tong nest I made myself. I feed them with honey as well as mealworms and crickets on a regular basis and I can see them eating. The outworld is made with grout with some sand on top so no way they can keep the pupae somewhere outside the nest.
Any ideas what's going on as I begin to worry? It's the first colony I had and I wouldn't like to loose it.

[MarniC]

See some pictures below

https://ibb.co/7WFv9SW
https://ibb.co/qmj76Mm
https://ibb.co/b7QmVhV
https://ibb.co/s27Wm8p
https://ibb.co/xz5y6pb
https://ibb.co/Gdb4c71

[Hawkeye]

Could it be a protein deficiency? Have you spotted ants eating larvae?

[MarniC]

Could it be a protein deficiency? Have you spotted ants eating larvae?

No I haven't but they can not just disappear can they? Do you think I should offer them more protein? I'm feeding them mealworms or crickets at least 3 times a week (1 cricket or 2 mealworms cut into smaller pieces).

[Hawkeye]

Could it be a protein deficiency? Have you spotted ants eating larvae?

No I haven't but they can not just disappear can they? Do you think I should offer them more protein? I'm feeding them mealworms or crickets at least 3 times a week (1 cricket or 2 mealworms cut into smaller pieces).

Yeah I'd say that is too little for a colony of such size. Try doubling the amount and preferably offer them a greater variety too. A couple of mosquitoes on day 1, a large cricket on day 2, a mealworms on day three, housefly on day four etc

[MarniC]

Could it be a protein deficiency? Have you spotted ants eating larvae?

No I haven't but they can not just disappear can they? Do you think I should offer them more protein? I'm feeding them mealworms or crickets at least 3 times a week (1 cricket or 2 mealworms cut into smaller pieces).

Yeah I'd say that is too little for a colony of such size. Try doubling the amount and preferably offer them a greater variety too. A couple of mosquitoes on day 1, a large cricket on day 2, a mealworms on day three, housefly on day four etc

I will but not sure if it's safe to give the flies or mosquitoes I catch myself as they might carry some parasites and I wouldn't like to kill the colony

[Hawkeye]

Freeze them overnight, that should kill mites and bacteria. Thaw them and they are safe to offer

[MarniC]

Freeze them overnight, that should kill mites and bacteria. Thaw them and they are safe to offer

I'll try that. Thanks!

[LasiusSapien]

The outworld is made with grout

did you mix that your self? or was it premix?

have a look at this thread https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=648&p=63425&hilit=grout#p63425

[MarniC]

The outworld is made with grout

did you mix that your self? or was it premix?

have a look at this thread https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=648&p=63425&hilit=grout#p63425

I mixed it myself. I know that the premixed one is toxic so no worries.