Queens not laying any new eggs

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Haze809
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Queens not laying any new eggs

Post: # 73418Post Haze809
Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:08 pm

I've had a colony of Formica Neogagates for about 3 months now. Started with 2 Queens and they are now up to 30 workers. All of their eggs have hatched. The last eggs hatched a few days ago.. I noticed that in the last 4 weeks they have not laid any new eggs.. There is plenty of food (protein, honey water and fresh water). They are hidden away and I do not bother them.. only to change their honey water every 2 weeks or so.


Their original test tube is dry.. they are connected to a Test tube portal, that is also connected to a small AntTower. The AntTower has the fresh test tube with bottled water, but they haven't moved in there yet. I haven't seen them drinking from it either. The new test tube with fresh water has been there about 2 weeks.

I've heard the queens may take a break from laying eggs, or lay eggs in batches.. I'm curious how long this "break" takes.. I was expecting maybe a week or two, but 4 weeks without eggs... I'm starting to worry.

Right now all the workers and the queens are just chilling.. there are no more eggs to take care of. They are not digging or moving into the AntTower. What should I be doing?

AntsLuxembourg
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Re: Queens not laying any new eggs

Post: # 73497Post AntsLuxembourg
Mon Aug 31, 2020 5:11 am

I'd sugguest you just give them some darkness and wait some more. I don't know much about formica neogagates and their egg laying habits but I could imagine that their take breaks or that they are just too stressed to lay new eggs. Not sure if you have some sort of entrance tightener to make the entrance look smaller which tricks them into thinking that it is a chamber or nest entrance.
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

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Haze809
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Re: Queens not laying any new eggs

Post: # 73672Post Haze809
Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:13 pm

Almost two weeks since I posted this.. neither of the two queens have laid any new eggs.. I don't think I've lost any worker yet.. so about 25+ workers and 2 queens are literally just chilling around the test tube/test tube portal.. not interested in moving into their AntTower.

The AntTower has been hooked to the portal for over 3 months, and they did lay eggs even after attaching the AntTower.. all of which have hatched now.

I'm really not sure what could possibly be the reason why they don't lay any new eggs.. They were doing just fine!

Diet has not changed, I bother them less now than I did while they were thriving and laying plenty of eggs.

I'm almost curious if they reached a size they feel comfortable with ? I read somewhere these ants species' colonies are quite small..

AntsLuxembourg
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Re: Queens not laying any new eggs

Post: # 73676Post AntsLuxembourg
Thu Sep 10, 2020 2:33 am

Hm not sure if they are that small of a colony. But what you could try is to detache the testtube from the anttower and have them only in the testtube for now. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. :)
Doing some proper research is the best way to start an antcolony.

Need help or want to help? https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18153#p70566

Currently not keeping any ants anymore.

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antnest8
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Re: Queens not laying any new eggs

Post: # 73681Post antnest8
Thu Sep 10, 2020 6:32 am

Diet has not changed,
Maybe try giving something new? I don't think that anything is wrong with your colony, large ant species like Formica usually take a while to grow, but maybe you could try giving them a new food item. It could give them some new nutrition that could stimulate growth.
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TheAntVoyeur
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Re: Queens not laying any new eggs

Post: # 74011Post TheAntVoyeur
Fri Sep 25, 2020 2:15 am

What are your seasons doing?
They could be going into hibernation.
2x Myrmica Rubra - r.i.p
3x Lasius Niger

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