Disaster in my ant colony :(

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Weaver
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2020 7:53 pm
Location: Dayton Ohio

Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74274Post Weaver
Sat Oct 17, 2020 8:54 pm

Hi all!

Any advice would be great, i recently bought two colonies of Tetramorium ants (pavement ants) they came in a test tube setup, but the test tubes they came in were not AC compatible. So not having anything that could make a smooth transition from test tube to my AC portal, i did a forced move into an AC test tube. Horrible mistake, lost eggs, larva and brood. Ended up smashing two workers and flooded the test tube they came in(i soaked all the water up with cotten and rescued all ants stuck in water), now down to only 5-7 workers and a very stressed queen with her eggs laying everywhere in the test tube and some in the AC portal that the workers collected. Now only 1-2 workers stand by the queens side in the test tube, and the other 4-5 ants in the AC portal protecting the eggs. Its almost like they dont know where there queen is even though she's not even an inch away (i would help but i better not being i don't want another disaster). Even though the worker ants collected some mature eggs, it seems the whole colony has given up. My thought is they are very stressed and trying to rest and fix my mess up with the little help they have. I have since just made sure they are moving and put them away in a nice dark place with everything they need and now leaving them be. Im reaching out to see if there is anything else i can do. The 2nd colony is fine. I aborted mission and found a better DIY connector and they are doing great just being slow moving out. No rush there! Lol
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*setup- Test tube connected to Ac portal
*water- In test tube behind cotton ball which queen is in
*food- Drop of honey and a cut up meal worm (in Ac portal)
*Queens chamber aka test tube is covered with sleeve
*I have them in a dark closet under a light blanket on a shelf

Sorry for the long read. Just felt i needed to explain what i did. Please help!
Keeping the following colonies:
x3 Tetramorium
x1 Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
x1 Cremogastor

AntsLuxembourg
Posts: 1578
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:17 am
Location: Luxembourg
Contact:

Re: Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74300Post AntsLuxembourg
Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:50 am

hm. I am not sure about the tubing not being AC compatible since they usually make sure that it is the right size. Also testing the tubing before is also better. For the remaining eggs. You could use a pair of tweezers and try to get the remaining eggs out by using a little bit of cotton to pick it up. Just try to tap the eggs very lightly with the cotton and see if they stuck to the cotton. if so place it inside of the testtube portal. If not keep trying. otherwise if you have try to shake the eggs into a clean see through plastik or glass bowl. I have some not for that reason but always useful. It makes it easier to spot the eggs on a dark / black back-/underground.

For the queen and workers, they are probably on high alert at the moment as they are in unknown teritory. They will need some time to calm down.

If you have a spare AC portal try finding some fitting tubing for it. Usually the adapters that came with it should provide at least one good connection. Could you maybe also show a picture of the situation?
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.

Weaver
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2020 7:53 pm
Location: Dayton Ohio

Re: Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74369Post Weaver
Sun Oct 25, 2020 4:21 pm

They are doing much better. I have been way more careful. Im having issue's uploading pics and i did watch the tutorial for uploading them here. So sorry for no pics.
Keeping the following colonies:
x3 Tetramorium
x1 Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
x1 Cremogastor

Weaver
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2020 7:53 pm
Location: Dayton Ohio

Re: Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74371Post Weaver
Sun Oct 25, 2020 4:44 pm

These photos are from after the accident. See the big test tube it dont fit and i really still dont like the transition. But the colony you see in the AC tube is the one i forced moved and seems to be doing okay.
Image
Image
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Image
Keeping the following colonies:
x3 Tetramorium
x1 Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
x1 Cremogastor

AntsLuxembourg
Posts: 1578
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:17 am
Location: Luxembourg
Contact:

Re: Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74379Post AntsLuxembourg
Mon Oct 26, 2020 4:18 am

I see. The bigger testtube, is it an AC testtube? If so then you should check with the *** SPAM *** as it doesn't fit the nest connectors or maybe they have a tip. If it's not, what you could do is to open the AC portal and then just shake and tap the colony in there. Then they can just find their way to the new testtube. Make sure that the queen lands gentle in there and then you can be a bit more rough with the workers. Also as far as I know ants don't die from falling velocity. They are too light for that. A queen maybe but the tests I've seen were done with workers. :P
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.

Weaver
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2020 7:53 pm
Location: Dayton Ohio

Re: Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74383Post Weaver
Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:53 am

Ive had bad experiences with forceful moves. But as of right now its working and there just being slow and cautious and i dont blame them.
Keeping the following colonies:
x3 Tetramorium
x1 Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
x1 Cremogastor

AntsLuxembourg
Posts: 1578
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:17 am
Location: Luxembourg
Contact:

Re: Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74390Post AntsLuxembourg
Tue Oct 27, 2020 10:40 am

yeah take your time but if necessary you know how I would do it.
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.

TheAntVoyeur
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:24 pm
Location: In bed

Re: Disaster in my ant colony :(

Post: # 74437Post TheAntVoyeur
Fri Oct 30, 2020 10:36 am

Re: tube transitions.
You can use a cotton wool bud, stretch it thin, wrap it around the end and insert.
If it doesn't fit just tear a bit off and try again.

You can also roll the que tip to help pick the eggs up.
I made the mistake of putting my first queen into a test tube with honey water. She wouldn't move out so I had to manually transfer her. Lost half thr eggs and she ate the rest.
Felt really bad.
4 months later she is now my fattest and most prolific egg layer of all my colonies!

Good luck to you dude :)
2x Myrmica Rubra - r.i.p
3x Lasius Niger

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