Can a queen lay a second brood?

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Slipstream
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Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 11:35 pm

Can a queen lay a second brood?

Post: # 92637Post Slipstream
Mon May 23, 2022 11:39 pm

Hello ant lovers!

Last year my son and I caught a queen and placed her in one of the test tube set ups. She survived and had about 6 nanitics raised when suddenly, they all died. The queen, however, survived this mysterious extinction level event and even hibernated overwinter in my garage. She's still alive as I've fed her a drop of honey a few times and replaced her water.

Will she be able to lay another set of eggs? There hasn't been any that I've seen in months.

Thanks!

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Antloverhuman
Posts: 1136
Joined: Wed May 19, 2021 3:38 am
Location: Delhi, India

Re: Can a queen lay a second brood?

Post: # 92641Post Antloverhuman
Tue May 24, 2022 2:32 am

You will have to keep feeding her with protein and sugars once every week and be very careful not to disturb her, then she will have a chance to raise another set of brood. Good luck
Ants I have-
camponotus compressus colony- the shadow warriors.
Pls just let me have a tetramorium colony

SolenopsisKeeper
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Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Can a queen lay a second brood?

Post: # 92645Post SolenopsisKeeper
Tue May 24, 2022 5:30 am

Slipstream wrote:
Mon May 23, 2022 11:39 pm
Hello ant lovers!

Last year my son and I caught a queen and placed her in one of the test tube set ups. She survived and had about 6 nanitics raised when suddenly, they all died. The queen, however, survived this mysterious extinction level event and even hibernated overwinter in my garage. She's still alive as I've fed her a drop of honey a few times and replaced her water.

Will she be able to lay another set of eggs? There hasn't been any that I've seen in months.

Thanks!
Yes, but if you see she doesn’t care for eggs, you can find a colony of that species in your local area(assuming they are native), and try to find pupae/cocoons. If you find some of the same species, just add the cocoons. Sometimes though, the queen may eat the new brood, but either way she gets fed lots of protein or she gets workers? Right?(As long as same species, workers will not attack queen if given to her as brood)

Also what was the queens species?
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

Slipstream
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 11:35 pm

Re: Can a queen lay a second brood?

Post: # 92648Post Slipstream
Tue May 24, 2022 6:23 am

Thanks for the reply!

I believe she's a Tetramorium immigrans

Slipstream
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 11:35 pm

Re: Can a queen lay a second brood?

Post: # 92649Post Slipstream
Tue May 24, 2022 6:25 am

Antloverhuman wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 2:32 am
You will have to keep feeding her with protein and sugars once every week and be very careful not to disturb her, then she will have a chance to raise another set of brood. Good luck
Thank you for the reply, what source of protein do you suggest? Perhaps a very tiny earthworm? Piece of meat?

SolenopsisKeeper
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
Location: United States, Florida

Re: Can a queen lay a second brood?

Post: # 92651Post SolenopsisKeeper
Tue May 24, 2022 7:53 am

Slipstream wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 6:25 am
Antloverhuman wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 2:32 am
You will have to keep feeding her with protein and sugars once every week and be very careful not to disturb her, then she will have a chance to raise another set of brood. Good luck
Thank you for the reply, what source of protein do you suggest? Perhaps a very tiny earthworm? Piece of meat?
Some will accept scrambled eggs, crickets, dead fruit flies, or a tiny insect(That is freshly killed)

Some ants will also accept table food, so just try whatever you have!(Meat, egg whites etc)
When you accidentally reply to yourself…

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