The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

So my question is fairly odd... My Soleonopsis Invicta Queen is sitting in her small container. (No test tubes here, just clear film roll containers with paper towels and sugar water) She has already laid eggs after two days!!! However, I noticed she hasnt set them down anywhere, she just keeps them in her mouth.

Is it normal for her to just carry the eggs in her mouth?

Has anyone else noticed such behaviour?

Solenopsis invicta in Washington? unlikely.

There's not very many but even the pest control experts are saying they are moving in. And it definitely gets warm enough here in Seattle...

Anyways do you know I that's normal behavior or not?

My Solenopsis queen just laid last night. Shes in a deli cup with a moist paper towel on one side because I ran out of cotton for test tubes. She has her eggs as far from the moisture as she can get them. Perhaps humidity is an issue?

Holding onto brood is pretty common; when the brood is resting in an adult's mandibles, it's less prone to infection.

Ah okay, thanks Batspiderfish. Yeah, I hope this colony is more successful than my current one.... I think my queen of my formica fusca has lost her mind and she has just abandoned her workers.... Oh well...

Thats good to hear about your queen btw!!! That dixie cup is a cheap idea!!! I wonder if she is keeping away from that water due to humidity too.... How is she holding up so far though?

Her and the other five queens I have are all doing good. Have two forelius in some homemade founding chambers as an experiment. And 3 in test tubes. Those three and the solenopsis queen all have eggs and appear quite content even upon my quick intrusion to check on them.