Colony Not Growing

[Cartil]

Hello guys!

I have a colony of Camponotus Noveboracensis with about 80 workers. However, for the past 3 weeks now, I have noticed that the queen kept laying eggs (maybe a hundred) but the colony has no larvae or pupae, just eggs. And they do not seem to be developing. In general, I would have said that the queen was unfertilized, but in this case, she gave birth to about 80 workers so I am confused.

I am worried that this could mean the end of the colony in a few months.

I feed them crickets, different sorts of worms, honey, and fruits once in a while. Could they be lacking something to grow the eggs? One other thing I noticed is that almost all of the workers have full gasters (probably of honey), and I wonder if that means that they do not have the space to bring back some of the proteins for the larvae.

Have you guys ever seen this?

[TheRealAntMan]

What’s the temperature of the room that they are kept in? Now that they are now 80 workers strong feed them a whole (pre killed of course) cricket. And don’t worry about full gasters, all the excess nutrition is safe inside .

[Cartil]

The room temperature oscillates between 25 c (77 f) and 27 c (81 f). I alternate the food between 2 crickets every other day and then one worm. I also make sure they always have honey. They do drink the honey but I have noticed that their enthusiasm for the crickets has lowered.

[AntsLuxembourg]

perhaps get some other insects like cockroaches or meal/superworms

[TheRealAntMan]

The room temperature oscillates between 25 c (77 f) and 27 c (81 f). I alternate the food between 2 crickets every other day and then one worm. I also make sure they always have honey. They do drink the honey but I have noticed that their enthusiasm for the crickets has lowered.

If they don’t like crickets then stop feeding them to your ants, instead replace them with fruit flies and see if they like those ( 99% sure they will like those instead).

[AntsLuxembourg]

The room temperature oscillates between 25 c (77 f) and 27 c (81 f). I alternate the food between 2 crickets every other day and then one worm. I also make sure they always have honey. They do drink the honey but I have noticed that their enthusiasm for the crickets has lowered.

If they don’t like crickets then stop feeding them to your ants, instead replace them with fruit flies and see if they like those ( 99% sure they will like those instead).

They always go for new stuff so I think they will love it for the beginning.
Btw you could also just try a dead fly, like freshly caught and then feed to the ants.

[TheRealAntMan]

The room temperature oscillates between 25 c (77 f) and 27 c (81 f). I alternate the food between 2 crickets every other day and then one worm. I also make sure they always have honey. They do drink the honey but I have noticed that their enthusiasm for the crickets has lowered.

If they don’t like crickets then stop feeding them to your ants, instead replace them with fruit flies and see if they like those ( 99% sure they will like those instead).

They always go for new stuff so I think they will love it for the beginning.
Btw you could also just try a dead fly, like freshly caught and then feed to the ants.

What kind of fly? Houseflies are relatively dirty and tend to carry pesticides, which can be fatal and not recommended for your ants.

[Cartil]

My concern is that they do not eat proteins because there are no longer any larvae to feed rather than there is no larvae to feed because of a lack of food. In other words, I am just afraid that there is something wrong with the eggs rather than the food.

But I am willing to try anything, so I will try fruit flies for now and hope for the best!

[AntsLuxembourg]

If they don’t like crickets then stop feeding them to your ants, instead replace them with fruit flies and see if they like those ( 99% sure they will like those instead).

They always go for new stuff so I think they will love it for the beginning.
Btw you could also just try a dead fly, like freshly caught and then feed to the ants.

What kind of fly? Houseflies are relatively dirty and tend to carry pesticides, which can be fatal and not recommended for your ants.

You know that ants in the wild do eat those themself if they find a dead fly. But you can also put them into a freezer to kill of most harmful things.

[idahoantgirl]

They always go for new stuff so I think they will love it for the beginning.
Btw you could also just try a dead fly, like freshly caught and then feed to the ants.

What kind of fly? Houseflies are relatively dirty and tend to carry pesticides, which can be fatal and not recommended for your ants.

You know that ants in the wild do eat those themself if they find a dead fly. But you can also put them into a freezer to kill of most harmful things.

Yes, and also, most ant colonies end up dying prematurely. Only the luckiest survive. Freezers aren't going to kill pesticides.