Ant colony out of water for weeks

[RunningCarrots]

My 2 queen colony has been out of water for weeks, I am currently using the light/dark method to get them to move, but they wont even enter the new test tube, what should I do

[Jager89]

My 2 queen colony has been out of water for weeks, I am currently using the light/dark method to get them to move, but they wont even enter the new test tube, what should I do

I lightly tapped mine into another test tube when i had mold in the water of one of mine. But if your queen has eggs laid you will want to let her move at her pace.
but if it has been weeks are they even still alive? most studies have shown ants cannot survive without water for about 5 days.

[bugging3out]

Try picking them out with your fingers and dump their brood with them into a new test tube. Founding queen ants can be very stubborn. Or wait till they have their first nanitics. Honestly all you’re doing right now is just causing more stress. Just stress them just one short Time of just dumping them into a new test tube. Remember this is only for emergency.
Good luck!

[AM1C39]

but if it has been weeks are they even still alive? most studies have shown ants cannot survive without water for about 5 days.

They can live a lot longer then that if they have repletes and aquapletes.

[Jager89]

but if it has been weeks are they even still alive? most studies have shown ants cannot survive without water for about 5 days.

They can live a lot longer then that if they have repletes and aquapletes.

"I have a lasius niger colony, about 6 workers and a ton of brood. Their water reservoir ran out and they dont want to move, I’ve tried bright light already, what should I do?"

Lol you posted on his original forum post from Mid december when he was running out of water. I have no knowledge on Lasius Niger so i cannot say if they are a species that has repletes and aquapletes.

[AM1C39]

If you have to get them to move on there own you can attach their test tube to a new one, maybe with tape or with tubing.

[cjerg9]

but if it has been weeks are they even still alive? most studies have shown ants cannot survive without water for about 5 days.

They can live a lot longer then that if they have repletes and aquapletes.

"I have a lasius niger colony, about 6 workers and a ton of brood. Their water reservoir ran out and they dont want to move, I’ve tried bright light already, what should I do?"

Lol you posted on his original forum post from Mid december when he was running out of water. I have no knowledge on Lasius Niger so i cannot say if they are a species that has repletes and aquapletes.

I’ve never heard of them having repletes, and given the size of the colony I would dare say they have any yet, however given the temperatures the queen may be able to reduce less water loss if it is cooler or is sadly already on their way out.


As for the main issue, you can also encourage them with heat aswell rather than just light. Use a heat pack or heat pad underneath the rest tube. But please be very careful for it not to get to hot. You can careful move a toothpick to move brood. Is there any way you can connect the two test tubes together. If they are of the same size you can tape them together, leaving a small tape gap for air. Don’t worry about them being around the mould too long, the ants will know to move when it become dangerous to them. Cover one end with foil to keep it dark and leave the infected one in the light to further encourage them.

Hope this helps.

[RuinedDrone]

Why do you need them to move. Just connect the old testtube to the new and let them decided were they want to nest. As long as they have access to water they will chose where to next, it will be for the the optimal place where the moisture in the air, and tempture is accatable.

They will move as and when they need to.

As others ahve sugest connect booth tubes togahter (or use a portal so you can expand later, you can buy one or make one) and cover where you want them to nest in foil or some thing to keep it dark and leave the one they are in open. Though not in full light. cover that half of the tube they are in and leave the end open or something so its still "dark" but it will encourage them to "burrow" deeper away from the light.

And then leave them for a few days undesterbed.

[AM1C39]

Why do you need them to move. Just connect the old testtube to the new and let them decided were they want to nest. As long as they have access to water they will chose where to next, it will be for the the optimal place where the moisture in the air, and tempture is accatable.

My crematogaster queen (who has lots of eggs) is currently living in a test tube that has absolutely no water. What I did a long time ago was connect that test tube with a new one but she still has not moved. She stays in the old one and walks into the new one, gets a drink and goes back into the old one whenever she wants a drink. This does not cause any problems but still.

[RunningCarrots]

this is an unknown species (to me) of yellow ants with 9-10 workers and alot of brood, the workers refuse to go halfway through their testube, let alone into another one for water