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Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 9:09 pm
by AntDudeUSA
Hello sorry if I misspelled that name. I'm very new to ant keeping and just recently caught a camponotus queen while out working with my dad. I have a few questions on her care as I already watch ever YouTube video I could find on camponotus care.

1:I have her in a test tube setup but was wondering if when she got 4 to 5 workers I could move her into a very small nest like a AntsCanada hybrid or a very small 1 inch by 1 inch y tong nest connected to a outworld for easy feeding and cleaning.

2:Is sugar water or pure honey better for a starting colony

3:How long does it usually take for a queen to begin laying eggs

4:Whats the best way to feed inside of a test tube setup and or change test tubes without stressing the new colony out

5:The barrier that's made to keep ants inside the outworld can I use dollarstore medical alcohol and baby powder for it and what does the consistency need to be like

Thank you for reading my questions and I hope your having a great day

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 5:44 am
by antnest8
1 test tubes are usually the most user friendly until you get to about 40 workers. just still the test tube in the out world when you need one like this

Image

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 5:48 am
by antnest8
2 My camponotus liked sugar water test tubes better

3 if she is comfortable in a matter of hours. put her in a dark place and only check on her once a week and she should lay eggs in no time

4 i would just give the colony a small out world made from a plastic container easily from the start

5 dry baby powder with no alcohol (mine climbed over Vaseline)

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 2:49 pm
by AntDudeUSA
Thank you I currently have he in a test tube that's sitting inside of a bin like the one in your picture so that if she does somehow get out of the cotton ( which she did the first time I had her in the tube. ) she wont be able to run off . I also have the bin in a drawer which is in a quiet part of the house in total darkness , I will check on her in about a week and see if she's doing alright and if she's laid any eggs. thank you for answering fast I hope you have a great day

-antdude

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 7:13 pm
by AntDudeUSA
UPDATE: I had to move my queen out of that drawer and into another one as I did it I picked up the cloth I had put over it just slightly and saw that she had laid 3 eggs :D hopefully in a couple o months I will have a small colony

-antdude

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 7:59 pm
by AntDudeUSA
Hello if anyone is reading this semi old thread is it a bad sign if the eggs are starting to yellow I haven't lost any of them as there are around 7 but they are getting darker and yellow is that the eggs maturing or are they dieing due to lack of the queens nurtrition

-AntDude

PS it has been almost a week since she first laid them

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 5:46 am
by antnest8
no it is not a bad sign for the eggs to be yellow. All c. pennsylvanicus queens have yellow eggs

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 11:11 am
by AntDudeUSA
ok thank you i was beggining to get worried

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 4:42 pm
by antnest8
it's ok i think that every ant keeper is surprised when they first see camponotus eggs

Re: Questions on new Camponotus Pesylvainicus Queen

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 12:09 pm
by AntsDakota
antnest8 wrote:
Tue May 29, 2018 4:42 pm
it's ok i think that every ant keeper is surprised when they first see camponotus eggs
After I read this, I for one won't be surprised to see yellow Camponotus eggs from my 2 Camponotus queens.