My crematogaster queen has eggs!

[AntsSoutheast]

You should give her ant outworld. That way the queen's test tube won't mold from the dead bodies of the insects she has eaten.

[timeshell]

I never place the food directly in their tube. They are connected to a small outworld I designed and 3D printed for them.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vPmX6Rrg3tBtgrnT7

[ANTLORD]

nice, sophisticated setup

[ANTLORD]

i think ur ants r cool btw

[timeshell]

At least another 4 or 5 new workers eclosed over the last couple days. I'm starting to struggle to count them now. Would make at least 25 to 26 workers now with yet more still coming soon. They are still mostly clustering around the queen in the main nest. Most of them have very full gasters that look striped (clear/black/clear/black) because of how full they are. A couple look almost ready to just burst.

It seems to me that it's too early to hibernate them as we are only in the middle of September. I'm open to suggestions from experienced keepers of crematogasters.

[timeshell]

More pictures have been added.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vPmX6Rrg3tBtgrnT7

[Ants1so1cool]

I was wondering what was happening with your queen I was really enjoying the read you colony is looking great. I don't have an ant colony and I really want one to

[timeshell]

Not much change this past week. Up to about 30 workers I think now. Getting a lot harder to count. When I peek in at them, they are pretty inactive right now.

Today I by chance came across what may be another crematogaster queen! She still has her wings but has a a good sized gaster so hopefully that's promising. Her gaster seems dark, almost black, but in brighter light it has a brown iridescence to it. So I suspect it may be either a different species of crematogaster from my first one, or, if I'm fortunate, a pheidole.

Here are pictures of the new queen, who for now I call the Queen of Stouffville.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8nZwE6UGjPD5zcnw9

If you know what she is, please let me know.

[timeshell]

I was wondering what was happening with your queen I was really enjoying the read you colony is looking great. I don't have an ant colony and I really want one to

Don't give up! Ants are abundant. I'm sure you'll find a queen some day!

[Ants1so1cool]

I did actually find a queen two days ago but it died .