My tetramorium queen has eggs!
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My tetramorium queen has eggs!
On Thursday, July 15, 2021, I was walking by the river and found what I believe to be a tetramorium queen. She was scurrying across the sidewalk and had already broken off her wings. I had picked up tetramorium queens before who still had their wings on and they always died on me. However, I was more hopeful about this one since she had already broken off her wings.
I didn't bring any containers with me! I did happen to have my airpods with me so I stuck her in one of the slots in the airpod case. This worked just fine and I got her home without incident. I prepared a small test tube for her with maybe 1/4 inch space for her between the cotton plug and the cotton water stopper and put her away in the drawer.
Unfortunately, I'm the type of person who is compelled to check things quite regularly. However, this turned out to be ok so far, because...
Surprise!! Two days after I picked up my tetramorium queen, she already has eggs! YAY! And today, about 4 days later, there are at least 10 eggs in the tube with her. I'm going to try to just leave her alone now and maybe check on her weekly to see how she is doing. But, so far so good!
I didn't bring any containers with me! I did happen to have my airpods with me so I stuck her in one of the slots in the airpod case. This worked just fine and I got her home without incident. I prepared a small test tube for her with maybe 1/4 inch space for her between the cotton plug and the cotton water stopper and put her away in the drawer.
Unfortunately, I'm the type of person who is compelled to check things quite regularly. However, this turned out to be ok so far, because...
Surprise!! Two days after I picked up my tetramorium queen, she already has eggs! YAY! And today, about 4 days later, there are at least 10 eggs in the tube with her. I'm going to try to just leave her alone now and maybe check on her weekly to see how she is doing. But, so far so good!
Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
Only check her once a week, just put her away in the dark and forget about her and go do other stuff.
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Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
Yeah, it'll come to that. I left her alone for a few days now as I was attending to a new camponotus novaeboracensis queen I stumbled upon on a few days ago. Not long after picking her up I noticed a mite stuck in the joint of her right back leg. More on that in my camponotus novaeboracensis topic.
But, I did check on my tetramorium today and she has a huge pile of eggs now. If I had to guess, I'd have to say at least 30 by now. She definitely isn't happy when I disturb her. So, I'll just be leaving her alone for a while now.
But, I did check on my tetramorium today and she has a huge pile of eggs now. If I had to guess, I'd have to say at least 30 by now. She definitely isn't happy when I disturb her. So, I'll just be leaving her alone for a while now.
Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
First nanitic has arrived with a number more ready to emerge. The queen is very active every time I take a peek. Whether this is because she is busy or because she has been disturbed I'm not sure. I guess it will be time to prepare for expanding her access for feeding soon.
Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
This by far has been my most successful colony. The number of eggs/larvae/pupae/workers is beyond counting. There is a decent sized pile in their test tube. I've already had them move once to a new tube when the first one ran out of water. I've been mostly feeding them fruit flies and spiders until recently when I came across a centipede which I also fed them and then this week I've started feeding them meal worms.
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Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
That’s is a HUGE milestone, Congrats! And for me, this is my 400th post and I started in December!timeshell wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:57 pmThis by far has been my most successful colony. The number of eggs/larvae/pupae/workers is beyond counting. There is a decent sized pile in their test tube. I've already had them move once to a new tube when the first one ran out of water. I've been mostly feeding them fruit flies and spiders until recently when I came across a centipede which I also fed them and then this week I've started feeding them meal worms.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…
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Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
december 2021? okay. coincidence that's the time I caught 4 polyrhachis queens who are now part of a 11 queen founding colony of polyrhachisSolenopsisKeeper wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:13 pmThat’s is a HUGE milestone, Congrats! And for me, this is my 400th post and I started in December!timeshell wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:57 pmThis by far has been my most successful colony. The number of eggs/larvae/pupae/workers is beyond counting. There is a decent sized pile in their test tube. I've already had them move once to a new tube when the first one ran out of water. I've been mostly feeding them fruit flies and spiders until recently when I came across a centipede which I also fed them and then this week I've started feeding them meal worms.
keeping:
all my queens died
got a sugar ant colony started
all my queens died
got a sugar ant colony started
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Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
You are counting your brood before they enclose. If one queen died in the tube and the queens did nothing, mold could kill your queens.AntsAntsAnts wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 4:22 amdecember 2021? okay. coincidence that's the time I caught 4 polyrhachis queens who are now part of a 11 queen founding colony of polyrhachisSolenopsisKeeper wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:13 pmThat’s is a HUGE milestone, Congrats! And for me, this is my 400th post and I started in December!timeshell wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:57 pmThis by far has been my most successful colony. The number of eggs/larvae/pupae/workers is beyond counting. There is a decent sized pile in their test tube. I've already had them move once to a new tube when the first one ran out of water. I've been mostly feeding them fruit flies and spiders until recently when I came across a centipede which I also fed them and then this week I've started feeding them meal worms.
When you accidentally reply to yourself…
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Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
nah. i check on them and break any fights. no deaths so far!SolenopsisKeeper wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 7:15 amYou are counting your brood before they enclose. If one queen died in the tube and the queens did nothing, mold could kill your queens.AntsAntsAnts wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 4:22 amdecember 2021? okay. coincidence that's the time I caught 4 polyrhachis queens who are now part of a 11 queen founding colony of polyrhachisSolenopsisKeeper wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:13 pm
That’s is a HUGE milestone, Congrats! And for me, this is my 400th post and I started in December!
keeping:
all my queens died
got a sugar ant colony started
all my queens died
got a sugar ant colony started
-
- Posts: 2402
- Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:41 am
- Location: United States, Florida
Re: My tetramorium queen has eggs!
That is great! Watch my fire ant queens kill each other at first signs of workers.AntsAntsAnts wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:46 amnah. i check on them and break any fights. no deaths so far!SolenopsisKeeper wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 7:15 amYou are counting your brood before they enclose. If one queen died in the tube and the queens did nothing, mold could kill your queens.AntsAntsAnts wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 4:22 am
december 2021? okay. coincidence that's the time I caught 4 polyrhachis queens who are now part of a 11 queen founding colony of polyrhachis
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