HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed?
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HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed?
As I said in the title, I currently have three queens, eggs, and no workers. I found them and a few workers next to each other under a small rock. I collected them and placed them in a test tube portal set-up. However, the workers died. The queens seem perfectly healthy. The problem is, now there are no workers and they are with their brood, how do I feed them. I originally planned on attaching a test tube filled with sugar water, and feeding them a mealworms every few days, but given there are now no workers, I am unsure if that would work. I don't know if the queens would leave their brood in order to get to the food. My other thought was to put a small drop of sugar water near them to help sustain them until the next workers emerge, but I am worried about accidentally drowning them, or stressing them.
This is my first ant colony, and I really need help. I can't find anything saying what I should do, and was hoping someone might have advice.
Thank you.
Hopefully,
The Book Lover
This is my first ant colony, and I really need help. I can't find anything saying what I should do, and was hoping someone might have advice.
Thank you.
Hopefully,
The Book Lover
Re: HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed
You can collect pupae or callows (young workers, they are often lighter in color) from other colonies of the same species and introduce them to your queen(s) so the workers come earlier. If you're not able to do that, you might as well just feed the queen(s) a small drop of sugar water or honey and some mealworms until her workers arrive.
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Re: HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed
Thank you. Should I place the droplet of sugar water inside the test tube? Or just outside of it in the test tube portal? And will the queens leave the test tube to eat the mealworm, or should I place it in their test tube?
Thanks again
Thanks again
Re: HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed
It's best to place it closer to the test tube so the queen doesn't have to travel very far for food which may stress her out.
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Re: HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed
But I shouldn't actually place the food in the test tub, just in front of it, right?
Re: HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed
You can place it in the test tube if you can reach it, if not just place it in front of the test tube.TheBookLover29 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 08, 2021 10:28 amBut I shouldn't actually place the food in the test tub, just in front of it, right?
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Re: HELP! Mass worker die-off. Left with no workers and three queens, and a number of eggs. How do I keep the queens fed
Thank you so much for your help! I don't know what I would have done without your help.
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