Queen ? | France | October
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Queen ? | France | October
Hello,
I found this little girl I wanted to know if you could help me identify the species (and if it is even a queen).
I'm very new to ants and I don't know a lot so every advice is great for me.
I found her:
- When: at about 9pm,
- Where: in my bathroom (probably entered by the window earlier), eastern France (Franche compté)
About her:
- About 6mm
- Black + yellowish abdomen
I think she might be "Solenopsis fugax" but I'm not sure at all
Also if she is a queen,
- Is it a good species for beginners ?
- Do I need to keep her in the dark ? At a special temperature ?
- Does she need hibernation ? (if yes how can I do it ?)
- Does she need food while in the test tube ? (If yes when/how much per week, and what ?)
- How long do we keep it in the test tube ?
- Do I need equipment other than the tube (while she is in the tube) ?
- Do I need to change/add water ?
Thanks
I found this little girl I wanted to know if you could help me identify the species (and if it is even a queen).
I'm very new to ants and I don't know a lot so every advice is great for me.
I found her:
- When: at about 9pm,
- Where: in my bathroom (probably entered by the window earlier), eastern France (Franche compté)
About her:
- About 6mm
- Black + yellowish abdomen
I think she might be "Solenopsis fugax" but I'm not sure at all
Also if she is a queen,
- Is it a good species for beginners ?
- Do I need to keep her in the dark ? At a special temperature ?
- Does she need hibernation ? (if yes how can I do it ?)
- Does she need food while in the test tube ? (If yes when/how much per week, and what ?)
- How long do we keep it in the test tube ?
- Do I need equipment other than the tube (while she is in the tube) ?
- Do I need to change/add water ?
Thanks
Re: Queen ? | France | October
1. She is a queen
2. The dark is best for queens in the founding stage. Most people agree 27 Celsius or 80 degrees Fahrenheit is best for brood growth.
3. As far as hibernation goes, I’ve also read that if the ground freezes in your area, your species needs to hibernate. The best way to do this is just use your refrigerator.
4. A drop of honey would not hurt her. Ones I find without wings I tend to do that as you do not know how long she has been without and starting a colony over takes time.
5. Keep her in the test tube until at least 20 workers. That’s a minimum advises number. Other say until you can’t fit anymore ants in the tube. Ants like cramped spaces so the more area you give them the worse they do.
6. Anything else you might need while she is in the tube is another tube to change her out when the original gets dirty. Tweezers. Toothpicks.
7. The tube should not get dirty during hibernation due to the cold and the ants not doing much so adding water would be the only issue during this time. Maybe once a month. Check on her weekly but do not remove her from the refrigerator for more than a minute or two at a time.
Hope that helps
2. The dark is best for queens in the founding stage. Most people agree 27 Celsius or 80 degrees Fahrenheit is best for brood growth.
3. As far as hibernation goes, I’ve also read that if the ground freezes in your area, your species needs to hibernate. The best way to do this is just use your refrigerator.
4. A drop of honey would not hurt her. Ones I find without wings I tend to do that as you do not know how long she has been without and starting a colony over takes time.
5. Keep her in the test tube until at least 20 workers. That’s a minimum advises number. Other say until you can’t fit anymore ants in the tube. Ants like cramped spaces so the more area you give them the worse they do.
6. Anything else you might need while she is in the tube is another tube to change her out when the original gets dirty. Tweezers. Toothpicks.
7. The tube should not get dirty during hibernation due to the cold and the ants not doing much so adding water would be the only issue during this time. Maybe once a month. Check on her weekly but do not remove her from the refrigerator for more than a minute or two at a time.
Hope that helps
Nylanderia Sp.
Pheidole Sp.
Founding - Cremagastor & Solonopsis Invicta
Pheidole Sp.
Founding - Cremagastor & Solonopsis Invicta
-
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:22 pm
- Location: South Dakota
Re: Queen ? | France | October
That looks a little like a Tetramorium caespitum queen.
"God made every kind of wild beasts and every kind of livestock and every kind of creeping things;" (including ants) "and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25
-
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:22 pm
- Location: South Dakota
Re: Queen ? | France | October
Yet Tetramorium only fly in July.
"God made every kind of wild beasts and every kind of livestock and every kind of creeping things;" (including ants) "and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25
Re: Queen ? | France | October
Thanks for all your answers, I need a few more information,Boomdale wrote: ↑Sun Oct 07, 2018 4:52 pm1. She is a queen
2. The dark is best for queens in the founding stage. Most people agree 27 Celsius or 80 degrees Fahrenheit is best for brood growth.
3. As far as hibernation goes, I’ve also read that if the ground freezes in your area, your species needs to hibernate. The best way to do this is just use your refrigerator.
4. A drop of honey would not hurt her. Ones I find without wings I tend to do that as you do not know how long she has been without and starting a colony over takes time.
5. Keep her in the test tube until at least 20 workers. That’s a minimum advises number. Other say until you can’t fit anymore ants in the tube. Ants like cramped spaces so the more area you give them the worse they do.
6. Anything else you might need while she is in the tube is another tube to change her out when the original gets dirty. Tweezers. Toothpicks.
7. The tube should not get dirty during hibernation due to the cold and the ants not doing much so adding water would be the only issue during this time. Maybe once a month. Check on her weekly but do not remove her from the refrigerator for more than a minute or two at a time.
Hope that helps
- Species of this queen ?
- Can I keep it at ambient temperature until hibernation ?
- When do I start hibernation (and end it) ?
- If I have to use my refrigerator for hibernation, how do I slowly decrease temperature so it doesn't go straight from ambient to the lower refrigerator temperature (and same for the end of hibernation) ?
Re: Queen ? | France | October
Absolutely keep her at normal temperature before hibernation.
Most places that have a summer and winter start hibernation November sometime.
So the temperature of your refrigerator isn’t so low that have you to worry so. It’s above freezing so it won’t kill the ants, normally.
Most places that have a summer and winter start hibernation November sometime.
So the temperature of your refrigerator isn’t so low that have you to worry so. It’s above freezing so it won’t kill the ants, normally.
Nylanderia Sp.
Pheidole Sp.
Founding - Cremagastor & Solonopsis Invicta
Pheidole Sp.
Founding - Cremagastor & Solonopsis Invicta
Re: Queen ? | France | October
So I just keep her in my wardrobe without heating or cooling systeme and then place her directly in the refrigerator in November ?Boomdale wrote: ↑Mon Oct 08, 2018 1:10 pmAbsolutely keep her at normal temperature before hibernation.
Most places that have a summer and winter start hibernation November sometime.
So the temperature of your refrigerator isn’t so low that have you to worry so. It’s above freezing so it won’t kill the ants, normally.
Re: Queen ? | France | October
Yes I'll do that,I'm not sure yet if I will put it in the fridge or just in my basement
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