Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

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Hockridge
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:09 am
Location: Canada

Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68440Post Hockridge
Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:45 am

I have found what I believe to be 4 Camponotus queens just roaming around my house at odd hours all within a 2 day period. Usually between the hours 1900 - 2300 in March in North America in the Vancouver region. I have them in tubes atm, I am giving them their space but I snagged a picture of one. I just want to know, why are they just roaming around my house, they still have their wings, one queen only ripped off just the one wing. I have them in a shoebox wrapped in foil sitting on my bookshelf.

https://imgur.com/a/gz8qlNu (Pictures)

Hockridge
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:09 am
Location: Canada

Re: Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68458Post Hockridge
Mon Mar 23, 2020 4:55 pm

I found another one this morning. https://imgur.com/v3zpXL1

mcarney51
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:57 am

Re: Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68461Post mcarney51
Mon Mar 23, 2020 5:59 pm

My son and I also have found numerous Campanotus queens around our property, the ones with wings have not yet mated and therefore are unable to produce offspring. However, after the queens have mated, they will chew their wings off and start their own nests. So the one that was removing its wing is probably ready to start laying eggs soon.

NKantsalberta
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Location: Sherwood Park, Alberta
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Re: Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68462Post NKantsalberta
Mon Mar 23, 2020 6:11 pm

They all have the potential to be mated and fertile. Best bet is to keep them all, until they either die, or produce workers / males. If they produce males then they are infertile. I had one camponotus queen who still had her wings and produced workers. Unfortunately however, they did not make it through this winters hibernation for whatever reason.
GAN farmer for Edmonton and area, Alberta, Canada.

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Hockridge
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:09 am
Location: Canada

Re: Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68463Post Hockridge
Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:43 pm

Alright, thank you for the replies. How long in your experience does it take for a queen to start producing eggs after capture?
Also noted they seem to be attacking the cotton sealing them in, is this normal behaviour?

Thanks again for the replies guys! you're awesome

mcarney51
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:57 am

Re: Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68482Post mcarney51
Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:45 pm

That totally depends on what season that you caught her in, the first queen that I caught took a few weeks to start laying her eggs, and I caught her in the middle of summer. The length also depends on temperature and type of ant, if it is winter where you live it is likely that she won't lay until spring due to the natural hibernation.

Hockridge
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:09 am
Location: Canada

Re: Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68508Post Hockridge
Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:41 pm

It would seem the one who pulled its one wing off has died :(
Only a couple seem calm, the others are pulling on the cotton, No idea what to make of this.
Any ideas?

mcarney51
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:57 am

Re: Is this unusual? Are they fertile?

Post: # 68527Post mcarney51
Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:04 pm

I would think it means they are probably not fertalized yet, but I would keep them around just in case. I suggest putting them in a dark area for a week or so without checking on them so they calm down.

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