Colony longevity help

[Gamatron332]

I recently caught an established argentine ant colony that I am keeping in a test tube setup. I was able to capture 5 queens and 10 viable workers with about a cubic centimeter of brood. My real question is how do I keep the colony living for a good while? I read that queens only live for about a year. Should I introduce new queens to keep the colony viable? Will they breed more queens that are viable? I need help to keep the colony alive. I want to keep the colony alive for a couple of years.

[Hawkeye]

I recently caught an established argentine ant colony that I am keeping in a test tube setup. I was able to capture 5 queens and 10 viable workers with about a cubic centimeter of brood. My real question is how do I keep the colony living for a good while? I read that queens only live for about a year. Should I introduce new queens to keep the colony viable? Will they breed more queens that are viable? I need help to keep the colony alive. I want to keep the colony alive for a couple of years.

First of all I am unfamilliar with that particular species, but having said that, the queens only live for about a year? That seems awefully short? I doubt introducing wild queens would work to be honest. The ants will likely considder it a threat and attempt to kill it.

[Gamatron332]

First of all I am unfamilliar with that particular species, but having said that, the queens only live for about a year? That seems awefully short? I doubt introducing wild queens would work to be honest. The ants will likely considder it a threat and attempt to kill it.

In fact This species of ant is known for being able to form continental wide super colonies. Just yesterday I found yet another fertilized queen and while her workers were shunned by my colony she and her brood were readily accepted. They also normally have 1 queen to every 150 workers. Somehow they get massive amounts of queens Uber quickly and are able to replace them every year. I do not know if in captivity they are able to do the same or if they can and i need to assist in some way

[Hawkeye]

Interesting to see how they'll fair in captivity then.

[Gamatron332]

Interesting to see how they'll fair in captivity then.

Currently they have about 5 workers eclosing every day and a ton of brood. Introduction of brood and queens are really easy even if the queens have workers. However workers are not accepted at all. In the wild workers are introduced and accepted easily. They are currently living in a test tube with a ac test tube adapter as their outworld. It’s slow.

[Hawkeye]

Interesting to see how they'll fair in captivity then.

Currently they have about 5 workers eclosing every day and a ton of brood. Introduction of brood and queens are really easy even if the queens have workers. However workers are not accepted at all. In the wild workers are introduced and accepted easily. They are currently living in a test tube with a ac test tube adapter as their outworld. It’s slow.

Hey I have a Camponotus vagus colony, well a (single) queen and 5 workers. Allthough she has a lot of brood, larva and puppea, progression takes ages! So I feel yah!

[Gamatron332]

Hey I have a Camponotus vagus colony, well a (single) queen and 5 workers. Allthough she has a lot of brood, larva and puppea, progression takes ages! So I feel yah!

I have a Camponotus also! She had 6 workers at one point but since has dropped down to 2 workers. However her brood is tiny I don’t know how the speed her up any more. All my ants are in a temperature controlled room which is constantly at 78 Degrees Fahrenheit. And weekly feedings of superworms that I raise my self. And every other weeek they get honey. Is there anything else I could do??

[Hawkeye]

Hey I have a Camponotus vagus colony, well a (single) queen and 5 workers. Allthough she has a lot of brood, larva and puppea, progression takes ages! So I feel yah!

I have a Camponotus also! She had 6 workers at one point but since has dropped down to 2 workers. However her brood is tiny I don’t know how the speed her up any more. All my ants are in a temperature controlled room which is constantly at 78 Degrees Fahrenheit. And weekly feedings of superworms that I raise my self. And every other weeek they get honey. Is there anything else I could do??

change up their diet? raise the temperature, increase / decrease humidity?

[Gamatron332]

change up their diet? raise the temperature, increase / decrease humidity?

1. The only other food I have for my ants is this fish food called formula one. And formula 2 respectively I’ll try that next feeding period. 2. The temperature can’t really be changed because it drives up the bill already. It’s currently my closet and the ac is constantly going upstairs for other reasons. Oof.
3. They are currently in a test tube setup for hydro regulation. So yeah.