Keeping Multiple Fire Ant Queens?

[SeanSz]

Hey AC Family, I am planning on starting a Red Imported Fire Ant colony (just waiting for my new hybrid nest and test tubes to come in) in the next week or two. While outside, I have spotted numerous RIFA queens bustling around looking for new places to start nests. I planned on just starting one colony, but because of the huge presence of fire ants in my area, I was thinking about establishing a multiple queen super colony. Has anyone ever tried this? Any advice or comments would be much appreciated!

[SolenopsisKeeper]

Hey AC Family, I am planning on starting a Red Imported Fire Ant colony (just waiting for my new hybrid nest and test tubes to come in) in the next week or two. While outside, I have spotted numerous RIFA queens bustling around looking for new places to start nests. I planned on just starting one colony, but because of the huge presence of fire ants in my area, I was thinking about establishing a multiple queen super colony. Has anyone ever tried this? Any advice or comments would be much appreciated!

I tried, but it turns out, you need to get th exact species down and get lucky. For example, determine between solenopsis invicta and xyloni? Nope. And then, if a queen dies day after you check, it will mold and kill other queens, and if you check every 4 days, they get stressed, and die.(Experience) if you want a multi queen colony, it’s beneficial to take one from the wild to free up space for native ants…

[SeanSz]

Hey AC Family, I am planning on starting a Red Imported Fire Ant colony (just waiting for my new hybrid nest and test tubes to come in) in the next week or two. While outside, I have spotted numerous RIFA queens bustling around looking for new places to start nests. I planned on just starting one colony, but because of the huge presence of fire ants in my area, I was thinking about establishing a multiple queen super colony. Has anyone ever tried this? Any advice or comments would be much appreciated!

I tried, but it turns out, you need to get th exact species down and get lucky. For example, determine between solenopsis invicta and xyloni? Nope. And then, if a queen dies day after you check, it will mold and kill other queens, and if you check every 4 days, they get stressed, and die.(Experience) if you want a multi queen colony, it’s beneficial to take one from the wild to free up space for native ants…

Good to know. Thanks for the advice! It is much appreciated!