Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

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CatsnAnts
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:29 pm
Location: United States, Indiana

Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

Post: # 58291Post CatsnAnts
Wed May 15, 2019 5:03 pm

Okay, so I recently caught a Camponotus nearcticus queen, and she had 5 workers. The sad part is THAT I LITERALLY COULDN’T CATCH THE WORKERS FOR THE LIFE OF ME. So now I am left with just a camponotus queen. I was wondering if I fed her honey (which I did) and gave her a whole new test tube setup, would she begin laying eggs again and start over?
Camponotus subbarbatus x3
Temnothorax curvispinosus x1 :shock: :D
Aphenogaster fulva x1
Camponotus sp.
Termite pair

tencarnacion
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:52 pm
Location: Reno, NV

Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

Post: # 58305Post tencarnacion
Thu May 16, 2019 12:29 am

Im actually in a somewhat similar situation. Except, I got my camponotus queen through the GAN project here, and she had 9 workers. I guess I hibernated them incorrectly, as all 9 died, and she had eaten her eggs. I felt, and still feel awful about it.

I have started from scratch with her, gave her honey (she accepted) and even some food (a cricket leg). She layed eggs, and is protective over them, im just not sure if theyre growing. I have to feed her every few days because she really does eat the stuff i give her, but I feel like the constant tampering stresses her, and maybe is keeping the eggs from growing.

TL;DR

She will probably accept food, but its a challenge to get the colony started again. If you find anything that works, let us know!

CatsnAnts
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:29 pm
Location: United States, Indiana

Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

Post: # 58310Post CatsnAnts
Thu May 16, 2019 5:38 am

Alright! Glad to know I’m not alone! I will attempt to raise her as a fully claustral queen and see if she makes it and starts the colony over again, because one person on another site kept saying it won’t work, and I just have a hard time believing that :? :lol:
Camponotus subbarbatus x3
Temnothorax curvispinosus x1 :shock: :D
Aphenogaster fulva x1
Camponotus sp.
Termite pair

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

Post: # 58318Post JoeHostile1
Thu May 16, 2019 7:41 am

tencarnacion wrote:
Thu May 16, 2019 12:29 am
Im actually in a somewhat similar situation. Except, I got my camponotus queen through the GAN project here, and she had 9 workers. I guess I hibernated them incorrectly, as all 9 died, and she had eaten her eggs. I felt, and still feel awful about it.
What temperature did you hibernate them at?
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

Post: # 58319Post JoeHostile1
Thu May 16, 2019 7:46 am

CatsnAnts wrote:
Wed May 15, 2019 5:03 pm
Okay, so I recently caught a Camponotus nearcticus queen, and she had 5 workers. The sad part is THAT I LITERALLY COULDN’T CATCH THE WORKERS FOR THE LIFE OF ME. So now I am left with just a camponotus queen. I was wondering if I fed her honey (which I did) and gave her a whole new test tube setup, would she begin laying eggs again and start over?
You can totally restart a colony that has lost its workers. It’s not a problem at all. I’ve done it many times with different species. They don’t forget how to lay eggs and take care of larva just because they lost their workers. You just need to feed the queen. Feed her sugar water and insects. I’d feed her once a week or so. Just try to get the food in there without having her freak out.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

CatsnAnts
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:29 pm
Location: United States, Indiana

Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

Post: # 58327Post CatsnAnts
Thu May 16, 2019 2:57 pm

    JoeHostile1 wrote:
    Thu May 16, 2019 7:46 am
    CatsnAnts wrote:
    Wed May 15, 2019 5:03 pm
    Okay, so I recently caught a Camponotus nearcticus queen, and she had 5 workers. The sad part is THAT I LITERALLY COULDN’T CATCH THE WORKERS FOR THE LIFE OF ME. So now I am left with just a camponotus queen. I was wondering if I fed her honey (which I did) and gave her a whole new test tube setup, would she begin laying eggs again and start over?
    You can totally restart a colony that has lost its workers. It’s not a problem at all. I’ve done it many times with different species. They don’t forget how to lay eggs and take care of larva just because they lost their workers. You just need to feed the queen. Feed her sugar water and insects. I’d feed her once a week or so. Just try to get the food in there without having her freak out.
    THANK YOU, now I don’t feel so bad about another guy telling me that it’s impossible and that I should just release her into the wild, I mean, come one, she’s already settled in a test tube after I fed her honey. I just really want this queen too! THXS AGAIN.
    Camponotus subbarbatus x3
    Temnothorax curvispinosus x1 :shock: :D
    Aphenogaster fulva x1
    Camponotus sp.
    Termite pair

    tencarnacion
    Posts: 33
    Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:52 pm
    Location: Reno, NV

    Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

    Post: # 58331Post tencarnacion
    Thu May 16, 2019 5:38 pm

    JoeHostile1 wrote:
    Thu May 16, 2019 7:41 am
    tencarnacion wrote:
    Thu May 16, 2019 12:29 am
    Im actually in a somewhat similar situation. Except, I got my camponotus queen through the GAN project here, and she had 9 workers. I guess I hibernated them incorrectly, as all 9 died, and she had eaten her eggs. I felt, and still feel awful about it.
    What temperature did you hibernate them at?
    I put all of my ants in the garage for the winter, but didnt take a temperature. I came to learn that ALL of my colonies were still somewhat active during the hibernation, so maybe the garage in general wasnt cool enough for any of them. Fortunately, only 1 colony (I have 4) lost its workers. The others are growing now.

    tencarnacion
    Posts: 33
    Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:52 pm
    Location: Reno, NV

    Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

    Post: # 58332Post tencarnacion
    Thu May 16, 2019 5:39 pm

    CatsnAnts wrote:
    Thu May 16, 2019 2:57 pm
      JoeHostile1 wrote:
      Thu May 16, 2019 7:46 am
      CatsnAnts wrote:
      Wed May 15, 2019 5:03 pm
      Okay, so I recently caught a Camponotus nearcticus queen, and she had 5 workers. The sad part is THAT I LITERALLY COULDN’T CATCH THE WORKERS FOR THE LIFE OF ME. So now I am left with just a camponotus queen. I was wondering if I fed her honey (which I did) and gave her a whole new test tube setup, would she begin laying eggs again and start over?
      You can totally restart a colony that has lost its workers. It’s not a problem at all. I’ve done it many times with different species. They don’t forget how to lay eggs and take care of larva just because they lost their workers. You just need to feed the queen. Feed her sugar water and insects. I’d feed her once a week or so. Just try to get the food in there without having her freak out.
      THANK YOU, now I don’t feel so bad about another guy telling me that it’s impossible and that I should just release her into the wild, I mean, come one, she’s already settled in a test tube after I fed her honey. I just really want this queen too! THXS AGAIN.
      I am also really glad to read this. Just wondering, though, camponotus larvae take a few months to develop, right?

      CatsnAnts
      Posts: 68
      Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:29 pm
      Location: United States, Indiana

      Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

      Post: # 58333Post CatsnAnts
      Thu May 16, 2019 6:28 pm

      tencarnacion wrote:
      Thu May 16, 2019 5:39 pm
      CatsnAnts wrote:
      Thu May 16, 2019 2:57 pm
        JoeHostile1 wrote:
        Thu May 16, 2019 7:46 am


        You can totally restart a colony that has lost its workers. It’s not a problem at all. I’ve done it many times with different species. They don’t forget how to lay eggs and take care of larva just because they lost their workers. You just need to feed the queen. Feed her sugar water and insects. I’d feed her once a week or so. Just try to get the food in there without having her freak out.
        THANK YOU, now I don’t feel so bad about another guy telling me that it’s impossible and that I should just release her into the wild, I mean, come one, she’s already settled in a test tube after I fed her honey. I just really want this queen too! THXS AGAIN.
        I am also really glad to read this. Just wondering, though, camponotus larvae take a few months to develop, right?
        Yes, they take 1.5 - 3 months depending on the type and size of the species.
        Camponotus subbarbatus x3
        Temnothorax curvispinosus x1 :shock: :D
        Aphenogaster fulva x1
        Camponotus sp.
        Termite pair

        AntsDakota
        Posts: 1283
        Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:22 pm
        Location: South Dakota

        Re: Keeping an established queen w/ out workers

        Post: # 58336Post AntsDakota
        Thu May 16, 2019 6:53 pm

        tencarnacion wrote:
        Thu May 16, 2019 12:29 am
        Im actually in a somewhat similar situation. Except, I got my camponotus queen through the GAN project here, and she had 9 workers. I guess I hibernated them incorrectly, as all 9 died, and she had eaten her eggs. I felt, and still feel awful about it.

        I have started from scratch with her, gave her honey (she accepted) and even some food (a cricket leg). She layed eggs, and is protective over them, im just not sure if theyre growing. I have to feed her every few days because she really does eat the stuff i give her, but I feel like the constant tampering stresses her, and maybe is keeping the eggs from growing.

        TL;DR

        She will probably accept food, but its a challenge to get the colony started again. If you find anything that works, let us know!
        I would assume that since winters don't exactly get 'cold' in Nevada, the ants there aren't used to coping with temperatures too far below freezing. If you hibernated the ants below fourty or fifty degrees, you would probably would have been fine, yet not all Camponotus can survive temperatures below zero (like mine did).

        Another possibility is that they were dehydrated in their test tube.
        "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

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