Hello all! I recently was able to find a ton of queens (which I’m pretty sure are either Camponotus modoc and/or Camponotus pennsylvanicus (I live in Washington) However I currently only have 3 test tubes. I’ve set up 3 queens in test tubes, however the others I have separated into small mason jars with dampened paper towel balls. I ordered more test tubes that should be arriving next Saturday, but do you guys have any better suggestions on how I should keep my queens until I can get my test tubes?
Thank you!
Good temporary housing? (Out of test tubes)
Moderator: ooper01
Re: Good temporary housing? (Out of test tubes)
Hello,
Last year during nuptial flight of the Lasius Niger I have been in the same situation as you and basically I did as you did. I have had small glass jars, so I have put there some wet paper towel and I have closed them in garage where there is not too much light and left them there. Problem I have seen was that if the queens are too comfortable they will lay eggs and you will have trouble in moving not just queen to the test tube setup but also the eggs. I have had there for about 5 days and no problem, I have just been checking if the towel is still wet and that the queen has enough space to move to the comfortable humidity section of the jar.
But please consider if you really need so many queens. 3 queens for one colony is quite enough, so unless you are planning to have lot of new colonies and you have space for them, I would let most of them go.
Last year during nuptial flight of the Lasius Niger I have been in the same situation as you and basically I did as you did. I have had small glass jars, so I have put there some wet paper towel and I have closed them in garage where there is not too much light and left them there. Problem I have seen was that if the queens are too comfortable they will lay eggs and you will have trouble in moving not just queen to the test tube setup but also the eggs. I have had there for about 5 days and no problem, I have just been checking if the towel is still wet and that the queen has enough space to move to the comfortable humidity section of the jar.
But please consider if you really need so many queens. 3 queens for one colony is quite enough, so unless you are planning to have lot of new colonies and you have space for them, I would let most of them go.
Re: Good temporary housing? (Out of test tubes)
did the queen have red or black legs if its red modoc if its black pennsylvanicus
keeper of: 41xCamponotus novaeboracensis, Crematogaster spp. and unidentified species and tapinoma sessile
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests