Worried about my queen
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Worried about my queen
I caught her on july 22, and she laid about six eggs within a couple of weeks of catching her. The only problem is, they're still eggs. They haven't grown, and she hasn't laid any more. I don't know what the problem is, does anyone have an idea? She's a black carpenter ant as far as I can see, if that's any help!
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Re: Worried about my queen
i take it she's in a test tube set-up in a dark space and not disturbed to much? do you know the temperature-ish where she is if it's too cold could slow down the development speed of the eggs, just some thoughts off the top of my headmagicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:24 pmI caught her on july 22, and she laid about six eggs within a couple of weeks of catching her. The only problem is, they're still eggs. They haven't grown, and she hasn't laid any more. I don't know what the problem is, does anyone have an idea? She's a black carpenter ant as far as I can see, if that's any help!
1x Lasius Niger - early forging stage - 60-100 workers
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs
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Re: Worried about my queen
Yeah, I only check on her once a week. I put her in a slightly colder spot since it's colder outside, but that was only this month. Before I moved her, she was in a place that could have been cold, but I thought that it was around room temp...LasiusSapien wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:31 pmi take it she's in a test tube set-up in a dark space and not disturbed to much? do you know the temperature-ish where she is if it's too cold could slow down the development speed of the eggs, just some thoughts off the top of my headmagicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:24 pmI caught her on july 22, and she laid about six eggs within a couple of weeks of catching her. The only problem is, they're still eggs. They haven't grown, and she hasn't laid any more. I don't know what the problem is, does anyone have an idea? She's a black carpenter ant as far as I can see, if that's any help!
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Re: Worried about my queen
i've found my carpenter ant like it around 25c/77f they seemed most active at that temp also have you try giving her a bit of honey or sugar water mine love sugar water so much i made a tiny feeder for them out of a small pipettemagicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:33 pm
Yeah, I only check on her once a week. I put her in a slightly colder spot since it's colder outside, but that was only this month. Before I moved her, she was in a place that could have been cold, but I thought that it was around room temp...
1x Lasius Niger - early forging stage - 60-100 workers
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs
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Re: Worried about my queen
Lasius not to be off topic, but congratulations on your Campanotus' first naniticLasiusSapien wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:42 pmi've found my carpenter ant like it around 25c/77f they seemed most active at that temp also have you try giving her a bit of honey or sugar water mine love sugar water so much i made a tiny feeder for them out of a small pipettemagicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:33 pm
Yeah, I only check on her once a week. I put her in a slightly colder spot since it's colder outside, but that was only this month. Before I moved her, she was in a place that could have been cold, but I thought that it was around room temp...
New antkeeper in Virginia currently doesn’t have a colony plan to start next Spring
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Re: Worried about my queen
unfortunately it the second the first one came with the queen but died a few days after the second one was born and the third has been stuck in part of its pupa for the best part of a week dont know whats going on there tbhJustABitAntsy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:49 pmLasius not to be off topic, but congratulations on your Campanotus' first naniticLasiusSapien wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:42 pmi've found my carpenter ant like it around 25c/77f they seemed most active at that temp also have you try giving her a bit of honey or sugar water mine love sugar water so much i made a tiny feeder for them out of a small pipettemagicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:33 pm
Yeah, I only check on her once a week. I put her in a slightly colder spot since it's colder outside, but that was only this month. Before I moved her, she was in a place that could have been cold, but I thought that it was around room temp...
1x Lasius Niger - early forging stage - 60-100 workers
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs
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Re: Worried about my queen
I'll try giving her some sugar water!LasiusSapien wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:42 pmi've found my carpenter ant like it around 25c/77f they seemed most active at that temp also have you try giving her a bit of honey or sugar water mine love sugar water so much i made a tiny feeder for them out of a small pipettemagicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:33 pm
Yeah, I only check on her once a week. I put her in a slightly colder spot since it's colder outside, but that was only this month. Before I moved her, she was in a place that could have been cold, but I thought that it was around room temp...
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Re: Worried about my queen
"Black carpenter ant" is not sufficient. There are hundreds of "black carpenter ants", all with slightly different care requirements. First off:
Where are you located?
What species is your queen?
What temps is she kept at?
How long has she had eggs?
If you're anywhere in the South or Atlantic states, she's either Camponotus pennslyvanicus, Camponotus chromaiodes or Camponotus nearcticus.
Where are you located?
What species is your queen?
What temps is she kept at?
How long has she had eggs?
If you're anywhere in the South or Atlantic states, she's either Camponotus pennslyvanicus, Camponotus chromaiodes or Camponotus nearcticus.
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Re: Worried about my queen
Here in Alberta, both species I have caught (Herculeanis and Novaeboracensis) required a first year of diapause before the eggs developed further. year 2 I have seen 3 generations of workers.magicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:24 pmI caught her on july 22, and she laid about six eggs within a couple of weeks of catching her. The only problem is, they're still eggs. They haven't grown, and she hasn't laid any more. I don't know what the problem is, does anyone have an idea? She's a black carpenter ant as far as I can see, if that's any help!
GAN farmer for Edmonton and area, Alberta, Canada.
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Re: Worried about my queen
Hi there!magicisreal wrote: ↑Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:24 pmI caught her on july 22, and she laid about six eggs within a couple of weeks of catching her. The only problem is, they're still eggs. They haven't grown, and she hasn't laid any more. I don't know what the problem is, does anyone have an idea? She's a black carpenter ant as far as I can see, if that's any help!
First of all, do you have any pics of your queen? We might be able to help you identify her if you don't know her species. Generally speaking the larger the ant, the longer it takes for the eggs to develop. For my Camponotus species it could be up to 12 weeks. It does however require an environment that is suited for their development. You might want to try a heating mat, to raise the temperature to about 24 degrees Celsius.
With hibernation approaching quickly, pretty much all you can do is hope for the best and pray to the Ant Gods for your eggs to survive the winter. Then at the end of February or early March, start to gradually increase the temperature. For now make sure you feed your queen. She'll likely prefer sugars at this point and will neglect proteins but who knows. Try offering some cooked egg whites covered in honey.
Then settle her somewhere like a basement with stable 'cold' temperatures between 5-10 degrees Celsius.
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