14 replies to this topic

[darnock]

about 3 months ago I found a queen ant. Its a solid black carpenter ant that I found in middle tn.

 

I put her in the test tube setup and she laid some eggs, everything looked great.  Maybe 2 months later one worker was born.

 

I don't see any more eggs, and the worker and the queen just kinda sit there.  They are kept in my closet where its dark and not too many sounds.

 

Its about time to clean the test tube again and add in some more water, is there anything else I can do? I'm not sure she is laying eggs anymore. I don't see any.

 

 

Thanks

[FSTP]

What have you been feeding them? Also it sounds like they're possibly slowing down, getting ready to hibernate. What temperatures are they being kept at?

[darnock]

mostly just honey and very small protein, they are kept around 68f 

[nurbs]

Where is "middle tn"? As in Tennessee?

 

What you want to do first is properly ID the ant, and go from there.

 

Just from what the information here, it is too cold. You need a heat gradient on the test tube, with the warmer end being 85-88F. It's why she is not laying eggs. Be sure to feed them. It's also getting colder, so they will go into hibernation soon and stop laying eggs if she is Camponotus.

 

about 3 months ago I found a queen ant. Its a solid black carpenter ant that I found in middle tn.

 

I put her in the test tube setup and she laid some eggs, everything looked great.  Maybe 2 months later one worker was born.

 

I don't see any more eggs, and the worker and the queen just kinda sit there.  They are kept in my closet where its dark and not too many sounds.

 

Its about time to clean the test tube again and add in some more water, is there anything else I can do? I'm not sure she is laying eggs anymore. I don't see any.

 

 

Thanks

[darnock]

great, thank you, do you know a good place for info on Camponotus queens? I'm not sure what type of camponotus she is, but she is all black, very large, and was found in grundy county tn which is about an hour north of chattanooga. 

 

She has one "nurse" ant that stays under her. It looks like she has ate the 3 last eggs she had.

[darnock]

seeing if picture uploads

 

edit... here is a link

 

https://imgur.com/a/fQDq43J

Edited by darnock, November 26 2018 - 9:29 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

Looks like Camponotus pennsylvanicus. They probably want 3-4 months of hibernation before they lay eggs again.

[darnock]

thanks, what's what I figured, i'll be putting her up for awhile 

[darnock]

I put her in a new test tube with her one worker, and added a very small sliver of fruit in there. I then read to put her in a closet with the proper temp to let her rest. I went to check on her this morning and she had laid 2 eggs and the dumb worker ant some how got caught in the wet cotton ball and drowned.

 

No idea why she is now laying eggs.  Maybe cause of the food?

[YsTheAnt]

The drowned worker is probably alive, keep it on a dry towel and see what happens. Otherwise, she will probably not be able to start back up without a brood boost from a wild colony.

[FSTP]

seeing if picture uploads

 

edit... here is a link

 

https://imgur.com/a/fQDq43J

 

 

 

Reviewing this thread http://www.formicult...-post-photos  /will come in handy when posting threads or replies with photos. 

Edited by FSTP, November 27 2018 - 6:52 PM.

[darnock]

going to dry the worker on a towel and see if that does anything

[Nylanderiavividula]

Did this work out?

[TennesseeAnts]

Another Tennessee ant keeper! I have extensive experience with Camponotus, and also live in Middle Tennessee. Pm me if you have any questions!

[Rstheant]

She looks like the Californian Camponotus modoc. Or it least the photo made it look.