11 replies to this topic

[Psythe]

I’m new to ant keeping and I finally caught 4 camp p. Queens tonight on the tennis courts after a rain. I’ve only had luck catching social parasite queens which I’m not ready to attempt so tonight was great for me. Was just excited and wanted to share the news. They all still have their wings though, but I saw them flying and mating before landing so I’m hopeful for the best. Really happy to have caught some. Would have had more than that but I ran out of containers :-/.

[FSTP]

congrates its always so exciting getting new queens.

[CatsnAnts]

That’s great! This species is really neat!

[Acutus]

Congratulations!!!   

[Psythe]

Just a quick question, if the queens remove wings while in the test tube set up, should I remove them from the tube or just leave them?

[ANTdrew]

Don’t bother them inside the tube in any way.

[B_rad0806]

Congrats

[Psythe]

Thanks guys.

[Psythe]

Just an update, I couldn’t resist checking on my newly found queens, with them being my first ones and all. So I checked this morning which has been 3 days since capture and one of the 4 has broken off her wings and had 2 eggs! I was super excited, and wasn’t expecting to have eggs already at all. The other 3 Still have the wings and seem a bit uncomfortable. 2 of them have pulled the cotton from the water reserve and the front and have the cotton pretty much throughout the tube and seem to be pretty active. Not sure if I should transfer them to a different set up or if that is just how they want it to be. But just thought I’d post a little update.

[Acutus]

WOW! that's really quick! the cotton pulling is definitely normal.

[Dukagora]

Is it possible they are trying to use the cotton for some sort of nesting material or process?

[Psythe]

Another update, I’m up to 10 queens now. I’ve caught around 20 in total this year which is my first year of anting. I’m feeling pretty good. I now have 4 C. pennsylvanicus. all with eggs (no larvae yet), 5 Pheidole that were all caught this week (which I’m super excited about) and what I think is a Nylanderia queen that was caught tonight! I’m hoping to keep one of each genus, maybe more of the pheidole but if anyone in Kentucky is interested in the ones I don’t end up keeping I’ll be around.