6 replies to this topic

[Alacom]

So recently I started farming maggots to feed to my ants. Around two weeks ago or more I started giving them the maggots (alive) and all seemed well. I recently went on a week long vacation during which I knew that one of my new queen’s workers would expose, so I set them up in an outworld with a few dead maggots that were dropped in hot water. When I get back from vacation I found that her workers did eclose and all seemed well, but there were these new tiny bugs scurrying around the outworld (maybe mites) which I assumed were bugs that finished the rest of the decomposing maggots. Over the next few days her workers started disappearing until just one is left today, and one of my other colonies I fed the maggots to seems to be acting slow and not leaving the nest much. Did I give them some sickness or mites with my maggots?

[dermy]

I'd say if the mites aren't on the ants then the mites probably aren't the cause of death. Do these mites hop around or anything like that? if they do they could be springtails not mites. How is the water for the colonies? I know most ants will die fairly quickly without access to water.

[Alacom]

All the colonies have access to water. The bugs aren’t springtails, and they walk into the test tubes of the ants freely without getting attacked.

[Scherme]

 so I set them up in an outworld with a few dead maggots that were dropped in hot water.

I don't mean to derail this thread, but what is the purpose of the hot water?

[Alacom]

so I set them up in an outworld with a few dead maggots that were dropped in hot water.

I don't mean to derail this thread, but what is the purpose of the hot water?

To insta-kill the maggots and hopefully and bacteria they carry. I’m not sure that I had it hot enough though, and I’m wondering if it would’ve been better to freeze them for an hour.

[Scherme]

 Over the next few days her workers started disappearing until just one is left today

is there any evidence of them? How many were there and how many remain?

[FSTP]

Can you see any of the small bugs/mites in question in you maggot culture/colony?

Edited by FSTP, July 3 2019 - 6:57 AM.