I wanted to make a journal on my two queens for a while. They are really big ants, and my wife really likes them. Drew gave them to me a while back, and I was about to make a journal but for some reason the workers (1 worker for each queen) died. They were in his tube, with plenty of water...and the garage is always rather warm. So, not sure what happened. The day before the workers died, the workers ate the eggs (each queen had one larvae). But, the queens never laid an egg after that. I mostly left them alone, they had tiny drops of honey for food. I never gave them outside food and froze everything. They just randomly ate the larvae and then died. No mites or anything. Which I thought may have been the case as I had mites around the same time, but they were completely closed up in the tube and a later (a couple days after the workers died) my neighbor used his microscope and there wasn't any sign of mites at all. Maybe it just happens like that sometimes. But, its been weeks and no new eggs have been laid at all. I was rather upset though the colony just randomly up and died, except for the queens.
Well, I ended up getting Pogonomyrmex subnitidus larvae today (just 3 larvae). Getting brood of any Pogonomyrmex is really hard to get (for me it is anyway), so getting ANY brood is really lucky for me lol. I figured, I'd give one queen three larvae and if the workers eclose and the queen lays more eggs I can give them to the other Pogonomyrmex rugosus queen if its successful and the other queen is still alive by then. But, I figured I'd give one queen the best chance, and hope for the best for the 2nd queen.
I know they are different species of Pogonomyrmex, but I'm hoping it turns out successful as I'd actually like a Pogonomyrmex rugosus colony...they are awesome looking ants. I saw Drew had one Pogonomyrmex species with multiple different species of worker and it turned out alright as far as I know. So, hoping the same with this.
Though, last I looked the queen was mostly ignoring the larvae and not even bothering to do anything with them...so, we'll see I guess. I'll check on her tomorrow and give her a few days. If she is still ignoring the larvae, I'll try the other queen. Hope it works out, as I really like P. rugosus and I'm never in a place I can get to where I can get them easily (by walking). I guess they are a deserts of east california/arizona species mostly. I went to Arizona and saw tons of them everywhere, not any at all in San Diego or Irvine. Even out in the Salton Sea and Palm Springs I never see any lol.
Edited by Vendayn, April 4 2015 - 1:36 PM.
Otherwise, I doubt they'll be doing much as its been a long time since they actually laid eggs. They don't really eat anything either.
One of the Pogonomyrmex rugosus queen finally laid a few eggs! The one I didn't give the larvae to.
