5 replies to this topic

[Mandelstam]

I have this L niger queen which hasn't gotten any workers yet. Her first setup was a small pill bottle and she laid eggs in there. Two months later none have hatched/eclosed. The cotton also got overridden with mites. Yesterday I decided to forcefully move her into a test tube with new clean cotton. She immediately laid a few more eggs in there.

 

Late last night I checked on her and her wing (she only has one left) was stuck to some condensation on the glass so she was basically hanging from her wing and couldn't pull herself free. I tapped the tube until she got free. This morning I checked on her again and now she was stuck the same way but on the moist cotton. 

 

What can I do to prevent this? The problem is that her legs won't find any hold to pull herself free when she gets stuck like that. 

 

And also, can a non mated queen lay unfertilized eggs? Is that what she's doing and why they won't develop?

 

Lastly, should I offer her food? I've tried before but she wasn't interested really. I'm just worried that without any workers for a long time to pamper her she will get weaker. 

 

[camponotuskeeper]

Unfertilized eggs hatch into males so no they would develop. The wing would have to come off or it will get stuck on condensation at some point I think. Do some research on the species to see if they need food during their founding period, this is known as a fully claustral species.

Edited by camponotuskeeper, October 6 2019 - 7:18 AM.

[Mandelstam]

Unfertilized eggs hatch into males so no they would develop. The wing would have to come off or it will get stuck on condensation at some point I think. Do some research on the species to see if they need food during their founding period, this is known as a fully claustral species.

 

Maybe just plainly remove it with a small sharp pair of scissors? I have a pair of very small and very sharp. 

[Mandelstam]

Surgical removal of wings complete. She actually had both her wings left. 

I got her out of the tube, held her gently between my fingers and snip snip cut off both her wings. Didn't try to cut them too close but just so there wouldn't be anything large that could get stuck to any wet surfaces or condensation. 

 

 

 

[PoezeWoefke]

Next year when you go out hunting for queens ( especialy Lasius niger ) keep walking around until you find one that had thrown off her wings.

L. nigers are literly everywhere during nuptial events.

 

But yeah cutting part of the wings could help you with this one :-)

[ponerinecat]

could be infertile