21 replies to this topic

[ZTYguy]

So if you have a colony with multiple queens could you seperate them and if they got to a colony size to produce elates could the male and female elates of the seperate colonies "breed" or would that not be possible?

[ZTYguy]

that's great then.

Hopefully the colonies get to elates.

[FSTP]

I've done this with an Aphaenogaster occidentalis colony that had three queens. I separated each queen and gave them an even amount of workers each, they are all doing well. However they're not old enough be producing alates.

[SleepyAsianAnter]

Yes, but if you are referring to your acromyrmex colony, there's no point. It'll take year(s) and will only yield a couple queens. Would be much easier to just go catch a flight. 

[DDD101DDD]

Depends on species.

[Ants_Dakota]

I've done this with an Aphaenogaster occidentalis colony that had three queens. I separated each queen and gave them an even amount of workers each, they are all doing well. However they're not old enough be producing alates.

if you get it to work, i really want to know! keep me updated!

[ZTYguy]

I will be doing my Acromyrmex colony for this experiment and at the rate they are going I believe that this process will take a shorter time then thought. I believe they are only 2-4 months old but are nearing 30 workers plus about 40 pupae and the fungus is making a half circle around the nest so they are doing better then I expected.

[ZTYguy]

Thnx, I'm gonna need it. I also believe these to be easy to keep ants but, this is also coming from the guy who thinks honey pots are super easy to keep (that also might be just my luck with them). 

[ZTYguy]

Yeah, The fungus is doing great though and all newly attached nests were cleaned in a sink with soap and left to sit in the freezer for a day. I am a very cautious guy.

[B_rad0806]

This is not too smart of a move. These queens were most likely sisters and if they were to mate with alates I’m not sure that would work. Plus there’s no guarantee that these will even get alates. I haven’t heard of one person that has gotten Acromyrmex past the second year. Now lets say you some how get to the point where the colonies have alates. It would be basically impossible to mimic the temperatures that cause the alates to have nuptial flights. The only species I’ve heard that people captive breed is Pogonomyrmex but even those they collect the alates after they started to fly. This means they did not have multiple colonies to mimic flight weather (summer monsoons, warm humid temperatures). I see where you are coming from and I see how it sounds like a good idea but it would be nearly impossible to do what you are thinking. It is best to just keep your colony together.

[ZTYguy]

Good point.

[ZTYguy]

But won't the queens start to assert dominance in the form of killing the other queens or is that a lie somebody told me.

[B_rad0806]

But won't the queens start to assert dominance in the form of killing the other queens or is that a lie somebody told me.

Yes this will happen. It is best to let this happen in the colony 

[Ants_Dakota]

Yeah, The fungus is doing great though and all newly attached nests were cleaned in a sink with soap and left to sit in the freezer for a day. I am a very cautious guy.

just a helpful tip, i would not clean ant things with soap. nothing will probably happen, but there is the chance that soap is left in the container, and it is bad for ants. i use vinegar and baking soda, as it is a natural cleaner. that is just what i do.

[ZTYguy]

I just use soap but I let it soak in hot water after washing out the soap so I think no soap should be left but I will try vinegar.

[MinigunL5]

 

Yeah, The fungus is doing great though and all newly attached nests were cleaned in a sink with soap and left to sit in the freezer for a day. I am a very cautious guy.

just a helpful tip, i would not clean ant things with soap. nothing will probably happen, but there is the chance that soap is left in the container, and it is bad for ants. i use vinegar and baking soda, as it is a natural cleaner. that is just what i do.

 

Does that kill all the bacteria?