6 replies to this topic

[JoeByron]

So my largest caught Camponotus queen yet this season did not rip off her wings. When I caught her I had a feeling she wasn't pregnant. So I went and searched and was able to catch a male alate. I put them in a small formicarium together and I am pretty sure they mated! I recorded it on my handheld compound microscope so little potato quality.

 

But here is the video of them meeting and their interactions. I missed the first little bit.

 

https://photos.app.g...ijuiSjbHddv8W97

[ZTYguy]

Cool! Hope this ends up working out for you!

[JoeByron]

Cool! Hope this ends up working out for you!

Thanks man me too. She's so pretty 😍

Edited by JoeByron, April 19 2021 - 12:33 AM.

[Lillyrose]

That's a cool idea, I've thought about leaving the queen in a Fluon protected container to mate but then a predator could get her among other things. This was a neat way to do it.

The male dies right after right?

[KitsAntVa]

Yea the males die after and if not they seem drunk, You should also keep a test tube with water in it so that she can go in there after mating.

[steelplant]

I did this last year with my Myrmica queen. Found a wild drone that was trying to mount Myrmica workers. I'd had the queen for several months and she'd produced no brood. Could have been poor antkeeping as she was my first queen. Anyway the drone was a bit of a pest so I took him back out the next day. Long story short, she now has her first biological worker (I brood boosted her with 3 wild pupae) with more on the way.

Good luck. I hope it works for you both.

[JoeByron]

That's a cool idea, I've thought about leaving the queen in a Fluon protected container to mate but then a predator could get her among other things. This was a neat way to do it.

The male dies right after right?

 

Normally, but oddly they have been staying next to each other and he doesnt seem to be "fading out"