5 replies to this topic

[Alacom]

Last year I caught three modoc queens and they all did relatively well that first year, ranging from 3-10 workers by the start of winter. After hibernation ended and they got more active, I expected their current larvae and eggs to start developing. Over the past several months, there has been little to know development, two of the colonies are completely dead, and I am left with 1 colony with only larvae and 5 workers. I've been consistently giving them honey and crickets, but there is no development. It definitely isn't too cold in my garage where I keep them. Any help would be appreciated.

[futurebird]

The exact same thing is happening to all three colonies? 

 

Maybe try offering one colony a new housing option, or moving it from the garage. Changing a variable. My guess is they were weakened by winter and have not recovered. That is just a guess though. Mostly bumping this as I'm curious. 

[ANTdrew]

Also try varying their diet. Mix in fruit flies, dubia roaches, and mealworms along with safely collected wild things. Consider supplementing urea by offering bird droppings. You say your garage is warm enough, but what does that mean exactly?

[Alacom]

Also try varying their diet. Mix in fruit flies, dubia roaches, and mealworms along with safely collected wild things. Consider supplementing urea by offering bird droppings. You say your garage is warm enough, but what does that mean exactly?

Outdoor temp ranges from the 90s to low 100s, and the garage is only slightly cooler. I tried introducing a heating cable earlier this year when I noticed their brood still wasn't developing, but they didn't seem to like the humidity. Originally I was feeding them rehydrated freeze-dried crickets, but this year they seemed completely disinterested whereas last year they loved them. I tried freeze-dried meal worms which they also seemed to want nothing to do with. For around a month I've been feeding them crickets that I bought and froze myself, and they seem to like that a bit more than the freeze-dried foods.

[futurebird]

Maybe try fresh killed food? 

[ANTdrew]

I think that’s the issue. Dried foods are not a suitable staple. Add some other fresh insects to their diet. Freeze them yourself like you did with the crickets. Also try going to a safe nature park and collecting some wild insects under logs and rocks. Termites will really get them going if you can find them.