7 replies to this topic

[alwayslearning]

Hello! 

One of my colonies have been "slowing dying".

 

Context:

This colony was moved 1 year ago (aprox) to a small Formicarium. At the beginning, they seemed to like it and succeed. However, since a few months, the workers have been dying and I currently have the Queen plus 5 workers (and the Queen is not laying eggs any more).

 

Should I move them to a test tube? I would like to help them so the colony can recover (at least, try to).

 

Any advice will be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

PS: I don't have a possible cause... I'm attributing the issue to the formicarium.

 

[ANTdrew]

Species?
Diet?
Temperature?
Age of colony?
General conditions?
Anything out of the ordinary recently?

[alwayslearning]

Species?
Diet?
Temperature?
Age of colony?
General conditions?
Anything out of the ordinary recently?

 

As always, thanks for your help, Papa Smurf 

It have happened to me with a few species... For example: Camponotus Fragilis... But I'm talking, now, particularly about Novomesor cockerelli.

 

Diet: shrimps, worm soup, crickets plus by formica nectar

Humidity: good

Temp: 75F

Age of the colony: around 3 years

Nothing out of the ordinary recently.

 

This started happening around 1 year ago after I moved them to the formicarium, that's why I was thinking that maybe moving them to the test tube could help. 

The Queen is not laying eggs what makes things worse.

 

I'd like to try some "things" to reverse (if possible) the situation.

Thanks again.

[Manitobant]

The colony is likely to collapse and eventually die, especially if the queen isn't laying.

[alwayslearning]

The colony is likely to collapse and eventually die, especially if the queen isn't laying.

 

Thanks for contributing! Yeap, I do think so too.

Do you think that trying the tube could remotely work? 

[Manitobant]

The colony is likely to collapse and eventually die, especially if the queen isn't laying.

 
Thanks for contributing! Yeap, I do think so too.
Do you think that trying the tube could remotely work?

yes, though i think the best option for potentially saving this colony is brood boosting. Get a bunch of brood (preferably pupae) from a wild novomessor colony and give it to them. I've saved collapsed colonies by doing this before, although the mortality rate is very high when a colony collapses.

[ANTdrew]

Isn’t 75 pretty cool for a desert species like them?

[ReignofRage]

Isn’t 75 pretty cool for a desert species like them?

Yes, 80 degrees Fahrenheit is about as low as you want to go, 85 is more preferable.