3 replies to this topic

[futurebird]

I recently had a camponotus pennsylvanicus queen die on me. She was fine one day, then she started having fits, twitching and was dead in 10 hours. Two days later she was covered in fuzzy fungus. 

 

So, really I have my answer, she got infected and died. We don't always know why they die.  Exoskeletons are so inscrutable. 

 

But, also, she started the fits right after I vacuumed. I didn't vacuum her shelf, but I was in the same room running it for a long time. After I found my lasius in a pile, and they slowly spread out over an hour. (but they also needed water so that's hardly conclusive) Other ants didn't notice, but the big carpenter girl was twitching and clearly dieing. 

 

I keep thinking "could it have been the sound?" The vibrations? 

 

So, does running a vacuum freak out ants?

 

 

[strawnkayden1]

I recently had a camponotus pennsylvanicus queen die on me. She was fine one day, then she started having fits, twitching and was dead in 10 hours. Two days later she was covered in fuzzy fungus.

So, really I have my answer, she got infected and died. We don't always know why they die. Exoskeletons are so inscrutable.

But, also, she started the fits right after I vacuumed. I didn't vacuum her shelf, but I was in the same room running it for a long time. After I found my lasius in a pile, and they slowly spread out over an hour. (but they also needed water so that's hardly conclusive) Other ants didn't notice, but the big carpenter girl was twitching and clearly dieing.

I keep thinking "could it have been the sound?" The vibrations?

So, does running a vacuum freak out ants?

I think running a vacuum would have minor effects on non sensitive queens. I think it was a coincidence that she started twitching and stuff after because if you vacuumed for awhile it could have happened in the same time period if you didn't vacuum.

[Swirlysnowflake]

I don’t think the two events are connected- as strawnkayden said, the vibrations may have been a minor disturbance but that alone would not have killed her.

[strawnkayden1]

I don’t think the two events are connected- as strawnkayden said, the vibrations may have been a minor disturbance but that alone would not have killed her.

Thank you, I also forgot to mention since there was mold it was most likely the mold. All my pheidole queens died to a random mold outbreak.