12 replies to this topic

[yaboiseth]

My 5 queen colony with like 5 workers, (only got the workers from a fungus boost and they accepted them) are not feeding the fungus with what I provide. Every now and then I have seen a little brown dot of liquid, which I'm assuming is the wing muscle stuff, but that's it. I've provided them with steel cut oats, fish pellets, fresh and dried rose petals, and everything in Cheeto's acromyrmex food. The fungus from this recent boost is slowly dying out now too and its lowkey stressing me out. Any ideas on what the problem is now? 

[Zeiss]

Sometimes queens will just stop taking care of their fungus.  I think it might have something to do with them producing a ton, but not producing enough workers within that time span.  This possibly leaves them with little energy to continue caring for fungus.  

 

Another thing is that they just are not cooperating with 5 queens together.  I personally never have success with multiple queens per colony, but other people say they have success with a few queens.  Maybe separate them into monogyne colonies or smaller groups of queens.

 

Also, what setup are you using?  Can you share some pictures?  Humidity and airflow might be off too.

[SoySauce]

How long have you had the queens? Have they produced brood? If not, they may be duds. Some dud queens do not maintain fungus.

[Antkeeper01]

How long have you had the queens? Have they produced brood? If not, they may be duds. Some dud queens do not maintain fungus.

he prob got them from antsemporium, so at least on can't be a dud

[Zeiss]

How long have you had the queens? Have they produced brood? If not, they may be duds. Some dud queens do not maintain fungus.

Yeah, that's another point.  Do you even have any brood or nanitics?

[yaboiseth]

 

How long have you had the queens? Have they produced brood? If not, they may be duds. Some dud queens do not maintain fungus.

Yeah, that's another point.  Do you even have any brood or nanitics?

 

They have not produced a single larva. All I've seen were eggs at any given time. I did get them from antsemporium, and they have workers from a recent fungus boost. The person who sent me the fungus had workers caring for it in shipping and I threw a few in to see if they accepted and they did. This is actually the second fungus dieout I've had, although the first the queens fed the fungus once, then it died out a week later.

[ANTdrew]

Sounds like they are unmated queens, aka duds.

[Zeiss]

Yeah, sounds like they're duds.  It's very common for queens of Acromyrmex versicolor to be useless.

[ANTdrew]

I hope you didn’t pay a lot of money for them.

[dspdrew]

I've seen lots of queens just decide to stop taking care of their fungus all of a sudden. In my experience, you have to get lucky to end up with a really good colony.

[Antkeeper01]

I hope you didn’t pay a lot of money for them.

it was prob 100 usd

[yaboiseth]

I hope you didn’t pay a lot of money for them.

 

 

I hope you didn’t pay a lot of money for them.

it was prob 100 usd

 

Sadly, it was from AntEmporium so it was pretty expensive. Around $150.

[yaboiseth]

Yeah, pretty bummed out. I felt I was ready for them and for them to end up duds is pretty depressing. Really do appreciate the help and inputs guys.