20 replies to this topic

[Scolwell06]

My grandson (8) is a lover of ants. He spends much time gathering them, looking for queens and has hopes of starting a colony. He found this specimen in my house last night. He hopes it's a queen. Any advice would be appreciated.
1. East Tennessee
2. 4/25/22
3. Found in my home
4. 9/16 or so
5. Black
6. Distinguishing characteristics:
7. Distinguishing behavior:
8. Nest description:

9. Nuptial flight time and date:

https://photos.app.g...MdeqCmnoPoxwJq8

https://photos.app.g...8xnhCJxkApsqit9

[Images of habitat]

[ColAnt735]

Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen. Tell your grandson nice find!

Edited by ColAnt735, April 26 2022 - 8:04 AM.

[Scolwell06]

Thank you. He says she is fertilized because she has shed her wings. Is that accurate and any pointers on caring for her and letting her develope a colony would be greatly appreciated.

[ColAnt735]

Thank you. He says she is fertilized because she has shed her wings. Is that accurate and any pointers on caring for her and letting her develope a colony would be greatly appreciated.

Breaking off of the wings suggests that she is mated but you can never tell unless you witness her mating with a male. Heres a care sheet for this species: https://www.formicul...pennsylvanicus/

[Scolwell06]

Thank you. Carpenter ant. He's thrilled but now I'm hoping it just happened to come in from an open window and there's not a colony living in my house.

[OiledOlives]

If it lays it has almost definitely mated. I've never had a Camponotus queen that laid eggs turn out to be unmated, though I have had them die.

[futurebird]

If you can get a glass test tube you should be all set. It looks like she's in a plastic tub and that won't work well for getting her started (but is perfectly fine for a few days) while she is in the tub you can offer her a drop of sugar water or a tiny bit of sweet fruit ... or a dead insect like a fruit fly or part of a cricket. She doesn't *need* food but if she eat it'll just make her stronger and better prepared for the next step.

 

It sounds like your kid has read a bit about ants or watched videos, so they probably know how to prepare the test tube.

 

What can be harder is just not bothering her for a LONG time. 

 

Wrap the tube in a soft cloth and put it in a drawer away from light and vibrations. Check on her once weekly at most. You do not need to feed or interfere until she has her first generation born. This will take maybe two months. 

 

As to if they are in your home? Probably not. But there was a nuptial flight near enough to your home that this queen found it and was looking for a nest site. Keep an eye out for other queens and either keep them as pets too or relocate to a wooded forest where they belong. 

 

carpenter ants tend to invade homes not as queens, but by making a satellite nest from a big colony in a dead tree or stump near the house. You'd see lots of workers not dealate queens. 

 

Good luck and I know many here would love to see how it all turns out!

[RVAOsprey]

Probably no need to worry about your home. Far more likly it came in from the outside. You would almost certianly notice foraging worker ants before seeing any queens. 

 

This is a great species for a beginner. Easy to see, easy to contain, and they grow in number very slowly. Like very slowly. 

The greatest challange will be that of patience, as it can take a while for any decently sized colony to appear. Best if he just does the test tube setup and then leaves it in some warm closet or drawer somewhere until early July without looking at it. 

 

the chances that his first queen survives through until next year are not great, so he could occupy himself by finding more in the meantime as a destraction from the temptation to mess with the tube?

Edited by RVAOsprey, April 26 2022 - 9:54 AM.

[Scolwell06]

That's going to be a tough one, convincing an eight year old to let the lady have her privacy. I will try to research how to prepare a tube, I'm guessing she wants close quarters a test tube will give. We have moved her to a mason jar for the time being.

[ColAnt735]

I'd get her into a test tube as soon as possible. Good luck!

[Scolwell06]

His main hobby is insects and collecting them so maybe that will satisfy him while we try to get this queen to do her business. Thanks for the advice.

[Scolwell06]

Where may one find test tubes? I'm sure there available online but can I find them at a pharmacy or the like?

[ColAnt735]

Check out Amazon.

[OiledOlives]

kartersci.com has test tubes at a much cheaper price.

[NicholasP]

If it lays it has almost definitely mated. I've never had a Camponotus queen that laid eggs turn out to be unmated, though I have had them die.

Believe it or not I bought a Camponotus modoc queen with larvae when I just started antkeeping and she had shed her wings and fast forward a month and there were very dark pupae I saw that the thing in the cocoon did not look like a worker but more like a male. Closer I looked at it the more I had the worrying feeling it was a male. Fastforward to next day and there were 2 males with the queen. So never say never.

[NicholasP]

That's going to be a tough one, convincing an eight year old to let the lady have her privacy. I will try to research how to prepare a tube, I'm guessing she wants close quarters a test tube will give. We have moved her to a mason jar for the time being.

I'd say don't worry so much about not checking. Honestly I'd say leave her out in the light as several ant species are perfectly fine being in light the whole time. There's a small bunch of ant species that won't tolerate light very well but C. pennsylvanicus is not among those. One of the most important things though to tell him is be very gentle when handling the test tube and don't move it around a bunch. Just let the test tube sit there in the open light and have him not touch it a whole lot and it should be fine. By open light I mean bedroom light or a USB light.

Edited by NicholasP, April 27 2022 - 11:56 AM.

[OiledOlives]

If it lays it has almost definitely mated. I've never had a Camponotus queen that laid eggs turn out to be unmated, though I have had them die.

Believe it or not I bought a Camponotus modoc queen with larvae when I just started antkeeping and she had shed her wings and fast forward a month and there were very dark pupae I saw that the thing in the cocoon did not look like a worker but more like a male. Closer I looked at it the more I had the worrying feeling it was a male. Fastforward to next day and there were 2 males with the queen. So never say never.

Dude, I said I never had Camponotus queens lay eggs and be infertile. Please double check what you're saying before you reply.

[NicholasP]

 

 

If it lays it has almost definitely mated. I've never had a Camponotus queen that laid eggs turn out to be unmated, though I have had them die.

Believe it or not I bought a Camponotus modoc queen with larvae when I just started antkeeping and she had shed her wings and fast forward a month and there were very dark pupae I saw that the thing in the cocoon did not look like a worker but more like a male. Closer I looked at it the more I had the worrying feeling it was a male. Fastforward to next day and there were 2 males with the queen. So never say never.

Dude, I said I never had Camponotus queens lay eggs and be infertile. Please double check what you're saying before you reply.

 

I know. And what I'm saying is that it is possible for camponotus queen to lay eggs and still be infertile. It's super rare though to happen.

[OiledOlives]

NicholasP, please notice that I said "almost definitely mated", implying that it is possible for Camponotus to lay eggs and still be unmated.

[ColAnt735]

Please don't clutter up this thread. Thank you!