4 replies to this topic

[LIExotics]

Hey everyone. So I just posted a topic a few days ago, and I got a lot of great responses. So thank you for that.
Here's my new question:
In the link here: https://imgur.com/gallery/P13sTNF
You'll see a whole bunch of Camponotus subbarbatus queens and male elates. I found 2 separate colonies, I'm assuming preparing for a nuptial flight within the next few weeks. One of in a decaying log, the other was 5 miles away at a different reserve in a giant mound of dirt and moss.
So, I took a bunch of the queens I found at one location and put them with a bunch of the males from the other location.
Now, when I get home, I have a 10 gallon aquarium that I set up specifically for this purpose based on one of the videos I watched from antscanada YouTube channel. So, when I get home I'm going to put all the male and female elates into that 10 gallon tank, which has pieces of bark and a soil bottom (about 1/4" so they don't bury themselves to hide). The temperature is approximately 75 degrees in the room. Humidity is about 50%.
Will this enclosure work to initiate a breeding response, or will the ants wait until the beginning to middle of May automatically? That's the question I have here. Thanks in advance for any info.

[ColAnt735]

This enclosure will most definitely not initiate the mating process. Ants need very specific conditions in order for nuptial flights to begin and the conditions also vary between species. I’d reintroduce the queens to their colony and wait until actual nuptial flights occur. As ANTdrew said in the original topic for this “Patience is the key.”

Edited by ColAnt735, April 23 2022 - 3:36 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Sorry to say, but this will not work for Camponotus. Their mating ritual is called a nuptial flight for a reason; it takes place high up in the air. Please return these unmated reproductives, so they have a chance to live their lives. Don’t remove any more. Be patient. You will find lots of mated queens very soon.

[LIExotics]

Ok. No problem. Sounds good.

[NicholasP]

Sorry to say, but this will not work for Camponotus. Their mating ritual is called a nuptial flight for a reason; it takes place high up in the air. Please return these unmated reproductives, so they have a chance to live their lives. Don’t remove any more. Be patient. You will find lots of mated queens very soon.

I will say though... not all ants need a lot of space to have a nuptial flight. CheetoLord02 had one of his Pheidole colonies have a nuptial flight in their enclosure and they tried to fly out of it when he opened the lid. I'll see if I can find the video.