17 replies to this topic

[Virginian_ants]

I have a aphaenogaster colony with 30 workers. A few days ago i checked up on them and there was 15 workers were in the outworld they were standing around doing nothing. I fed them and they ignored it . Now there are 25 in the outworld. The queen and the last few workers were okay and in the nest tending to the brood. The workers in the outworld are starting to die. Does anyone know if and how i can save them?

[ANTdrew]

Have you fed them anything out of the ordinary? Any other changes?

[Virginian_ants]

No only roaches from my farm.

[ANTdrew]

Any sprays, painting, or chemicals in your house?

[Virginian_ants]

I don't think so

[Virginian_ants]

The last workers have died and the queen is dieing. The brood seems okay. Would it be safe if I use it to brood boost my other colonies.

[antsinvirgina]

The last workers have died and the queen is dieing. The brood seems okay. Would it be safe if I use it to brood boost my other colonies.

do you see mites on your queen? 

[ANTdrew]

The last workers have died and the queen is dieing. The brood seems okay. Would it be safe if I use it to brood boost my other colonies.

I would not recommend that in case there is a pathogen causing the deaths.

[Virginian_ants]

They look the like my other colonies.

[Virginian_ants]

Thanks for the help. I will clean out the nest and outworld thoroughly and give them a proper burial.

[Virginian_ants]

This is old and in the wrong section, but another aphaenogaster colony got sick, this time my brother's. Most of the workers died but we might have been able to save the queen the brood and a few workers. They died in the same way they try to escape the barrier and just mass death. No other of my colonies have been affected only these two Aphaenogaster Rudis. Could this be a pathogen that only affects Aphaenogaster Rudis or just bad luck.

[Myrmidons]

This is old and in the wrong section, but another aphaenogaster colony got sick, this time my brother's. Most of the workers died but we might have been able to save the queen the brood and a few workers. They died in the same way they try to escape the barrier and just mass death. No other of my colonies have been affected only these two Aphaenogaster Rudis. Could this be a pathogen that only affects Aphaenogaster Rudis or just bad luck.

Hmmm. How long has your brother had this colony for? Was it raised from a queen? What are you feeding your feeder insects which you then feed to your ants? What other colonies are you keeping?

[Virginian_ants]

I raised from a queen last year and gave it to him a month ago. They eat either roaches from my farm or food he catches in the forest on my backyard the roaches eat pesticide free fruits and vegetables. I have other aphaenogaster, tetramorium, Camponotus Castaneus, Pheidole Tysoni, and Tampinoma sessile.

[Virginian_ants]

I just looked at the dead workers with a microscope and I didn't see any external damage on the worker.

[liamsantics]

I raised from a queen last year and gave it to him a month ago. They eat either roaches from my farm or food he catches in the forest on my backyard the roaches eat pesticide free fruits and vegetables. I have other aphaenogaster, tetramorium, Camponotus Castaneus, Pheidole Tysoni, and Tampinoma sessile.

how do you prosses outside caught food? the food could contain pesticides or a pathogen that could be killing your colony. I would recommend sticking to home raised food instead of catching it. i have had colonies die from being fed outside food even after I boiled and freeze them.

[Virginian_ants]

I believe that he just crushed their head and then dropped it in. I should've told him to freeze them.

[liamsantics]

yeh that's what caused it most likely 

[Myrmidons]

Freezing really only destroys parasites and stuff though. If pesticides are the problem, that doesn't necessarily solve it.

 

(I supposed if you boiled them, you could hope that the heat would denature most of the harmful chemicals but that seems unlikely without knowing what chemicals were contaminating the insect in the first place and what byproducts would be created as a result...)