The workers are said to have very short life spans, and the colony didn't arrive with brood beyond a few eggs. So I'm hoping they live long enough to raise the next generation of workers.
How they arrived...all healthy, no casualties:
The species is apparently quite sensitive, especially younger colonies, and do best in a dirt setup. As much as I wanted to put them in a nest where I can see them, I figured it's best to keep them in dirt to raise the chance of success. At least for now, while the colony is young.
I started them off in a very large glass jar, about half filled with garden topsoil (a mix of black peat + compost) mixed with some sand. Pretty much immediately when I put their test tube into the jar, they started moving in. I had used a chopstick to make a starter hole against the glass, to encourage them to move in there. And it worked! They've built their main chamber against the glass.
Here they are, starting to explore the new nest:
The queen preparing to exit the tube:
Following the arched trail down to the new dirt nest:
That was just over a week ago, and since they've settled in, I started to worry the queen was dead. I could only see her gaster, and it seemed like she never moved even the tiniest bit. I also saw no brood when I looked in.
The only view I can get on the queen:
But today when I peeked in...I saw a pile of eggs! And she moved just a tiny bit. So it seems all is well.
Fingers crossed I have success with these guys. I will be delighted if & when they need to be moved from this jar to a proper aquarium.
