6 replies to this topic

[Soupy]

Hello everyone. I’m looking for feed back on my test tube set up. I got a larger queen, but have not been able to identify the genus yet. I caught her end of April 2022. This will be my third attempt and this is where I always loose my queens. She had her eggs before first hibernation. And now have finally turned into larvae.
I am concerned because her original test tube is running out of water. Still has a little bit left. Looks clear still. I took great care in keeping everything as clean as possible during test tube creation. If you refer to images you can see I have got a bit of mold as well, it’s not the worst I have seen…. But the mold side does look like it’s drying out.
In her feeding area I have provided watered down honey incase she needs to feed, but have no evidence that she has.

Can some one advise on how this looks? Should I be concerned on getting her some where cleaner? And if so how do I do that? Was thinking taping 2 tubes together so she can move to the cleaner one if she feels the need. Oooor just start providing wet cotton wool in her feeder area so she can get fluids.

I just really don’t wanna loose her. Takes so long and patience to get them this far . I appreciate any feed back I can get. Thank you.

[AntsCali098]

Just tap the queen into a new tube setup. She'll be completely fine. To move the larvae, wet the end of a toothpick and touch the larvae, and then they will stick to it. From there, you can carefully place them into the new tube with the queen.

Edited by AntsCali098, May 15 2023 - 8:30 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Something is definitely wrong if it takes a Camponotus queen more than a year to get first larvae. Is she kept warm enough?

[Soupy]

I am not sure about temp. It’s just room tempature. She layed her first batch of eggs before winter where I then placed her away in my closet for the winter. I actually do have a heating cable I do plan to use (cautiously) as my house can be pretty cold. Even in the summer.

[ANTdrew]

Just as a point of reference, the Camponotus I find here in April usually get their first workers by mid-June. She is either not mated or is far too cold for normal brood development.

[rptraut]

Hello Soupy;

If you found this queen in April and she just got larvae before hibernation, I suspect she is like one of my queens and ate her first batch of larvae.  I put my queen in a natural setup after her brood eating, and made sure she had water, but otherwise ignored her.  Two days ago I checked her and she has six or seven plump larvae now.  Your queen sounds similar.

 

As far as the test tube goes, Camponotus can survive in quite dry conditions as long as they have drinking water.  I suggest you provide this along with sugar/water with a setup like I have shown below.  Make two small balls of cotton, the larger one for water and the smaller one for sugar/water.  Put them on a piece of plastic and slide them into the test tube.  Fill and replenish with an eye dropper.  Replace when gross.  Think of the water remaining in the test tube as merely there to provide humidity.  When a colony gets an outworld I change to small pieces of sponge, triangular for sugar/water and square for water on a tray made from the lid of a cream container. I don't know if mold is a problem, but my gut tells me they should be used to mold in nature when living in trees.

 

For faster development, and frankly happier ants, they need heat during cooler days.  Place your tubes in a box and place them in a warm place between feedings.  I put mine on top of some plant lights, find a warm, not hot spot.

I have high hopes my queen will make a colony, second time around.  The first nanitics will be a real success for her.

RPT

 

 

[rptraut]

How are your colonies doing?