17 replies to this topic

[CamponotusLover]

Just thought I’d share as I haven’t seen one quite like this before, caught her about a month and a half ago. Checked on her after 2 weeks to find her dead and covered in hundreds of these sporophore-like growth things. Idk what it is, fungus, parasite, random bacteria? Gives me the hibee jibees. She is solid stuck to the test tube like a statue.

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[antsriondel]

I saw this happen with one of my Queens. I believe it is just some type of mold.

[AntsCali098]

Yeah it's a mold

[bmb1bee]

That sometimes happens with leftover food in my tubes when they aren't cleaned up well. I'm guessing the mold grew after the queen died.

[Manitobant]

This is aspergillus flavus, a type of fungus. Unlike some other molds, this stuff is far from harmless, and can quickly ravage a colony if it’s allowed to spread. It usually first appears on dead workers or other things in the trash pile, but can then infect live ones especially if your colony is kept in a small space such as a test tube. Luckily in your case it isn’t a cause of concern as the queen is already dead, but I wouldn’t reuse that tube if i were you.

[Leo]

This is aspergillus flavus, a type of fungus. Unlike some other molds, this stuff is far from harmless, and can quickly ravage a colony if it’s allowed to spread. It usually first appears on dead workers or other things in the trash pile, but can then infect live ones especially if your colony is kept in a small space such as a test tube. Luckily in your case it isn’t a cause of concern as the queen is already dead, but I wouldn’t reuse that tube if i were you.

 

I second this, this mold can be quite harmful to your colonies, so id suggest either not reusing the tube, or heat sterilizing it to be sure

[bmb1bee]

I had a sponge growing that stuff on it once. Hot water seems to kill spores, since I rinsed it in hot water for a little bit and the colony using it seems completely fine.

[Virginian_ants]

It seems like some of this fungus is on my Camponotus Castaneus colony's trash so I removed the pile.

Edited by Virginian_ants, September 21 2023 - 12:10 PM.

[Locness]

I'd toss the test tube. It's a very resilient mold. Removing infected food or ant corpses does not get rid of the spores, so you have to do a total cleanse, otherwise it comes back relentlessly. I should know!

[Tanks]

Would tubes that had queens with mold like this still be re-usable if I cleaned them with HOT HOT water?

[Locness]

Would tubes that had queens with mold like this still be re-usable if I cleaned them with HOT HOT water?

Yes, should be fine since glass is easy to clean. This is if you can get the cotton or sponge out.

[100lols]

Would tubes that had queens with mold like this still be re-usable if I cleaned them with HOT HOT water?

I’ve done it. It’ll be fine!

[ANTdrew]

Would tubes that had queens with mold like this still be re-usable if I cleaned them with HOT HOT water?

Of course, but use boiling water, not just hot water.

[ANTS_KL]

This is aspergillus flavus, a type of fungus. Unlike some other molds, this stuff is far from harmless, and can quickly ravage a colony if it’s allowed to spread. It usually first appears on dead workers or other things in the trash pile, but can then infect live ones especially if your colony is kept in a small space such as a test tube. Luckily in your case it isn’t a cause of concern as the queen is already dead, but I wouldn’t reuse that tube if i were you.

Is it really this bad? A similar species of fungus (possibly the same) grows in the trash piles of my Anochetus colony. They aren't affected by it in the slightest and have been doing well. No brood dies, no workers get infected etc. Their nest is also in close proximity to the trash pile, so distance isn't stopping the mold either. 

[bmb1bee]

My Aphaenogaster occidentalis seem to do pretty well even when near this kind of fungus. Not sure why though, since my Camponotus are highly sensitive to it.

[Locness]

 

This is aspergillus flavus, a type of fungus. Unlike some other molds, this stuff is far from harmless, and can quickly ravage a colony if it’s allowed to spread. It usually first appears on dead workers or other things in the trash pile, but can then infect live ones especially if your colony is kept in a small space such as a test tube. Luckily in your case it isn’t a cause of concern as the queen is already dead, but I wouldn’t reuse that tube if i were you.

Is it really this bad? A similar species of fungus (possibly the same) grows in the trash piles of my Anochetus colony. They aren't affected by it in the slightest and have been doing well. No brood dies, no workers get infected etc. Their nest is also in close proximity to the trash pile, so distance isn't stopping the mold either. 

 

 

How big is your colony? I read somewhere that larger colonies are much more resilient. Most of my founding colonies affected by it died. 

[Manitobant]

Yeah larger colonies are better at handling it, especially if they have an outworld. The real danger is when you find it in a colony that's still in a test tube.

[rptraut]

I've had significant losses of ants and colonies this summer from a pathogen that sounds very much like the mold you describe.  I have written about my experiences in a Journal found at Journal of My Afflicted Colonies - Ant Keeping Journals - Ants & Myrmecology Forum (formiculture.com).  I hope that link works.  Any suggestions you make there to help my colonies recover will be greatly appreciated.  

RPT