18 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

What do you do with founding queens who aren't in ideal setups? Stress them out by moving? Or let them be?

 

For example, moldy cotton, eating eggs, restlessness, etc? I've done both in the past with mixed results. Currently I have a Myrmecocystus in a tube that's running out of water and apparently eating eggs I'm debating on what to do with. 

[LC3]

Personally I think it depends,if she is eating eggs and getting no productivity done than moving wouldn't be so bad as there wasn't anything to loose anyways. If it's mouldy cotton depending on the species and condition it would depend.

[Crystals]

It is a pretty case by case basis.  For a lone queen who eats her eggs, I would try to move her.

[Foogoo]

Thanks for the input. 

 

I have one C. vicinus with one worker who is eating her eggs. I've connected her tube with a Talus to try to get her to self-move. I also have a Myrmecocystus in a tube with no water left that is apparently eating her eggs I'm considering a forced move. 

[William. T]

What do you do with founding queens who aren't in ideal setups? Stress them out by moving? Or let them be?

 

For example, moldy cotton, eating eggs, restlessness, etc? I've done both in the past with mixed results. Currently I have a Myrmecocystus in a tube that's running out of water and apparently eating eggs I'm debating on what to do with. 

Move her and add dirt to the tube. Honey pots don't seem to do well on a bare surface.

[Foogoo]

 

What do you do with founding queens who aren't in ideal setups? Stress them out by moving? Or let them be?

 

For example, moldy cotton, eating eggs, restlessness, etc? I've done both in the past with mixed results. Currently I have a Myrmecocystus in a tube that's running out of water and apparently eating eggs I'm debating on what to do with. 

Move her and add dirt to the tube. Honey pots don't seem to do well on a bare surface.

 

She's actually already in a dirt tube. I'm thinking about moving her to a Mini Hearth.

[William. T]

 

 

What do you do with founding queens who aren't in ideal setups? Stress them out by moving? Or let them be?

 

For example, moldy cotton, eating eggs, restlessness, etc? I've done both in the past with mixed results. Currently I have a Myrmecocystus in a tube that's running out of water and apparently eating eggs I'm debating on what to do with. 

Move her and add dirt to the tube. Honey pots don't seem to do well on a bare surface.

 

She's actually already in a dirt tube. I'm thinking about moving her to a Mini Hearth.

 

Isn't that a little big? Why not make her chamber a lot smaller?

[Foogoo]

Isn't that a little big? Why not make her chamber a lot smaller?

Yeah I was just thinking that right after I posted. I'm debating now between a Talus which my claustral Formica seemed to like or another test tube.

[prettycode]

I've tried to move two Camponotus into small formicariums when they started eating brood or the brood never developed after months. In both cases, the queens died for no apparent reason soon after I connected their tubes to the founding formicaria.

In one case, the queen spent a few days in the new formicarium roaming around before showing up dead. In another case, I found the queen dead in her tube, having never ventured out of it, about 36 hours later.

My take, even having had these two experiences, is you've got nothing to lose by trying to entice them to move. If they're not rearing brood, they pretty much as good as dead anyway.

If you try to move them, make sure they're moving into a SMALL nest.

Edited by prettycode, August 24 2015 - 2:46 PM.

[William. T]

I use very little space for my queens. I expand their room as they grow. Only gave my Lasius 2 centimeters.

[Works4TheGood]

I used to worry about my queens running out of water, which is why I buy the 16 x 150 mm test tubes now.  No one's gonna be running out of water now! 

[William. T]

I used to worry about my queens running out of water, which is why I buy the 16 x 150 mm test tubes now.  No one's gonna be running out of water now! 

Running out of water is not a problem if you fill in the test tube at least half with it.

[Works4TheGood]

In my case, when I used the 4 inch test tubes, I later found that after I pushed that first small wad of cotton down there, the cotton would absorbed 1/4 of the water and so leave a great big air bubble behind to fill in the vacuum. With the wider and longer test tubes, running out of water is the last thing on my mind. So I suppose that my suggestion to folks with 4" tubes would be to start your setup by filling it 3/5 to 2/3 with water because the cotton will soak up a surprising amount of the original water

Edited by Works4TheGood, August 24 2015 - 7:42 PM.

[Foogoo]

Truth is, I experimented with wrapping the cotton in cloth to prevent tugging. Apparently polyester/nylon/whatever it is is a no go as it just wicked all the water out.

 

That said, I moved her tonight to a small Talus and placed her two eggs (she ate another one since yesterday...) on a piece of foil. Also gave her a bit of honey. Hopefully she'll calm down...

[LC3]

In my case, when I used the 4 inch test tubes, I later found that after I pushed that first small wad of cotton down there, the cotton would absorbed 1/4 of the water and so leave a great big air bubble behind to fill in the vacuum. With the wider and longer test tubes, running out of water is the last thing on my mind. So I suppose that my suggestion to folks with 4" tubes would be to start your setup by filling it 3/5 to 2/3 with water because the cotton will soak up a surprising amount of the original water

I think if you shove the cotton in any tube fast enough it won't create an air bubble.

[Formik]

What's the point in avoiding the creation of air bubbles if they're going to be created anyway when the water slowly dries?

[Foogoo]

What's the point in avoiding the creation of air bubbles if they're going to be created anyway when the water slowly dries?

You can maximize the space:water ratio for the initial setup. Plus, it looks nicer. 

[Formik]

Alright
It's super easy though, just push the cotton vertically and all the air should easily escape before it touches the water.

[LC3]

What's the point in avoiding the creation of air bubbles if they're going to be created anyway when the water slowly dries?

Also helpful when you go to higher altitudes, apparently if you bring a test tube with an air bubble in it (not like tiny but a decent sized bubble) than the test tube would leak.