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Ant betrayed

Started By Koafid , Oct 15 2023 12:15 PM

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5 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Koafid - Posted October 15 2023 - 12:15 PM

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Hey, So I fed my L. Niger colony (20workers) with a bit od fresh egg, after few Hours I found 1 ant trapped in it, I got him out on a piece od cloth, cleansed him as good as I could, also the rests of food and returned him back. They took him closer and as he started moving, they attacked him, pulling his legs and antenas. Why did this happen? The cloth wasn't perfumed.

#2 Offline AntsTopia - Posted October 15 2023 - 6:18 PM

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LocationBrooklyn, NY and Managua, Nicaragua

Deleted

Edited by AntsTopia, October 15 2023 - 6:20 PM.

Keeper of:
Camponotus castaneus | 20-25 workers
Tetramorium Immigrans | 1,000+ workers (yes I gave them a brood boost don’t be salty!)
Aphaenogaster Rudis | 16 workers
Pheidole bicarinata | 50-60 workers

Ants are just better.

#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 16 2023 - 1:58 AM

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My guess would be the ant was half dead, and the other workers were recycling protein. The other possibility is that its pheromone profile changed enough after its egg bath that they didn’t recognize it anymore.

100lols and Koafid like this

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#4 Offline Koafid - Posted October 16 2023 - 7:29 AM

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My guess would be the ant was half dead, and the other workers were recycling protein. The other possibility is that its pheromone profile changed enough after its egg bath that they didn’t recognize it anymore.

They can take a day without breating, is that a possibility that after few hours (max 4) he would be half dead already?

#5 Offline AntsCali098 - Posted October 16 2023 - 7:39 AM

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LocationLong Beach, California (SoCal)

Also, all workers are females :⁠-⁠)

bmb1bee likes this

Interested buying in ants? Feel free to check out my shop!

Feel free to read my journals, like this one.

Wishlist:

Atta sp (wish they were in CA), Crematogaster cerasi, Most Pheidole species

#6 Offline Puddingtempest - Posted October 16 2023 - 12:07 PM

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they may be able to survive without breathing for a time but they can die pretty quickly from drowning, maybe the liquid gets into their bodies and they die faster. Did the workers kill the ant eventually or not?

Honestly I might make the effort to save a worker in a small colony, but I would never clean the thing. They have ways to clean themselves.

Edited by Puddingtempest, October 16 2023 - 12:08 PM.