24 replies to this topic

[Anthony]

Last August I was moving pallets at work I saw 3 tiny ants , I got a good look and realised they where tiny queens.
I always keep test tubes at work, so I caught them.
After some research and asking around I found out they are solenopsis molesta.
Its been 6 months and while they are all alive none have laid eggs. They are together in one test tube.
I am hoping its because its winter here in Colorado
does anyone have any ideas?

[Anthony]

[dspdrew]

They might not be fertile. I had a bunch that weren't fertile.

[Crystals]

They may be waiting for spring.  What temperature are you keeping them at?

 

Perhaps try offering a small drop of hummingbird nectar on tinfoil and see if they will take it.

[Anthony]

I caught 3 but seen hundreds more all with out wings under every pallet in my work yard.
I woke them up beginning of February.
about 72 degrees.

[Crystals]

That should be warm enough.  I keep most of my colonies around 24C (75F).

As small as they are, their eggs are even smaller.  They could have 50 eggs tucked under various cotton strands and you probably wouldn't know it. 

The first workers are also much smaller than normal sized workers.  My Lasius queens are much larger than the Solenopsis molesta queens, but their nanitic workers were not even 2mm long.  Imagine how much smaller yours would be.

 

You can always collect more queens.  They will usually accept other queens until just before they get their first workers.

If more than one group turns out to be fertile, you can always sell or give away the extra colony.

 

It won't be too long until May and June.  Then you will see a whole bunch of other species flying.

[Anthony]

Spring is taking to bleeping long to get here

[Anthony]

Ok I just spotted a egg woot woot

[Anthony]

Well nothing so far. Lol

[Anthony]

Ok just transferred the 3 queens to a THA growth chamber lets see how it goes

[Crystals]

I am sure they will figure things out. 

 

Let's see, probably 1-3 weeks for eggs. Then 2-3 weeks for the eggs to hatch into larvae.  Then 2 weeks or so while the larvae grow.  Then 2-4 weeks until the pupae ecloses.

 

So by June or so you should have workers. 

[dspdrew]

Or like me, you'll have workers in just a little over a month.

[Anthony]

Hoping tar heel ants made a special growth chamber just for them

[Anthony]

Still nothing going on

[Anthony]

Ok checked today and found 2 little eggs so I'm hoping

[Mercutia]

It's weird that they would take this long to lay. I had an S. molesta colony, two queens, they lay immediately although it's hard to see sometimes since their eggs are so small.

[Anthony]

I found a wild colony took 3 queens and workers

[Anthony]

[Crystals]

You got lots of brood too, that is good.

Good luck with your new colony. 

[Anthony]

They are laying eggs do that's a good sign