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Queens dying


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11 replies to this topic

#1 Offline OwlThatLikesAnts - Posted September 16 2024 - 3:14 AM

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Is it just me, or the queen ants I capture nowadays die pretty quickly for example: I had a myrmecina americana queen but she died after the third day (probably infertile) and some other queens I find, just die on the spot after arriving.

So am i doing something wrong?

Please give me tips on how to stop them from dying.


Currently keeping:

 

1x Formica subsericea, (used to be polygynous) 20+ workers

1x Lasius umbratus, (Workers accepted) 25 workers with host brood (I think they are dead now lol)

1x Crematogaster cerasi 4 workers with brood (still growing)

 

As you watch your ants march, remember: every journey begins with a single step (or queen)-not just towards you, but towards a future woven by diligence and shared dreams - Me

 

(I lost braincells just to make this quote)


#2 Offline OwlThatLikesAnts - Posted September 16 2024 - 5:54 AM

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Also I remember AntDrew commenting about me buying ant colonies and instead of doing that I should use the species in my area, but right now the queens I catch are mostly dying and I cannot find any crematogasters where I live


Currently keeping:

 

1x Formica subsericea, (used to be polygynous) 20+ workers

1x Lasius umbratus, (Workers accepted) 25 workers with host brood (I think they are dead now lol)

1x Crematogaster cerasi 4 workers with brood (still growing)

 

As you watch your ants march, remember: every journey begins with a single step (or queen)-not just towards you, but towards a future woven by diligence and shared dreams - Me

 

(I lost braincells just to make this quote)


#3 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted September 16 2024 - 6:21 AM

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Are there pesticides in your area? If the area is getting treated then the ants could be dying from that.


“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#4 Offline AntsGodzilla - Posted September 16 2024 - 11:04 AM

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Is it just me, or the queen ants I capture nowadays die pretty quickly for example: I had a myrmecina americana queen but she died after the third day (probably infertile) and some other queens I find, just die on the spot after arriving.

So am i doing something wrong?

Please give me tips on how to stop them from dying.

It's hard to find a good queen, some infertile, others killed by pesticides, and some of them are simply bad.


  • cooIboyJ likes this

 

And many Carnivorous plants such as: Dionea muscipula (fly trap), Sarracenia x 'Fiona' ( American Pitcher plant), Nepenthese ventrata (Tropical Pitcher plant), and Pinguicula agnata x emarginata (Butterwort) (show off your plants here)

Godzilla thread

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores it's provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Proverbs 6: 6-8

 


#5 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted September 16 2024 - 11:43 AM

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Is it just me, or the queen ants I capture nowadays die pretty quickly for example: I had a myrmecina americana queen but she died after the third day (probably infertile) and some other queens I find, just die on the spot after arriving.

So am i doing something wrong?

Please give me tips on how to stop them from dying.

It's hard to find a good queen, some infertile, others killed by pesticides, and some of them are simply bad.

 

Yes, when I started ant keeping and went out to find some queens at the pool I caught eight queens and only one of them was fertile or didn't die. (P.S. the queen that survived is my brachymyrmex patagonicus queen (see my brachymyrmex patagonicus journal))


  • Mushu and AntsGodzilla like this

“You’ll survive” -wise man.
Currently keeping:
Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Solenopsis invicta

Crematogaster sp.


#6 Offline AntsGodzilla - Posted September 16 2024 - 1:12 PM

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Is it just me, or the queen ants I capture nowadays die pretty quickly for example: I had a myrmecina americana queen but she died after the third day (probably infertile) and some other queens I find, just die on the spot after arriving.

So am i doing something wrong?

Please give me tips on how to stop them from dying.

It's hard to find a good queen, some infertile, others killed by pesticides, and some of them are simply bad.

 

Yes, when I started ant keeping and went out to find some queens at the pool I caught eight queens and only one of them was fertile or didn't die. (P.S. the queen that survived is my brachymyrmex patagonicus queen (see my brachymyrmex patagonicus journal))

 

Going off catching ants in the pool, this summer I caught over 30+ tetramorium immigrans queens and only three of them started colonies.


 

And many Carnivorous plants such as: Dionea muscipula (fly trap), Sarracenia x 'Fiona' ( American Pitcher plant), Nepenthese ventrata (Tropical Pitcher plant), and Pinguicula agnata x emarginata (Butterwort) (show off your plants here)

Godzilla thread

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores it's provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Proverbs 6: 6-8

 


#7 Offline OwlThatLikesAnts - Posted September 16 2024 - 4:17 PM

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Sooooooooooooo....

there are no pesticides in the area, they majority of them just die, like die

during transport and other times they live for like a few weeks and then they decide to die

 

I'm guessing they do it for genetic reasons


  • cooIboyJ likes this

Currently keeping:

 

1x Formica subsericea, (used to be polygynous) 20+ workers

1x Lasius umbratus, (Workers accepted) 25 workers with host brood (I think they are dead now lol)

1x Crematogaster cerasi 4 workers with brood (still growing)

 

As you watch your ants march, remember: every journey begins with a single step (or queen)-not just towards you, but towards a future woven by diligence and shared dreams - Me

 

(I lost braincells just to make this quote)


#8 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted September 16 2024 - 4:44 PM

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Yes, most queens are genetically unfit. According to AntWiki, a mature colony may release hundreds or thousands of queens every year. Only one or two of those in ideal conditions will found a successful colony. That's anywhere between a 99% death rate and a 99.9% + death rate. Most queens die, this is true. It's natural.

 

Nuptial Flights and Mating - AntWiki


  • ANTdrew and Mushu like this

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis


#9 Offline Mushu - Posted September 16 2024 - 8:59 PM

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Yes, most queens are genetically unfit. According to AntWiki, a mature colony may release hundreds or thousands of queens every year. Only one or two of those in ideal conditions will found a successful colony. That's anywhere between a 99% death rate and a 99.9% + death rate. Most queens die, this is true. It's natural.

 

Nuptial Flights and Mating - AntWiki

I do believe that's including predation,etc. The percentage of survival is probably higher if not including some natural conditions, like if the queen was caught right after mater or digging a founding chamber. 

 

Did you feed your Myrmecina americana queen protein, as they are semi claustral. You do need some luck if you don't have many queens.



#10 Offline OwlThatLikesAnts - Posted September 17 2024 - 6:47 AM

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Yes, most queens are genetically unfit. According to AntWiki, a mature colony may release hundreds or thousands of queens every year. Only one or two of those in ideal conditions will found a successful colony. That's anywhere between a 99% death rate and a 99.9% + death rate. Most queens die, this is true. It's natural.

 

Nuptial Flights and Mating - AntWiki

I do believe that's including predation,etc. The percentage of survival is probably higher if not including some natural conditions, like if the queen was caught right after mater or digging a founding chamber. 

 

Did you feed your Myrmecina americana queen protein, as they are semi claustral. You do need some luck if you don't have many queens.

 

I did but she just died


Also I remember AntDrew commenting about me buying ant colonies and instead of doing that I should use the species in my area, but right now the queens I catch are mostly dying and I cannot find any crematogasters where I live

Also what about this? Why is it recommended to find queens


Currently keeping:

 

1x Formica subsericea, (used to be polygynous) 20+ workers

1x Lasius umbratus, (Workers accepted) 25 workers with host brood (I think they are dead now lol)

1x Crematogaster cerasi 4 workers with brood (still growing)

 

As you watch your ants march, remember: every journey begins with a single step (or queen)-not just towards you, but towards a future woven by diligence and shared dreams - Me

 

(I lost braincells just to make this quote)


#11 Offline Canadian anter - Posted September 17 2024 - 9:31 AM

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Hi! Since you're in Canada, I should note that if these queens are from us, we typically provide refunds or reshipments for queens which fail to thrive.


Visit us at www.canada-ant-colony.com !

#12 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted September 18 2024 - 3:18 PM

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Yes, most queens are genetically unfit. According to AntWiki, a mature colony may release hundreds or thousands of queens every year. Only one or two of those in ideal conditions will found a successful colony. That's anywhere between a 99% death rate and a 99.9% + death rate. Most queens die, this is true. It's natural.

 

Nuptial Flights and Mating - AntWiki

I do believe that's including predation,etc. The percentage of survival is probably higher if not including some natural conditions, like if the queen was caught right after mater or digging a founding chamber. 

 

Did you feed your Myrmecina americana queen protein, as they are semi claustral. You do need some luck if you don't have many queens.

 

I agree, although "probably higher" could mean only a 5% survival rate. In my experience queens typically have a 30-50% survival rate in captivity, unless the species is super hardy like Tetras or super sensitive and not suited for captivity.


  • Mushu likes this

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis





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