21 replies to this topic

[weetbix]

Hi guys,

A friend of mine raided an Oecophylla Smaragdina nest and found five winged queens,
Just wondering if they are fertile?

Pictures will follow soon

Regards
Jeff

[weetbix]

Sorry for double post, I am having a network lag, can any Mod/Admin please delete one of the post.

Thank you

[weetbix]

Here's the picts, thanks guys

First time raiding a OS nest, never expect more than one queen inside.

[weetbix]

I believed they aren't fertile yet, as they are freshly raided from their nest.
I'll try to mate them soon, once I catch some males OS.

Here are the male picts, I've seen many of them flying around in the evening.

[LC3]

It is pretty hard to mate ants in captivity or getting them to fly although it's not unheard that captive colonies may fly or possibly mate. I have never heard anyone mentioning weaver ants mating in captivity let alone flying. Either way good luck!

[weetbix]

It is pretty hard to mate ants in captivity or getting them to fly although it's not unheard that captive colonies may fly or possibly mate. I have never heard anyone mentioning weaver ants mating in captivity let alone flying. Either way good luck!

Hi LC3,

I didn't know It'll be that difficult, thanks for the info.

[weetbix]

Just an update, there's actually 7 queens from that raid and she's fertile, I've noticed eggs at the bottom of the container, she might be the grand mama of them all.



She's the wing-less, the fourth queen at the very bottom from the top bunch.

[weetbix]

Received 12 more queens today, pictures will follow.
On a mission to find some males, will try to mate some virgin queens.

[weetbix]

Here are some of the queens,
I'm going to order a larger test tube 25x150mm, 16x150mm might be too small for them, as they are quiet a large queen.

[Mdrogun]

Just an update, there's actually 7 queens from that raid and she's fertile, I've noticed eggs at the bottom of the container, she might be the grand mama of them all.



She's the wing-less, the fourth queen at the very bottom from the top bunch.

Infertile queens can still lay eggs. If they develop into workers then she is fertile.

[weetbix]

 

Just an update, there's actually 7 queens from that raid and she's fertile, I've noticed eggs at the bottom of the container, she might be the grand mama of them all.



She's the wing-less, the fourth queen at the very bottom from the top bunch.

Infertile queens can still lay eggs. If they develop into workers then she is fertile.

 

Thank you for the info Mdrogun

[weetbix]

After separating some wing-less queen, I finally found the grand mama.

She's the dark green colored, where as the younger queen are bright green.

I only found out this morning, she laid some eggs.

Maybe maturity can be noticed through color. just my two cents.

 

I also found some males, so I'll try to mate them in captivity.

 

[Mdrogun]

How large is the colony that you took these from? I believe Oecophylla smaragdina can have multiple queens. If you found one of the colony's main producers it could be detrimental to the colony's health.

[weetbix]

How large is the colony that you took these from? I believe Oecophylla smaragdina can have multiple queens. If you found one of the colony's main producers it could be detrimental to the colony's health.

I received seven queens from one nest, they were given to me by the locals, as they were trimming down the mangoes tree.

The ants are so common here, there's one colony on every tree.

 

The locals usually takes the worker for bird feed & the pupae for consumption.

Edited by weetbix, November 30 2015 - 8:21 PM.

[weetbix]

I've managed to placed some males with thirteen virgin queens, the males seems to fit in nicely, hopefully they can impregnate some queen. He's that black spot underneath the queen.

[RapaNui]

I read before on a international paper or asian myrmecology volume (don't remember) that some scientists/biologists believe that the males will fly out first and enter other colonies (?) and mate with the queens even before the queens have their nuptial flight.

This could be a good opportunity to test this theory, since it was wild caught, and your queens still have wings. 

If they start laying viable eggs, then the theory can be validated.

Either way, I wish you good luck with those !!

[weetbix]

Thank you for the encouragement RapaNui, I currently have 2 definite fertile queens out of 20, 5 wing-less are separated, just to see whether they are fertile or not, they're wing might be broken during captured.

[Kit]

Your maternal Queen needs to be in with workers or she will die.

Edited by Kit, December 9 2015 - 3:04 AM.

[Kit]

You have to preserve wild colonies and harvest mated founding Queens after rains, which you find on vegetation near wild colonies.

Edited by Kit, December 9 2015 - 3:04 AM.

[weetbix]

Thank you for your info Kit, I'll place a worker soon.
Here's an image on how they are doing.