79 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

You want to provide a small sugar source, which is a bit of a challenge if they are not in an outworld.

[Retroman]

I've had non-injured, captive P. tenuispina workers in optimum conditions live for at least year and as long as 3 years. Optimum conditions include a range of micro-environment factors including temperature, humidity, non-contaminated food and soil.

 

When I've temporarily kept small groups of workers and recently-mated sister alates in portable food containers with moist soil, I had high levels of mortality. This year, I also tried feeding adults with organic honey soaked into paper towells and had a huge die-off. Whether this die-off was due to unusually high humidity levels, fungus/pathogen proliferation due to spoiled food and/or physical injury due to inadvertent mis-handling during transfer, I am uncertain.

 

I have large enclosures with soil taken from their natural environment heated from above and moistened bi-weekly away from the stores of seeds under the lamp and very low mortality. The best environment for them mirrors their natural conditions as closely as possible. The hillside they live-in above Palm Desert is very warm, dry and well-drained. High humidity levels are only experienced for several days during the year as that area only get about 5 inches of annual rainfall. The humidity deeper in the ground is obviously higher, but what range of humidity is optimum has not been documented (to my knowledge).

 

If the workers were not injured during the transfer, have water to drink so they don't dehydrate, experience relatively low levels of humidity and have food to eat, they should live for years. (I use a medicine bottle cap filled with water in my larger enclosures to keep them hydrated.)

Edited by Retroman, October 2 2014 - 6:10 AM.

[dspdrew]

Am I being paranoid or is it normal for Pogo workers to die regularly?

 

I got a queen with about 10 workers almost 2 weeks ago from dspdrew. They seem happy and I've fed them seeds, freeze dried worms, live insects, etc. There's a few larvae and pupae but I've noticed at least 3 workers have died in the last week. Is this normal or could I be doing something wrong?

I am actually having the exact same problem as you. I put my largest colony (still in a test tube) in a foraging container with a top, like I do with all my ants, including other Pogonomyrmex spp., and it seems the workers are dying as fast, if not faster than they are being produced. I was actually getting ready to post a question about this to some of the Myrmecologists out there. What I would like to know, is if there could be any problem other than food or environmental problems (external, and under my control), like genetics or disease (internal, and not under my control) that would cause this sort of die-off. I'm having this same problem but even worse with my Pheidole desertorum colony. For what it's worth, I don't notice much of a die-off at all in all the colonies that are still purely living in test tubes (no foraging container). Also, Chromerust, who was with me and caught a lot of the same queens doesn't seem to be having this issue, and his is living in a test tube WITH a foraging container.

 

[Chromerust]

Well I wouldn't exactly say it wasn't an issue here too. After there were twenty or more I started finding one or two dead ones everyday. More were eclosing at the same time, so the population never actually decreased.. The growth just slowed down for a few weeks. As bigger workers started arriving the deaths have decreased significantly and I would guess the count is over 60 rather quickly now.

[dspdrew]

Yours must be producing like crazy then.

[Retroman]

What are you feeding the colony in which the workers that are dying?

 

Do they have a range of humidity and temperature levels to choose from? (humidity ranging from very dry to moderately moist)

 

I've had die-offs in the past after I'd given them ground-up dry cat food, had too much sustained moisture in the enclosure or did not provide water for rehydration. I once let the soil in a 15 gallon tank dry out completely during the winter and no water for them to re-hydrate. Even during the winter and hibernation/diapause, I would still add some water and given them some to drink. Also, I have my doubts about honey as a food source for Pogonomyrmex.

[dspdrew]

The thing is it's only a few colonies/species that are having these problems. I feed them all and house them all the same way. They have a test tube inside a container, which gives them a range of dry to very humid conditions. I have a colony of P. subnitidus that is fed all the same food, and it's exploding in size, and lately my P. rugosus colony is too.

[Foogoo]

Another day, at least another dead worker (that I saw). I have their test tube in a small tupperware outworld until I get their farmicarium. I've fed them different seeds, fruit flies, argentine ants and freeze dried bloodworms. Tonight, I removed a small cotton-plugged water bottle in case the humidity was too high. Even though it's usually 78-85 degrees in the house, I'm going to try putting a lamp over them tomorrow to help the pupae develop. I'm hoping the die off isn't a trend...

[Gregory2455]

Look out for things like the argentine ants, and other things from the wild, you do not know where they have been! Bacteria, fungi, pesticides, parasites, all sorts of bad stuff.

[dspdrew]

Yeah, freeze any food you catch in the wild first before feeding it to them. I just took two more healthy colonies and put them in foraging containers, so I will watch closely and see if they start dying off.

[Foogoo]

Look out for things like the argentine ants, and other things from the wild, you do not know where they have been! Bacteria, fungi, pesticides, parasites, all sorts of bad stuff.

I was just thinking tonight it might be the argentine ants I fed them a few days ago. I've stopped and hopefully the new workers will eclose soon...

[Foogoo]

What is the ideal temperature range for Pogonomyrmex?

 

I came home from a 3 day work trip to find the colony dead. I'm actually pretty sad considering how much effort I put into them. I left them in a warmer room but no direct sunlight. They did have water from the test tube moisture and various seeds. My only guess is they might have gotten a hold of a few Agentine ants running around the house or baked due to me covering their tupperware outworld (to prevent Argentines from invading)...

 

Never thought I'd feel down over dead ants

[dspdrew]

That sucks! Yeah, it would be hard for us to guess what happened. I still have a few left, so I could probably get you some more for much less than the first time. I just have to see how things are going with these.

[Gregory2455]

Man! I am not the only person challenged by Pogonomyrmex. The only Pogonomyrmex that do not die on me are Pogonomyrmex rugosus...

[Foogoo]

Makes me feel a little better knowing they can be challenging! I'm hoping to get a bigger variety of local species come next mating season.

 

And thanks for the help Drew, I've got another trip next week so I'll probably drop you a PM in a few weeks. I've got more equipment and actual formicariums now too, so I might try rugosus as well.

[Foogoo]

Need some advice on helping a rugosus queen rebuild her brood. One of the smaller colonies had only a few workers to begin with. They never seemed happy with their home and then I went on vacation etc. etc. and now it's just the queen. Is there anything I can do in particular to encourage her to lay eggs? I've been feeding her a variety of food (mostly byformica gels) and trying to keep her dark and warm. 

 

I read another thread late last night that adults only eat liquid food. Is that true? Then what the heck do they do with the seeds, insects and gel I thought they were eating?

[Gregory2455]

Seeds and insects are turned into a liquid by the larvae. I would suggest keeping her is a dark place for a period of about two weeks, without being disturbed, and continuing feeding her Byformica Blue. 

[specimen24-6]

Wow, This is odd, I'd never thought that this post would ever expand. Maybe I should wipe the dust off of this one. The Pogonomyrmex queen that I have captured so long ago has perished. Now, I think I might know what's the next ant genus I should get. I will read the read the old post for reference, if any of you have any more advice on keeping Pogonomyrmex then please post. At the mean time I will plan on buying a Pogonomyrmex colony from a seller.

[TylrsAnts]

I have a small colony of Pogonomermex spp. (I don't know if the queen has workers or not because I can't see into her chamber. she's in a dirt setup.) She used to be foraging daily but stopped forgaing for 5 days in a row now. The dandelion seeds that I put in are untouched. Has anyone else seen this behavior? 

[Spazmops]

I have a small colony of Pogonomermex spp. (I don't know if the queen has workers or not because I can't see into her chamber. she's in a dirt setup.) She used to be foraging daily but stopped forgaing for 5 days in a row now. The dandelion seeds that I put in are untouched. Has anyone else seen this behavior? 

Once she decides she has enough seeds stored, she’ll stop foraging. She’ll likely forage occasionally, but you might not see her. It’s also possible she died, but I wouldn’t get worried yet.