7 replies to this topic

[Air]

So, I found a queenless Camponotus Floridanus colony, and I decided to merge them. ATM I have 2 sheets of metal mesh (The kind from an old window frame) together with one colony of queenless workers (10) and a queen. I will leave the mesh on for about 2 weeks, or until they chew through it.

[Air]

Queen is trying to strike worker behind the mesh

[Air]

Success! Queen has accepted a median worker after I chilled them. 

[ctantkeeper]

this is awesome, I tried to create a prototype that would do something similar to this (an adapter that would hold two test tube setups together) with little success.  This vaguely reminds me of queen cages used for beekeeping. Glad to see it worked out. Keep us updated. Btw, how did the media worker except the queen if the mesh was still in place?

[Air]

I removed the mesh, and put her into the testtube with the queen while they were cold, they nipped but are now happy.

[dspdrew]

I've been wanting to try this. I have merged quite a few colonies together, but not using this method. I've actually been thinking of designing a utility for doing this that works the same way.

[sgheaton]

Do what they do for honey bees - Trap the queen behind a screened in box and drill a hole in the box. Fill the hole with sugary goodie sweets that the two must eat from both sides to get out. Everyone gets fed sugary goodness and come out happy. And that it allowed enough time for pheromones'n'such to exchange/wash over. 

[ParaStatic]

I do something similar to that when I try to merge workers. I have found majors to be the hardest to get to adapt to a new queen. But have been successful many times replacing queens. Just attaching the new queen to the nest with a barrier (I use SS mesh) for a few weeks does the trick.