12 replies to this topic

[NeverDies]

 

I just noticed my ants clumped together in the outerworld, and saw them surrounding the queen. When I took a closer look, I saw she was missing her head. Does anyone know why this would have happened? I also understand that the rest of the colony will slowly die off now that the queen is dead.

 

Crud.

[MichiganAnts]

well do you have another queen of the species? if so brood boost!! you can always try introducing a new queen, but its very unlikely it will work and takes alot of work/time.

 

EDIT: also did you change anything lately with them? feed them something different?

Edited by W1Z25, October 14 2016 - 9:11 PM.

[NeverDies]

Unfortunately I don't have another queen. I'm also in Colorado, so finding another queen likely won't happen until next spring.

 

I tried feeding them a small amount of homemade cookie-dough that was leftover from a batch I made. I knew dogs could be sickened by chocolate, so I figured i might as well play it safe with my ants and only give them pure batter. This was about 4 days ago they were given it, and they seemed to like it as they continuously kept eating it. But then tonight I noticed them all outside the nest and the queen dead. I've fed them it before and they all survived, so I'm not sure what happened.

[Mdrogun]

Unfortunately I don't have another queen. I'm also in Colorado, so finding another queen likely won't happen until next spring.

 

I tried feeding them a small amount of homemade cookie-dough that was leftover from a batch I made. I knew dogs could be sickened by chocolate, so I figured i might as well play it safe with my ants and only give them pure batter. This was about 4 days ago they were given it, and they seemed to like it as they continuously kept eating it. But then tonight I noticed them all outside the nest and the queen dead. I've fed them it before and they all survived, so I'm not sure what happened.

Sometimes queens just die and nobody really knows why. It was most likely she had bad genes.

[NeverDies]

On the bright side I saw that there's a new GAN farmer in Colorado for the first time I've noticed. So if I feel like shelling out 40$ I should hopefully be able to get a new queen.

 

On the downside, I'll probably be throwing myself a pity party for a bit.

[MichiganAnts]

but if you get that queen, she will adopt all the eggs from your former queen. so her colony will be up in no time!

[NeverDies]

but if you get that queen, she will adopt all the eggs from your former queen. so her colony will be up in no time!

 

Well, thanks for the optimism.

 

Does brood boosting work if the new queen already has workers? Will they decide to eat them? Or does it work fine?

[benjiwuf]

Both can happen. But at the very least the new colony will have more nutrients to kick off with if they do eat the brood.

Edited by benjiwuf, October 15 2016 - 12:21 AM.

[MichiganAnts]

you can only transfer the brood to a new queen, not the workers

[sgheaton]

 I'm also in Colorado, so finding another queen likely won't happen until next spring.

 

Really should try to ask around more being as I am in Colorado with two Tetramorium queens. I wouldn't accept your money for her though - You could just have her...Though in all complete honesty I'd have to check that they were/are ok first. Long story short - put a bunch of ants in a tuppaware container and have left them alone in the closet. I've been more focused on the tets that are in the fish tank I've given them. 

 

Zero is closer to Denver and was a Pogonomyrmex machine this year. I don't think he has any extra queens though. 

[NightsWebs]

alternative is dig up a whole colony but its unlikely you will find the queen even with this method.  The whole colony thing is always hit and miss and if you are unlucky finding the queen you probably destroyed the colony.

[XZero38]

Sorry to hear about your tetra queen! 

Unfortunately i don't have any extra queens i can give/sell.

I did brood boosting with both my tetra and Pogonomyrmex queen and they seemed to accept everything i gave them.

Its nice to start seeing more colorado anters.

I saw tetra queens months after their supposed flight time frame, so you should be able to collect quite a bit of them next year.

[sgheaton]

It is nice to see more Colorado anters.