... also titled "A Series of Unfortunate events"
Collected a couple Temnothorax curvispinosus queens back on 6/29 of the countess I saw, and ended up keeping one (not sure why I did this looking back and reading more about them...)
- Within a week had first eggs laid, and over the next couple of months up to 5 workers
- I had added a 2nd larger test tube thru an adapter for feeding (As the original tube was very small), pushed too hard and smaller test tube moved too far into the larger test tube, and squished one. Down to 4 workers.
- Due to the last issue causing challenges trying to feed them, added a small outworld (3x3") especially as water was getting low in original test tube and they were actively foraging. Noticed the workers would go out and forage in the tiny out world (tiny ants), and then dying one by one. Realized too late they weren't finding the water even in this tiny space (again tiny ants.) Joined another smaller test tube direct for hibernation, down to 1 worker. Enter hibernation.
- Noticed they were still fairly active during hibernation, and worried since they had been losing workers, they were lacking nutrition for hibernation due to my mistakes. Put in a TINY drop of diluted honey water and went away for 2 days for Christmas. Tiny is a relative term when the ants are VERY small. Come back, the sole worker drowned in the honey water. Down to 0 workers.
- Go to check on the queen today. She still has her wings and somehow managed to get stuck upside in her tube. Just rescued her.
Loads of mistakes here:
- First worker lost simple accident, happens if not careful.
- Figured being this type of ant has very small colonies, thought adding an outworld (even a tiny one) would be ok, should have waited longer. Instead should have just taped another test tube that had water do it for them and was more careful during feeding time. Another option would be a tiny custom test tube portal.
- When feeding, need to take better care for how and what, especially with tiny ants that it's easier for them to drown
- Check on ants more often when in hibernation, no idea how long she's been stuck (I check about once a week.)
- Next year I may look at putting them in a traditional fridge or the garage, looks like 46F may be too warm for them.
See how Spring goes this year, maybe have a real and more positive journal for them.
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