8 replies to this topic

[Antyman]

I have a camponotus colony (not sure of their exact species) from Michigan.

 

I caught her last summer, and they have been doing well.  She had three nanitics last year.  I put them into hibernation early last year, and took them out about 2 weeks ago.

 

They were doing fine (she laid new eggs after hibernation).  I gave them new sugar water and cricket leg, but they have not un-blocked the tunnel leading to outside (they blocked it with refuse during hibernation).

 

I noticed today that she is sitting very low to the ground, facing away from the glass, so I can't really see her head.  Then I noticed it ...

 

It appears that both of her antennae have somehow been removed, and are on the floor on the other side of the brood chamber. 

 

Has anyone experienced this?  How could this have happened?  Is she doomed without her antenna?

[AntsMAN]

I'm afraid that yes she is doomed, antenna are essential to ants for many important reasons.

[Serafine]

She can't really smell/touch anything anymore, however if she lays eggs the workers might be able to take care for them. Probably it won't work out but you can always try.

Edited by Serafine, March 3 2017 - 10:35 AM.

[Jamie_Garrison]

bummer

[Loops117]

Wow, that's insane. I've never heard of this before. I had a Camponotus major live a full life with only 1 antennae, but that's about it.

[Serafine]

Just try and see what happens. Maybe we all learn something new.

[Antyman]

I will definitely keep her as long as she is alive ... I'm too attached to kill her. 

 

Thank you all for the replies, even though I guess it's not good news.

Does anyone know how this could have happened?  I assume she wouldn't/couldn't do that to herself, so I'm assuming her workers did it.  But I can't imagine why. 

 

I read a long time ago, I think, where someone had workers that cut off some of their queen's legs, but I don't know why they'd go for her antennae. 

[Antyman]

Update:

 

Unfortunately, it appears that the queen is dead.  I'm not sure if she died before the antennae were removed, or after, but the workers have moved her a few times, and I can see that her antennae are cut off right at her head (she's basically close shaved).

There seems to be no movement from her, even though the workers will still groom her occasionally. 

 

The workers continue to care for the eggs and larva. 

 

I did some research onto why/how this could happen, and I found some old forum discussions talking about how workers can get aggressive to the queen (too much grooming) when they aren't eating live prey. 

 

RIP my red queen

[Californian Anter]

Update:

 

Unfortunately, it appears that the queen is dead.  I'm not sure if she died before the antennae were removed, or after, but the workers have moved her a few times, and I can see that her antennae are cut off right at her head (she's basically close shaved).

There seems to be no movement from her, even though the workers will still groom her occasionally. 

 

The workers continue to care for the eggs and larva. 

 

I did some research onto why/how this could happen, and I found some old forum discussions talking about how workers can get aggressive to the queen (too much grooming) when they aren't eating live prey. 

 

RIP my red queen

For me it's the opposite. Though my queen isn't shaved, whenever live prey accidentally enters the nest, the Mini Hearth becomes like a nightclub with a massive brawl. The workers fake attack each other while the queen slaughters the victim.