20 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

Say by some stroke of luck I happen to come upon a swarm and find multiple queens but only have one container available. Would it be a bad idea to collect a number of queens in the same container until I make it home? I imagine different species would not work out, but what about queens of the same species? Will they end up clobbering each other?

[AntsAreUs]

Depends on the queen and the species, some are made for multiple queens such as Formica and Myrmica. I have a Formica cinerea with 4 queens. Sometimes the queens will just not want to so it depends on the queen. If your going to do this, combine them right after a nuptial flight. There are ways to combine colonies but it's much harder.

[Gregory2455]

They will not fight until you get home as long as they are the same species, some species even tolerate multiple producing queens in a single nest.

[Foogoo]

Ok thanks. I'm just thinking hypothetically come spring. The common species I see around where I go are usually Pogonomyrmex and maybe Camponotus now that I know what their giant queens look like.

[dean_k]

Polygyny ant species can keep more than one queen in a single colony but it seems there are certain criteria even for them.

 

Crystals has a Myrmica colony with 3(!) queens in a single test tube. She sold a colony with 2 queens to me.

Prenolepis imparis also seems to be polygyny.

 

From what I've read, some species will be only together until a worker is born and then a fight between queens begin, so it all depends on ant species.

 

 

But you can keep queens temporarily in a single container for a bit. I've done it before with Lasius queens but they will try to keep a distance from each other.

Edited by dean_k, November 11 2014 - 7:06 PM.

[Gregory2455]

If you catch them while landing, and not digging them out of their founding chambers, they will 100% not fight. They may be aggressive towards each other if they have already been solitary for a few days.

 

Considering that they are a non polygyn species.

Edited by Gregory2455, November 11 2014 - 8:26 PM.

[Crystals]

Some species will not tolerate each other for even a few minutes.  Camponotus herculeanus being one of them...  I tried carrying two of them in a glass for 25 feet, and broke up the fight 5 times.

 

Other species can easily transported a day or so together if they have just flown.  Non-parasitic Formica, non-parasitic Lasius, and a few others being the ones I tried with.  I usually put them in different containers just for peace of mind.  I get those little paint containers from the dollar store, I can fit about 8 in one coat pocket.

[Foogoo]

 I usually put them in different containers just for peace of mind.  I get those little paint containers from the dollar store, I can fit about 8 in one coat pocket.

 

Can you find a picture example of this? I've been looking out for ideal containers to carry around, just in case!

[Gregory2455]

I've been looking out for ideal containers to carry around, just in case!

Ummmm, test tubes.

[Foogoo]

Ummmm, test tubes.

 Yes if I'm going anting, but not exactly convenient to shove a few glass tubes in my pocket if I'm going out for other business . Something smaller and plastic would work better.

[dean_k]

You know those tool boxes with nails, right?

 

You can use it to keep ants for a short period. Use a lap or a tin foil to separately seal chambers if you want.

[Gregory2455]

Plastic test tubes. I have both

[DesertAntz]

If you happen to have old pill bottles, those could work. Or move the contents of an occupied one into a sandwich bag or something. 

[dspdrew]

Be careful putting too many formicines into one small container if it is going to be rattled around a bit in your pocket. I think they get agitated and start spraying formic acid which then ends up killing most of them. This happened to me while collecting Camponotus vicinus, and while collecting Myrmecocystus navajo. I had about 10 of them in a container slightly larger than an old film container, and they almost all ended up dead within about 20 minutes. I could smell the strong smell of formic acid in their too. For some reason though, this didn't happen when I had 10 Myrmecocystus cf. mimicus together in one container.

[dermy]

I have a Myrmica colony that had 10 queens in the nest [more then that since I didn't collect them all] and they have been doing good, I separated out 2 queens with 20 workers because of the problems I was having with the setup, not the ants themselves.

[Gregory2455]

Nooooo! 10 Myrmecocystus navajo? Such a waste.

[dean_k]

I have a Myrmica colony that had 10 queens in the nest [more then that since I didn't collect them all] and they have been doing good, I separated out 2 queens with 20 workers because of the problems I was having with the setup, not the ants themselves.

 

Were they founding sisters?

Edited by dean_k, November 12 2014 - 10:39 AM.

[AntsAreUs]

I would just suggest keeping them all singular queens. I once had a Lasius neoniger colony with 4 queens and the workers killed 3.

[Crystals]

Can you find a picture example of this? I've been looking out for ideal containers to carry around, just in case!

The same containers I used here: http://forum.formicu...-liquid-feeder/

 

They sell them by the 6, 8, or 10 packs in the dollar stores quite often, in the paint or craft section.

[dermy]

DeanK- I got them when they where all in the same nest.