7 replies to this topic

[matt123]

I came across the practice of brood boosting and it definitely interests me.

 

Is it wise to do? why/why not?

Edited by matt123, September 21 2017 - 5:52 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

I've been there. It sounds appealing, but all you are really doing is harming another colony for no real benefit to the one receiving brood. All that's being accomplished is jumping the development of your colony a few months ahead, which is only serving our impatience. If your colony is ever floundering, adding more workers is not going to fix the problem.

 

The only exception is when you are raising social parasites that have the means to eclose the adults. They cannot found colonies independently.

[Serafine]

Brood boosting CAN be useful if a queen repeatedly fails to raise her first workers, however there is no guarantee it works and more often than not the queen will either fail anyway or some careful help for the queen (sugar water, a fruit fly or a small spider) is the better way to go.

[matt123]

The reason I ask for exactly what batspiderfish states: impatience.

Everytime I see videos on youtube from channels like AntsCanada I always want to see my fledgling little colonies huge ASAP. My tetramorium are both doing just fine but of course I wouldn't mind a little boost. I don't plan on doing it though. Maybe if one colony looks to be failing I will grab their brood and give it to the other one, but no need for that.

 

Is it possible to boost with all stages of brood (Eggs, larvae, pupae)?

Edited by matt123, September 22 2017 - 12:21 PM.

[Serafine]

Ants grow pretty much exponentially, don't underestimate them. You'll reach the point where you were you wish your ants would multiply slower soon enough

Edited by Serafine, September 22 2017 - 12:33 PM.

[Mettcollsuss]

The reason I ask for exactly what batspiderfish states: impatience.

Everytime I see videos on youtube from channels like AntsCanada I always want to see my fledgling little colonies huge ASAP. My tetramorium are both doing just fine but of course I wouldn't mind a little boost. I don't plan on doing it though. Maybe if one colony looks to be failing I will grab their brood and give it to the other one, but no need for that.

 

Is it possible to boost with all stages of brood (Eggs, larvae, pupae)?

 

It is possible to boost with all stages of development, but I would use pupae, because they don't require any care from the queen. If you use eggs & larvae, the queen still has to care for and feed them.

[matt123]

Has anyone tried boosting with another species? I assume they will jsut eat the eggs or ignore them? but what if you boost with a closely related species in the same genus?

[FeedTheAnts]

Has anyone tried boosting with another species? I assume they will jsut eat the eggs or ignore them? but what if you boost with a closely related species in the same genus?

ya, people do that sometimes with Camponotus. I'd assume it maybe doesn't work on all occasions though.