11 replies to this topic

[Mettcollsuss]

A few months back (July), I caught two F. subsericea queens right around the same time. They layed eggs at the same time, brood developed at the same rate, etc. You get the idea. They layed their first batch of eggs at the same time, about five. The eggs turned to larvae, the larvae turned to pupae. They didn't have any other brood. At first I didn't think any thing of it. I assumed that they were waiting until they had workers to care for their eggs. The brood's pupal stage went by very slowly, almost a month and a half until the cocoons eclosed. They both had 5 workers. After this, nothing changed.They never laid the eggs that I thought they were waiting to lay. Another month or two later (now), still no brood. They are being fed plenty of sweets and protein. Does anyone know what's wrong with them? 

Edited by Mettcollsuss, October 22 2017 - 9:56 AM.

[Evanthomas89]

A few months back (July), I caught two F. subsericea queens right around the same time. They layed eggs at the same time, brood developed at the same rate, etc. You get the idea. They layed their first batch of eggs at the same time, about five. The eggs turned to larvae, the larvae turned to pupae. They didn't have any other brood. At first I didn't think any thing of it. I assumed that they were waiting until they had workers to care for their eggs the pupal stage went by very slowly, almost a month and a half until the cocoons eclosed. They both had 5 workers. After this, nothing changed. They never laid the eggs that I thought they were waiting to lay. Another month or two later (now), still no brood. They are being fed plenty of sweets and protein. Does anyone know what's wrong with them? 

 

I heard Formica don't keep brood over winter so they will stop laying before hibernation. I have a Fomica queen as well, she laid her first single egg, raised it to a worker and has stopped laying. I'm sure she will start back up in spring. Hope this helps! 

[FeedTheAnts]

 to add to what Evan said it is also worth noting that they don't lay new brood unless there is no larvae(Usually).

[Mettcollsuss]

 to add to what Evan said it is also worth noting that they don't lay new brood unless there is no larvae(Usually).

So, they only lay a new batch of eggs when the old one batch is in its pupal stage is what you're saying? Because they don't have any brood, eggs, larvae, or pupae.

[Mettcollsuss]

 to add to what Evan said it is also worth noting that they don't lay new brood unless there is no larvae(Usually).

That actually makes sense. When I found a wild Formica colony, They only had pupae, no eggs or larvae that I could see. It's also worth noting that I spotted at least two queens. On the subject of Formica polygyny, will adult colonies fuse, or should queens be introduced during the founding stage? Will colonies accept new queens?

[Batspiderfish]

I cannot corroborate the egg/larva rumor, but the reason she is not laying is because it is almost winter.

[Mettcollsuss]

I cannot corroborate the egg/larva rumor, but the reason she is not laying is because it is almost winter.

But she stopped laying a few moths ago, long before winter.

[Mettcollsuss]

 I'm just worried that the workers might not live long enough to raise the next generation of brood.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, October 22 2017 - 11:15 AM.

[Batspiderfish]

Because it could take more than a month for those brood to develop, and Formica will not keep any brood before the winter. It was also her very first generation.

[Serafine]

Formica workers take 2-3 months to develop and they don't hibernate with brood, it's completely normal for them to stop laying eggs in late summer. I know people who's Camponotus ligniperda colonies stopped developing their brood in early August.

[Batspiderfish]

Ehh, Formica actually develop pretty quickly for me (one month, tops), but of course maturation times depend a lot on average temperature. Foundress queens are even more conservative about that cutoff time, and it's not uncommon at all for captive Formica queens to produce only one worker in their first year.

[Evanthomas89]

Ehh, Formica actually develop pretty quickly for me (one month, tops), but of course maturation times depend a lot on average temperature. Foundress queens are even more conservative about that cutoff time, and it's not uncommon at all for captive Formica queens to produce only one worker in their first year.

 

That's exactly what mine did, haha.