11 replies to this topic

[Penguin]

     I plan on catching some P. Imparis queens next year I was wondering, If I had extra queens caught on the same day should I put them in one tube, or merge them later, I was wondering what method you guys find best for creating Polygamous colonies, I know there is a monogamous strain and a polygamous strain, I was wondering what method had the best success rate for hobbyists.

 

[Batspiderfish]

Prenolepis imparis are more consistently polygynous, so you could just put one or more queens together after their nuptial flight. Some colonies have even been combined after workers.

[Penguin]

O.K. thanks, if I catch a couple of queens one day I might make a 3 queen tube, is this advisable?

[Mettcollsuss]

Yeah, as long as they have enough room. If you have too many queens in not enough space, once the workers arrive they'll pick off the weaker queens until there's enough room.

 

EDIT: Spelling

Edited by Mettcollsuss, October 28 2017 - 11:54 AM.

[Reevak]

I have a 3 queen and a 2 queen colony from earlier this year. They are still getting along fine, but I know someone who had a 2 queen colony from this year and recently (within this month) the workers dragged one queen into the outworld after attacking her. I'm not sure why they did this, because they had plenty of room (other tubes) to live in. I put the queens together right as I made the test tube setups. There was also a video that I saw earlier this year (made like 6 years ago though) of somebody merging several single queen Prenolepis imparis colonies (soon after they had their nanitics, so very young colonies). The tubes were just placed near each other and lots food was placed outside of the tubes (so they had a lot and wouldn't fight over a little I assume) and when the workers first met they would initially fight and then stop. Then they would return to their tubes, walk back out and touch antennae again, then eventually the workers began grabbing their own queen's brood and bringing it to one tube. Not longer after that, the queens moved to that same tube as well.  It's, in my opinion, best to put them together before they lay eggs, so you aren't taking any chances, but its not impossible to merge while the colonies are still young. As for merging older colonies, I have no clue, but I hope this helped.

[Penguin]

Would you recommend this: https://ausants.com/...c-nest-size-01/for a multi queen founding formicarium?

[Reevak]

I have a 3 queen and a 2 queen colony from earlier this year. They are still getting along fine, but I know someone who had a 2 queen colony from this year and recently (within this month) the workers dragged one queen into the outworld after attacking her. I'm not sure why they did this, because they had plenty of room (other tubes) to live in. I put the queens together right as I made the test tube setups. There was also a video that I saw earlier this year (made like 6 years ago though) of somebody merging several single queen Prenolepis imparis colonies (soon after they had their nanitics, so very young colonies). The tubes were just placed near each other and lots food was placed outside of the tubes (so they had a lot and wouldn't fight over a little I assume) and when the workers first met they would initially fight and then stop. Then they would return to their tubes, walk back out and touch antennae again, then eventually the workers began grabbing their own queen's brood and bringing it to one tube. Not longer after that, the queens moved to that same tube as well.  It's, in my opinion, best to put them together before they lay eggs, so you aren't taking any chances, but its not impossible to merge while the colonies are still young. As for merging older colonies, I have no clue, but I hope this helped.

Scratch this comment. Since then (AKA this morning) the 3 queen colony decided to take one of their queens and tear her to shreds. One head somewhere in the outworld and the gaster being dragged out of the tube as I type this. RIP 1/3 queens.

[WeatherAnt]

https://www.youtube....h?v=GVWR9ye-XCY

[ultraex2]

It's possible, but be aware that it is not a 100% success rate and be prepared to potentially lose all the queens that you try to merge.  Not sure how true this is, but I have read/heard that the farther north you go the less likely P. Imparis is supposed to be polygynous.

 

I know that I tried earlier this year to do a 2-queen colony because I caught a bunch, but unfortunately they both died in the found stage.  Not sure if it was coincidence or because it doesn't really work this far up north. (Illinois).

[Reevak]

It's possible, but be aware that it is not a 100% success rate and be prepared to potentially lose all the queens that you try to merge.  Not sure how true this is, but I have read/heard that the farther north you go the less likely P. Imparis is supposed to be polygynous.

 

I know that I tried earlier this year to do a 2-queen colony because I caught a bunch, but unfortunately they both died in the found stage.  Not sure if it was coincidence or because it doesn't really work this far up north. (Illinois).

I would imagine, if this is true, that this is because the Prenolepis imparis have more of an advantage in colder regions compared to the Prenolepis imparis in warmer regions of the US, meaning in the southern states they may require multiple queens to aid in the colony's survival, but in the north they don't require such assistance (or at least not as much) to further their survival in that area.

[noebl1]

Here's the article I bet @ultraex2 was referring to:  http://www.bio.fsu.e...ions/1987-3.pdf

 

My only concern (again I am not an expert) is if you combine them early, and any are infertile, the infertile queens would seem to be a burden on the colony unless the colony eventually culls them.  I caught about 8 or so this year, each kept in their own test tube.  Only two actually made it to the point of laying and going all the way thru eclosing.  I had others not lay, other's lay infertile, and one fertile one that died just before her's eclosed (so was able to brood boost at least.)

[Penguin]

Thanks for the replies, I will probably just get a large tube and try to make one 2 and one 3 queen tubes. To not risk too many queens.