842 replies to this topic

[Antking123]

My queens have laid eggs at room temp and they have huge gasters, but that was after a couple weeks. Probably just takes time, not going to risk putting them at 40 degrees or so. Also, I recommend putting a crap ton of them together because prenolepis queens usually die on their own. The most successful queens I have are 2+, but I'm also too lazy to put several in one test tube.   

[Jadeninja9]

Interesting. I remember last year I had kept a queen in my room for about 2 months and she wouldn’t lay. The night I put her in the fridge she broke off her wings and the next week had laid eggs. There’s even a myrmecologyst at Berkeley who keeps her colonies in the fridge too. So far my 9 queens have been in the fridge at 55°F for 5 days, but no eggs yet.

[YsTheAnt]

Maybe take them out in 5-7 day increments and see which ones do best. For science .

[Jadeninja9]

Hm, maybe. 

[Rstheant]

Me, just keep them on a foam egg rack, and don’t give them heat. They’re so far been kept a 76* F and still no eggs. Not surprised, because Prenolepis are slow growing.

[Jadeninja9]

Yeah that’s around the temperatures my Queen was kept in last year and she didn’t lay eggs for 2 months until I put her in the fridge

[Jadeninja9]

Also, this rain combined with the warm forecast this weekend looks promising for queen hunting

[Antking123]

How did you get a fridge to 55F. What kind of fridge are you using. I only get max 40 with my mini-fridge. 

[Jadeninja9]

How did you get a fridge to 55F. What kind of fridge are you using. I only get max 40 with my mini-fridge.

My mom has like 3 wine coolers with adjustable temperature settings lol

[sirjordanncurtis]

A week ago, if you checked the weather reports for this upcoming weekend, it would have shown only 2 days of sun, with temperatures at a high of 64F. The number of sunny days has since increased to 7 days with at least 71F in some areas. 

[Rstheant]

There was some rain last night. Maybe when it hits high 60’s Camponotus or Prenolepis might fly.

[YsTheAnt]

Camponotus won't fly in high sixties.

[Rstheant]

There was a LOT of rain at my school. Now add a bit of heat, and get flights!!

[YsTheAnt]

In this part of CA rain doesn't matter much.

[Antking123]

You do realize the more rain we get the less likely a species is to fly. Its basically suicide. Species won't fly until it hasn't rained for a while as in a week or so sometimes more depending on the species and the time it takes them to repair their homes.

[Jadeninja9]

Anyone find anything or nah

[Antking123]

Anyone going hiking at night? Found evidence of Camponotus queens but they fly at night. Probably need a group to just set up a huge white sheets on trails and blue lights to get a ton of queens.

[sirjordanncurtis]

Anyone going hiking at night? Found evidence of Camponotus queens but they fly at night. Probably need a group to just set up a huge white sheets on trails and blue lights to get a ton of queens.

 

Today?

 

I'd be interested, but idk if anything's going to be flying in the next few days at all.

Edited by sirjordanncurtis, April 3 2019 - 2:14 PM.

[YsTheAnt]

Doubt anything flew today. I will post here next time anything may fly.

[Jadeninja9]

It’s really good temps rn