11 replies to this topic

[CNewton]

My first ever queen, a Camponotus pennsylanicus, has had an awful time founding her colony. Seeing her problems, I would periodically feed her sugars that she eagerly accepts. Before hibernation, she still hadn't had any workers. I took her out in March, after 4 months, and she finally had a couple larvae. One eventually pupated. I invested in a heat cable, finally, and placed her and all my other queens on it.

 

I checked on her yesterday. the pupa is decimated. the other eggs and larvae are gone. She is gnawing viciously on the cotton plugs. I gave her more sugar. The addition of heat (on only one side of the tube) caused her to freak out. I've been doing my best at leaving her alone. My Crematogaster has 2 nanitics. I've seen people say these are very temperamental. I'm trying to say I thought I was doing well leaving her to found, but still she can't seem to manage.

 

Do I euthanize and wait for the next flights coming up? Stuff her full of sugars and try again? I just got a thick foam mat I'm willing to try stuffing her tube in and see how that goes (prevent vibration and light). Maybe attempt one more founding before I call it quits.

[dermy]

Do you know if this queen is fertile? I mean you can't just go on if she didn't have wings since that isn't always the case but it might have either not been fertile. Or could be a simple case of bad luck. I'd wait for the flights, but keep her alive. Queens can start-over and bounce back sometimes. Although I would like to suggest some brood boosting [from the same species] of some cocoons just to help her out.

[Jadeninja9]

Do you know if this queen is fertile? I mean you can't just go on if she didn't have wings since that isn't always the case but it might have either not been fertile. Or could be a simple case of bad luck. I'd wait for the flights, but keep her alive. Queens can start-over and bounce back sometimes. Although I would like to suggest some brood boosting [from the same species] of some cocoons just to help her out.

Well there was a pupa so it is fertile
There’s no hurt in waiting. Just because she ate her eggs doesn’t mean you have to kill her lol.

[Scrixx]

Let her try again. I have two queens from over half a year ago who lost all their workers and now have a nice pile of eggs. Give her some sugar water and a piece of crushed insect and hope she takes it. If the eggs are gone, hopefully she ate them. She'll recycle the energy and hopefully produce new eggs, albeit less. There's no reason euthanizing her. Let her try until she passes by herself. It's already a good sign that she had a pupa so just let her be.

[Serafine]

At this point you should feed her protein (dead fruit flies or small spiders) - after such a long founding period she has likely used up all of her own (stored) protein resources and needs more. However if provided with those she can still found a colony so it's way too early to give up (the fact that she had a pupa clearly shows that she is capable of raising her brood and that she's not a dud).

[antsinmypants]

Out of curiosity, what is the best way to humanely euthanize ants?

[StayLoki]

I'm team protein..
Even as carpenter ants they'll still eat other resources.
They're omnivores and they'll eat insects, as well as surgary/starchy foods.
I say mix it up and offer an earthworm segment or a thumb-nail-sized-sliver of quality deli meat like turkey or roast beef...
Don't give up unless you're ready to give up on her
GL Newton

[StayLoki]

What parts are you in Newton?
Heating them, although it can speed up production, can also denature spermazoa and disrupt homeostasis..
What temp are you keeping her at???

[CNewton]

The cable runs about 75-78F. Camponotus like the heat, figured it would help. I’ll grab some protein and more sugars and gutload her for another go around.

[Dnail]

Out of curiosity, what is the best way to humanely euthanize ants?

put it sleep with alcohol

[anttics]

Capture a small worker from the same species. Keep her isolated for a month. Thenn introduce her to the queen. If she accepts her. Sometimes queens are dumb. And a worker makes the difference caring for brood.

[ultraex2]

My first ever queen, a Camponotus pennsylanicus, has had an awful time founding her colony. Seeing her problems, I would periodically feed her sugars that she eagerly accepts. Before hibernation, she still hadn't had any workers. I took her out in March, after 4 months, and she finally had a couple larvae. One eventually pupated. I invested in a heat cable, finally, and placed her and all my other queens on it.

 

I checked on her yesterday. the pupa is decimated. the other eggs and larvae are gone. She is gnawing viciously on the cotton plugs. I gave her more sugar. The addition of heat (on only one side of the tube) caused her to freak out. I've been doing my best at leaving her alone. My Crematogaster has 2 nanitics. I've seen people say these are very temperamental. I'm trying to say I thought I was doing well leaving her to found, but still she can't seem to manage.

 

Do I euthanize and wait for the next flights coming up? Stuff her full of sugars and try again? I just got a thick foam mat I'm willing to try stuffing her tube in and see how that goes (prevent vibration and light). Maybe attempt one more founding before I call it quits.

 

How often were you checking/bothering her?  To be honest, you shouldn't even know if she is having trouble founding her colony as you should only be checking up on her once a week tops or so.

 

Give her a couple fruit flies and/or a drop of sugar and then just leave her be.  (make sure the water is topped off as well).  It should take about 2 months for the first generation of Camponotus workers.