5 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

Should I separate these two Pheidole queens?
 
They are both hanging out on opposite sides of the test tube.
Unlike the many other multiple Pheidole queen setups I have which all hang out close to each other, and feed one another etc.
 
I saw a leg on the test tube ceiling, and upon examining the photos I took today, the one of the entrance side is missing a leg...
AFAIK They are the same species. The one on the water side is definitely all black.
 
They have some brood and one pupa is getting close to eclosing, the brown one.

click to enlarge 

 

[Phoenix]

Not every species of Pheidole are polygynous, some are strictly monogynous, killing one another even before their first workers arrive.

[123LordOfAnts123]

It’s risky keeping monogynous species together, even if they regularly found via pleometrosis. Often, both queens are seriously maimed before a victor arises. I’ve had queens kill off competition successfully, but end up without any antennae or several missing legs. Similar results may arrise even if the workers do the culling.

[StayLoki]

Imo even if a species is polygynous, I would separate them to prevent competition over resources or space.. But I mean if it interests you to keep them together then by all means.. Interesting to see the results of your adventure anyway 👀

Personally tho, ants don't just drop limbs and I wouldn't wanna watch my ladies gimping around legless!!

[CoolColJ]

Well I have separated the legless one, along with a few brood on her side with a wet cotton bud into a new test tube.

 

At first she was sticking to the entrance side cotton, and moving the brood around placing them at even intervals from the entrance cotton to the middle of the test tube.

But this morning she is near the water side cotton, along with all the brood, which appear to be at pupa stage.

 

And she is curled over cleaning her gaster, so she is most likely going to be laying more eggs.

She has 7 pupae, enough to get her started

Edited by CoolColJ, April 21 2018 - 1:03 PM.

[CoolColJ]

Well things were going well but eventually the moved queen hung out on the entrance side cotton wool yesterday.

This morning I check on her and she appears to be dead....

 

I think she hung out there because she knew she was sick and would die soon.

The same way nanitics do when they are about to die, they separate themselves from the colony.

 

Now I need to move these pupa back across to their original test tube