18 replies to this topic

[AntsAreUs]

Right now I have 2 different species of Myrmica queens, which I will try to ID once they get a good amount of workers. They did not lay their eggs until after I both fed them and put a piece of cardboard over their tubes for darkness.
 
Here is the smaller queen (7 mm) of the 2 species that I caught. She now has 3 eggs.
 

[Karma]

I have tried so hard to get myrmica queens to start a colony and it never works for me, they always die without laying eggs unless they are multiple queens together. I am amazed by this. Can't wait to see how she turns out.

Edited by Karma, May 10 2018 - 8:11 PM.

[Bracchymyrmex]

I have tried so hard to get myrmica queens to start a colony and it never works for me, they always die without laying eggs unless they are multiple queens together. I am amazed by this. Can't wait to see how she turns out.

 

Since Myrmica queens are semi-claustral, they require an outworld to forage and an abundant food supply. I caught two Myrmica queens while they were foraging last year in April, provided them each with a small outworld attached to their test tubes (which I covered with tin foil) and gave them a couple fruit flies about twice a week. Once they had a healthy brood pile I started giving them bigger meals. Now, a year later, one of the colonies has north of 150 workers (maybe 200) while the other is slacking a bit at about 20-30 workers. The bigger colony eats a dubia roach nymph or two every other day, they're just always eating. My best advice is to give the queens a foraging area and an abundant food supply, polygyny is not necessary but it may help.

[Karma]

 

I have tried so hard to get myrmica queens to start a colony and it never works for me, they always die without laying eggs unless they are multiple queens together. I am amazed by this. Can't wait to see how she turns out.

 

Since Myrmica queens are semi-claustral, they require an outworld to forage and an abundant food supply. I caught two Myrmica queens while they were foraging last year in April, provided them each with a small outworld attached to their test tubes (which I covered with tin foil) and gave them a couple fruit flies about twice a week. Once they had a healthy brood pile I started giving them bigger meals. Now, a year later, one of the colonies has north of 150 workers (maybe 200) while the other is slacking a bit at about 20-30 workers. The bigger colony eats a dubia roach nymph or two every other day, they're just always eating. My best advice is to give the queens a foraging area and an abundant food supply, polygyny is not necessary but it may help.

 

Hmmm okay. I've definitely heard that providing an outworld is a good thing to do but I've always just offered them food in their test tube instead. I will have to try this next time thanks!!

[Mettcollsuss]

Those are some big eggs compared to her size! They're almost 1/4 the size of her gaster.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, May 11 2018 - 3:00 AM.

[AntsAreUs]

Those are some big eggs compared to her size! They're almost 1/4 the size of her gaster.

Yea, though I'm more amazed by my Ponera pennsylvanica queens. Their eggs are nearly the size of their gaster and one of them has 6 eggs.

[Canadian anter]

I've noticed that Myrmica actually need very little food. I once had a set of 4 Myrmica rubra queens whom I fed once, and a week later they had almost a hundred eggs

[Karma]

I've noticed that Myrmica actually need very little food. I once had a set of 4 Myrmica rubra queens whom I fed once, and a week later they had almost a hundred eggs

I have noticed this too however they tend to go through food quickly, in the sense that, like that colony you mentioned, they won't ration or hold onto the food they have. They'll eat the food then use all of the energy from the food on laying eggs almost like they don't have the ability to store the energy in their bodies like fat stores. So they tend to need little food but need to be fed regularly. This is only in my experience though with myrmica incompleta.

Edited by Karma, May 12 2018 - 10:18 AM.

[AntsAreUs]

Here is a pic of the larger queen and her eggs. (9 mm)

 

[AntsAreUs]

6/7/18

 

Just a small picture update on the larger queens. They have larva now that is growing by the day.

 

 

They like egg yolk it seems.

 

Edited by AntsAreUs, June 7 2018 - 11:43 AM.

[Major]

Just caught some Myrmica wondering if anyone could I’d it. I’ve provided my queen with honey, a fly, water, and a raspberry piece. I did this because I have NO clue to as what they eat. Please could I have some advice? My other two Myrmica queens failed. I also provided a small Outworld and covered the nest. They are in a test tube.
http://www.formicult...018/#entry96138

[AntsAreUs]

Just caught some Myrmica wondering if anyone could I’d it. I’ve provided my queen with honey, a fly, water, and a raspberry piece. I did this because I have NO clue to as what they eat. Please could I have some advice? My other two Myrmica queens failed. I also provided a small Outworld and covered the nest. They are in a test tube.
http://www.formicult...018/#entry96138

I would recommend trying to make sugar water which is simply boiling sugar and water together in a 1:3 ratio. All my ants accept sugar water if they need it. Myrmica queens do need a bit of sugar in order to get by their founding process. To get the queens to lay eggs you can feed them a little bit of protein via insects or egg yolk like I did. Once they do get larva you may need to increase the protein intake for the larva to grow. If failure to give protein during larva growth, they can just eat their brood.  The brood takes a little while to develop unfortunately, so you have to have consistency with feeding them.

Edited by AntsAreUs, June 30 2018 - 7:35 PM.

[AntsAreUs]

7/7/18

 

One month later... and they still don't have pupa. This queen just laid a new egg today for some reason.

 

[AntsAreUs]

7/15/18

 

The smaller queen has gone through some stages of brood eating. I've tried to disturb her as little as possible and she seems to be doing much better now.

 

The larger queens got their first pupa.

 

[Zxirl]

Are you using an outworld or just feeding directly in the tube? Great journal so far. 

[AntsAreUs]

Are you using an outworld or just feeding directly in the tube? Great journal so far. 

Right now I'm just feeding them in the tube. I've been feeding them fruit flies and sugar water. The way I give them sugar water is slightly different though. I take a BBQ skewer tip dipped in sugar water and drag it along the surface near the queen that way it doesn't create a huge mess.

Edited by AntsAreUs, July 27 2018 - 1:54 PM.

[AntsAreUs]

7/29/18

 

They have gotten their first worker. I'm still deciding whether or not to put the queens together.

 

[AntsAreUs]

8/1/18

 

I can now conclude that the smaller Myrmica I have is Myrmica punctiventris. The other larger Myrmica is an unnamed species from my knowledge. I have collected a colony of Myrmica punctiventris and slowly introduced the queen to the colony. 

 

[Kaelwizard]

I have a possible Myrmica americana queen. I gave her a cricket leg and cricket food (orange pieces).