Hello, I caught my tetramorium queens a week ago. Is this late for North America? Will my queens do alright?
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Hello, I caught my tetramorium queens a week ago. Is this late for North America? Will my queens do alright?
I think this is pretty much the latest you can catch them. They start flying near early June. They will do fine but they won't have nearly as many workers by the end of this year.
Ok thanks!
I think it is late. Be prepared for it to be a nest reject. She may have been kicked out by a more aggressive queen she had been shacking up with to found her colony.
I think it is late. Be prepared for it to be a nest reject. She may have been kicked out by a more aggressive queen she had been shacking up with to found her colony.
I take it these queens don't start a new colony then? I'm new so excuse my ignorance. They wouldn't be able to feed new workers using their wing muscles, that would make sense to me.
No I'm pretty sure they can still start their own colony. They may have a small first batch, but after that they should be fine. Unless there is something wrong with them (unmated, bad genes, disease, etc.).
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It's possible she could start another colony if she is a reject, however my personal opinion is that it would be difficult for her. This is assuming she is a reject of course, instead of a late flyer.
If she is a reject, she will have to lay a second batch of eggs. She will have to survive another month at least on her reserves, this is on top of the time she has already spent after she laid her first batch. All the time she is raising this second batch she will have to feed the larva from her depleted reserves.
I'd love to hear how this turns out for you. My opinion is that it will fail, however I may be wrong, in which case I'd love to find out.
Edited by MaxGen, August 21 2018 - 5:06 AM.
I've raised an August Tetramorium queen before. As a precaution, just give her sugary liquid now and a Drosophila fly every once in a while.
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she has eggs and larvae so far
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